Vegetables for barbecue fans
Alabama chain Full Moon Bar-B-Que has been serving mix-and-match veggies for about three years. Although the chain started in 1986 as a “basic barbecue restaurant with meats, beans and slaw,” according to co-owner David Maluff, it’s established a greater customer base by offering fresh vegetables. “We noticed the trend of people getting three or four sides of vegetables, so we wanted to offer it as an entree,” says Maluff. The chain sells three vegetables for $7.99 and four for $9.99, with each veggie portion clocking in around 5 to 7 ounces each. The chain now sells about 25 veggie plates a day per location, a success for a barbecue joint, according to Maluff. Options rotate regularly, but include sweet potatoes, collard greens, steamed cabbage and broccoli. There’s also a special vegetable offered most days of the week—“it drives customers into our restaurant,” says Maluff.