Guests want flexibility, not just full plates. See why snackable and shareable menu items are helping restaurant operators manage margins and meet diners where they are.
This article first appeared in Modern Restaurant Management.
Diners want more of a build-their-own experience and are seeking out menus featuring snackable and shareable items.
A big part of this is simply how people are choosing to eat right now, Joe Hannon, Restaurant365’s GM of Inventory and Sales. explained.
“You are seeing less structure around traditional meal times and more occasions where people are eating throughout the day or sharing with a group. Instead of ordering one entrée, guests want to try a few things and build their own experience.”
This offers an advantage for restaurant operators because smaller items are often easier to execute and easier to build off ingredients that are already in the kitchen, he added.
“When you factor in labor pressure and the continued growth of off-premise dining, snackable items just make a lot of sense for how restaurants are running today. From the operator side, it also creates opportunities to manage margins more intentionally if those items are designed the right way.”
The trend coincides with the value shift as it’s no longer just about getting the biggest portion for the lowest price, Hannon said, noting that it’s about flexibility and feeling like you are getting exactly what you want.
“Snackable items give guests that control. They can spend at a level that works for them and still feel like they are getting a complete experience. In a lot of cases, that feels like a better value than committing to a single higher-priced item.”
Read the full article at Modern Restaurant Management.
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