Welcome to the first Priority Pay blog of 2024! On behalf of our entire team, we would like to wish you a very happy and successful new year! What plans do you have to make this year your best year yet?
As a restaurant owner, one of the most important things you can do is to keep your menu fresh and exciting. Doing so will not just keep your regular customers coming back. It will also attract new customers who are looking for something different. If your restaurant specializes in Italian food, for example, you could add a few dishes from a different country such as Mexican or Thai. This not only gives customers something new to try, but it also showcases your culinary skills and versatility.
Add more vegetarian or vegan options to your menu.
With more and more people choosing to eat plant-based diets these days, offering a wider variety of vegetarian and vegan options can attract a whole new group of customers. These options could include meatless versions of popular dishes or completely new, unique options.
“When you offer vegan menu options, you might now cater to specific diet restrictions you didn’t address before, which may increase and broaden your consumer base,” says the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, “For example, completely meat-free menu items will likely appeal to ethical eaters. Dairy-free dishes may entice lactose-free guests. Even those who follow religious dietary requirements, such as Seventh-day Adventists, could stroll into your restaurant and opt for vegan items that might tick the boxes.”
Offer new menu items that are made with locally sourced ingredients.
This not only supports local farmers and producers, it also gives customers a chance to try fresh, seasonal ingredients that they may not have had before. This can be a great way to show your commitment to sustainability and to your community.
“Lighthouse, a farm-to-table restaurant in New York City, has found success in leveraging locally sourced ingredients in their seasonal dishes,” explains Grubhub For Restaurants, “They even put their organic food waste to work, by using vegetable and fruit scraps to make compost for their herb garden, which is then used to create their own in-house spice mixes.”
Add a few new items to your drink menu.
This could include new cocktails, mocktails or even a new type of beer or wine. Offering new beverages is a great way to entice customers who are looking for something new to drink. Not to mention, it can also be a way to showcase your bartending skills!
“The appearance of a new drinks menu will create excitement; the novelty will be enough to get guests to leaf through it,” says Thomas Henry Strenk for Restaurant Business Magazine, “Follow-through is up to you. Use Twitter, Facebook and your customer loyalty email base to get the word out.”
Put your restaurant’s menu online.
Contact Priority Pay to learn all about our online ordering system for restaurants! To get started, please don’t hesitate to call us 1-888-431-4344. You may also email us at info@prioritypay.ca or request a quote on our Contact page!