Menu Reset Calls for a Second Look at Protein ROI
According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), expenditures at restaurants, school cafeterias, sports venues, and other eating-out establishments:
Fell 48% from $68 billion in February 2020 to $35 billion in April 2020
Were 51% lower in April 2020 than April 2019
Despite some rebound, remained down 21% in December 2020, compared with the year before.
Data like this confirms what we already know: The food industry, in general, and restaurants, in particular, took a beating due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
While the return of customers will be gradual, humans are resilient and social animals by nature. Few activities are more capable of bringing them together than gathering over a tasty meal. Yet, how do restaurant owners keep customers happy without overextending their limited resources until their eatery’s recovery is complete? One of the main ways is to scale back the number of proteins you offer since protein is the most expensive component of most restaurant menus. The other is to select the proteins that are resonating consistently with customers as they return and offer more appeal for less.
Below are suggestions for resetting your menu with limited proteins that can help lower your costs and win back diners.
Uncover the Better Margin Within
Reducing the selection of proteins you offer to lower your food costs does not mean you need to serve less protein to diners. It is a question of getting the most protein bang for your buck. Besides being tasty, seafood, such as branzino, shrimp, and calamari, is high in protein and provides many other health benefits. Seafood is low in calories and saturated fats and high in Omega-3 and other vitamins, making it particularly appealing to those looking to eat healthier fare following the shutdown.
Simple and Traditional Innovation
Many people coming out to eat after nearly a year of their own cooking crave innovative dishes they could not or did not prepare at home. Of course, you want to keep your best sellers based on reliable sales data. However, one of the most important ways to bring seafood lovers back to the table is to serve up innovative dishes that feature new approaches and unique sauces with creative sides. With seafood, the varieties are endless. You’ll be able to delight customers without having to resort to overly complex dishes.
To keep costs in check, remember that innovative and traditional need not be exclusive. The key is to purchase versatile seafood. Seafood staples, such as shrimp and calamari, speak volumes when it comes to tradition. Yet, they quickly become fresh and exotic with a cutting-edge sauce or served on a bed of braised brussel sprouts. Versatility also means choosing options that can star in everything from appetizers and salads to entrees and side dishes. Seafood with this built-in flexibility cuts costs and waste while giving customers what they crave.
Perfect Pairs
While on the topic of innovation, don’t forget to extend this to your combo plates. Create tantalizing surf ‘n turf spinoffs by pairing seared branzino or grilled shrimp with thinly sliced beef, pork, or another protein on your scaled-back list. These innovative combos will lure meat and seafood lovers back while offering adventurous eaters something to rave about.
Ready, Set, Eat
As diners work to get their restaurant sea legs back—and with limited indoor dining still in effect in many areas— business is sure to be uncertain for a while. Stocking up on top-quality, flash-frozen seafood that offers a fresh taste, reliable consistency, and super-fast cooking speeds can help you weather the unpredictability. Try options like lightly dusted calamari that go from frozen to fully cooked in 90 seconds and can be used in a variety of appetizers, salads, and entrees. Lightly dusted calamari is also gluten-free, which can add appeal for many diners. Meanwhile, this product significantly reduces labor costs by virtually eliminating time-consuming training of new hires and multi-step meal prep.
Get Carried Away
Don’t forget that not all patrons will be jumping immediately at the chance to dine on site, while others may have gotten hooked on carry out. Choose seafood that is well suited to travel, such as shrimp, calamari, and pre-portioned branzino, so that they can work on both on-site and off-site menus.
Savvy restaurant owners do a rigorous food costs analysis and know exactly which dishes cost how much to prepare. They also know that choosing proteins that can wear many guises can bring those per-plate costs down significantly while getting customers hooked on new sea fare.