 If you can find a way to consistently provide quality food in a way that allows guests to make a dish their own, your business is in a powerful place to build loyalty. Sous vide cooking, where vacuum-sealed food is slow-cooked in a precisely controlled water bath, is helping many operators achieve this by combining high-end culinary quality with large-scale efficiency. It’s enabling operators to provide personalized meals without compromising consistency or safety.
In senior living and healthcare facilities, sous vide enables the preparation of portion-controlled proteins like low-sodium chicken or herb-infused salmon that can be batch-cooked and chilled for quick, on-demand rethermalization. This allows foodservice operations to create meals tailored to strict dietary requirements, including heart-healthy and diabetic-friendly options, or even texture-modified diets, ensuring compliance without sacrificing flavor or nutrition. But there are benefits beyond those types of operations too. Because sous vide delivers consistent results across shifts and locations, multi-site foodservice businesses benefit from standardized quality with less staff training. While there are risks to manage with sous vide – e.g., some research highlights the importance of proper time-temperature control and the potential for specific bacteria to be more resistant to heat in certain cases – the benefits to overall safety and quality tend to outweigh them.  Over the years, certain menu pricing strategies have increased in popularity during unsteady economic times. Among them is barbell menu pricing, which accommodates guests seeking lower-cost options and those who prefer higher-end choices.
Right now, amid fluctuations in the economy, tariff concerns, and even changes in consumer behavior (like the Ozempic effect on restaurant orders), foodservice businesses may benefit from such strategies. Presenting a menu with lower-ticket items surrounded by more expensive ones can satisfy guests who continue to be concerned with savings, as well as those who may be tempted with pricier options once they sit down. Chili’s is among the brands succeeding with this. Their “3 for Me” menu offers, starting at $10.99 for a drink, appetizer and main course, allow guests to upgrade their drink and appetizer for an additional charge. A number of news reports include the brand on lists of restaurants where guests can find a good deal. Yet many Chili’s guests (and others less concerned about spending) could also be tempted with one of their margaritas, which come in at a similar price point. How well does your menu leave room for upgrades? Or serve premium items that happen to be ideal complements of lower-cost items on your menu? |
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