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?

This year, approximately 80 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales to either increase (33 percent) or hold steady (45 percent) over their 2023 sales, according to the National Restaurant Association. What’s more, the industry is expected to add a further 200,000 jobs this year. That’s a lot of forward momentum after some challenging years — and it represents a significant opportunity for operators to make the most of it. There are many ways to approach this — from labor management to time management strategies — but your menu holds many keys to optimal efficiency. A recent report from FSR Magazine details some approaches to maximize your menu’s effectiveness. For example, look for additional opportunities to decrease your SKUs by focusing in on serving up a shorter list of profitable winners as opposed to a broader range of items. Or simply be more creative and resourceful with the SKUs you have so they do triple or even quadruple duty across the menu. This could look like bundling items into a value meal, making items more customizable with premium proteins and condiments, or adjusting serving sizes of an SKU in menu options across dayparts. As a result, your menu will likely be perceived not as having holes but as offering expanded options — even as less labor is required from your kitchen staff.

Nearly three-quarters of the U.S. food supply is ultra-processed, according to new research published by Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute, and these foods generate a higher risk of developing a variety of health problems. Consumer awareness is growing around the connection between ultra-processed foods and poor health. This could well have an impact on the dining choices of those who have grown more health-conscious in recent years, since conventional wisdom says the best way to ensure you’re consuming a healthy diet is to prepare your meals yourself. But that doesn’t have to be the case. More foodservice suppliers are looking to support consumer interest in healthy lifestyles while providing the taste and variety that can make nutritious eating easier to maintain – so there is significant opportunity for foodservice operators here. U.S. Foods, for one, has an “unpronounceables list” of 80 ingredients they avoid or replace in the foods they develop for select foodservice clients. The list contains items such as artificial colors or flavors, nitrites and nitrates, and high-fructose corn syrup. “This appeals to many of our customers looking for products that are produced with clean-label profiles similar to what they might make themselves back of house,” said Stacey Kinkaid, U.S. Foods vice president of product development, in an interview with Food Business News. The company uses the AI-supported e-commerce portal MOXe to suggest ingredients that suit the evolving preferences of their clients’ guests, so it is likely to become easier for foodservice operators to find ingredients and substitutes that meet their need for minimally processed menus.

​It may be the ideal way to keep costs in check while offering guests the kinds of appealing options that keep them engaged and bring them back: Offer creative snack foods and beverages that are worth the trip outside of meal times. Think functional beverages – like smoothies that offer an energy boost or other nutritional elements ideal for the pre- or post-workout crowd. The same goes for smaller nibbles that can drive traffic during slower parts of the day, attract a younger demographic, and may be easier to feature on a rotating basis as limited-time offers to keep your menu fresh. A recent Restaurant Dive report says more foodservice businesses are taking this route – simplifying the main menu but growing their options in other areas – in an effort to reduce operational complexity in their kitchens and manage costs.

Looking back at the past year can reveal some clues as to what we can expect in the year ahead. For many restaurants last year, food became more creative again as restaurants looked for ways to provide fresh experiences to guests while sticking to small core menus and tight budgets. One approach restaurants used accomplished this – and are likely to use again this year – is offering a rapid progression of limited-time offers. Technomic research found that in October alone, restaurants introduced more than 2,200 new menu items, of which a whopping 93 percent were limited-time offers. These items are vehicles that enable restaurants to inject something new into the menu on a frequent basis. Restaurant Business reported that some restaurants have been offering limited-time menu items with shifting seasonal ingredients, variations on core menu items, and more innovative items that allow chefs to test potential new offerings or show off a skill that might not have a chance to shine on a core menu. As you look ahead to the rest of the year, are there opportunities to more frequently change up your offerings with items that can refresh the experience you offer guests?

One way restaurants can make the dining experience feel more special to guests is by allowing customization – enabling guests to order a dish the way they want it. But at a time when restaurants need to operate as efficiently as possible and may lack experienced staff, customization can be a strain. According to Restaurant Dive, Starbucks has experienced labor challenges with complicated drink orders in the past, and its recent introduction of four holiday-themed cold-foam flavors aimed at driving demand beyond the holiday season may compound that issue. It’s something to consider if you are weighing options to increase the customizability of your menu. Even if those efforts seem small, they need to strike the right balance with the labor you have available to carry them out. At your restaurant, have you maxed out your tech-driven efforts to make your experience feel more personal? Having automations set up to send a guest a coupon for a free dessert on their birthday can feel personal, as can sending targeted, preference-driven promotions to guests through your loyalty program.​

​Offering what feels like a worthwhile experience to guests is important at U.S. restaurants, particularly as restaurant inflation continues to outpace grocery store inflation. One way restaurants are approaching this is through menu innovation. According to new research from Datassential, only 16 percent of restaurant operators are not planning to change their menus this year. Making updates can boost the intrigue of your restaurant and make dining out (or ordering out) an easier decision for people. But as you innovate, it’s important to find ways to make the new dishes tempting by relating them to something familiar. For example, according to Datassential, a growing number of Latin American restaurants are enticing American guests to try birria by describing it as a twist on the French dip sandwich – an American favorite that also feels experiential because of the dipping involved. The Latin American approach, on some menus, involves quesadillas or tacos served with a brothy soup for dipping instead of a beefy sandwich served with au jus. So a dish that could feel adventurous (but maybe a little out of reach) to a guest feels comfortably adventurous because of the connection to a French dip. As you innovate your menu this year, consider your menu favorites. What dishes could be appealing templates for introducing the new flavor profiles that upgrade the experience you offer?

Are you skeptical that your guests may want to try microcultural foods or particular flavors beyond the mainstream? You may be surprised at how they respond. In a recent webinar from Datassential, experts suggested foodservice professionals look to some very mainstream sources – amusement parks and state fairs, for example – for a clear sense of how the general public responds to on-trend flavors. For example, at Six Flags Great Adventure, a “Flavors of the World” promotion happening this summer offers guests a sampling of food and drink from Mexico, Korea, Greece, France, Italy, the Caribbean and India. Guests can try such items as kheer, visinada and escargot en croute, among other options. If you’re interested in stretching the boundaries of your menu with flavors from around the globe, consider tempting your guests with some related limited-time offers and monitoring their responses.

​Once upon a time, a person could return to a restaurant year after year and see the same assortment of menu items. Inflation and supply challenges have turned that idea on its head, making rotating menus a more common experience. But even if the macroeconomic environment stabilizes, there are big benefits to keeping dynamic menus around. They spark ongoing interest from guests. What better reason to visit a restaurant more often than to discover the latest changes to the menu? They allow you to flow with the seasons and offer ingredients more apt to be local and plentiful. New menus naturally offer you content to promote online – you can entice people to come in before your menu options change and again when you’re unveiling new items. Finally, they keep your operation nimble. You’re able to respond more creatively, flexibly and cost-consciously when there is a shortage. A restaurant with a regularly changing menu can’t be shouldering a lot of waste.

​At a time when guests are looking for a memorable experience that feels like a good value, all while restaurant operators are looking for ways to manage supply chain fluctuations and waste, tasting menus can be everyone’s friend. They give operators more control over food waste and overhead costs, since they can generally be offered with fewer staff. At the same time, when guests know they are experiencing something fleeting, the meal becomes special and gives them a reason to return again the next time you offer something new. Finally, tasting menus can give chefs an opportunity to get creative with ingredients again, particularly if they have been leaning on more speed-scratch items in the kitchen. How can you incorporate more of the plentiful ingredients on hand this season into appealing tasting menus?