Sometimes bigger isn't always better
In today’s calorie conscious world people are making different choices when it comes to dining. Yet, over the past 20 years we have been increasing our portion sizes and delivering dizzying amounts of calories, carbohydrates and saturated fats. It seems difficult to reconcile this contradiction on your menu. Do guests expect value portions or do they want small plates?
Well, it’s both! In October of 2011, FSRMagazine.com declared, “Small Plates are Big Business”. This trend started in the mid-2000s and shows no sign of abating. While we don’t suggest you chuck your menu in favor of garlic flavored roasted chick peas, or Iberico ham on grilled toast point drizzled with EV oil and aged balsamic (although it sounds delicious, eh?), we do suggest you offer some of your entrées as small portions.
This makes your menu more accessible to folks that don’t want the traditional American hubcap sized plate of food. The good news is that you can reduce the price only by the value of the food cost decrease. So it will be as profitable as your full sized entrée, but satisfy the need of your guest to eat a smaller portion.
Pick four entrees that will work as smaller portions and have at it. Great profit, happy guest, more options, What’s not to like?
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