In the restaurant world, making a menu stand out can seem daunting—it seems like there’s hardly any opportunity left to do something truly unique.
Thankfully, that’s not the case. Making beverage menus stand out can be as simple as upgrading the types of drinks offered, from hot to iced to frozen. Menuing a range of different frozen beverages is one way to both surprise and delight your customers as well as differentiate beverage offerings from the competition.
Offer both healthy and indulgent drinks
According to Technomic’s 2016 Beverage report, 60% of consumers have had a milkshake in the past month, while 34% say they had a smoothie and 51% say they consumed some other type of frozen beverage. Those figures alone tell operators that it’s critical to offer a variety of frozen drink options, ranging from healthy to indulgent and everything in between.
Operators can offer drinks such as:
- Milkshakes: a classic favorite available in a variety of flavors for those looking to indulge
- Frappes: indulgent treats with a caffeine kick, perfect for a mid-afternoon lull
- Smoothies: a healthier sip and perfect breakfast option, packed with fresh or frozen fruits
Don’t underestimate the power of Instagram
Nowadays, if a drink goes viral, customers will be lining up around the block to try it (and of course, to snap and share it with their followers). “Freak shakes,” as they are sometimes called, can have a jaw-dropping impact—they’re created to look impressive as they’re delivered from the kitchen to a diner’s table, which can increase orders—and can be made with just about any ingredient that’s already available in the restaurant to keep costs balanced.
For instance, desserts that haven’t been sold at the end of the day, such as slices of pie or cake, can be blended into a limited-time offer shake. Using a stable, creamy whipped topping, such as Rich’s On Top, can create a sturdy base for an array of toppings such as sprinkles, candy and any other toppings—it’s perfect for holding everything in place and piling it high.
These shakes can get super creative, and when they’re eye-catching and delicious, people will be inclined to share them with the world, which can increase sales.
Blend adult beverages
Adult beverages will always be a hot ticket item among diners looking to have a happy hour treat. Blended drinks can be classic, such as margaritas and daiquiris, or creative, like a seasonal, pumpkin spice mudslide, for instance.
Keep costs manageable
Managing the costs of menuing frozen beverages comes down to making sure that the equipment being used is inexpensive, fast, easy to use and versatile, such as the f’real B7 blender, which has what it takes to blend up innovative flavors without intensive cleaning or maintenance required.
Multi-tasking equipment can also adapt to complementary products from different vendors, so operators aren’t limited to one type of drink.
Finding the perfect blending equipment means you’re not spending time, labor and effort on blending, but instead you can focus on create amazing concoctions that will delight your customers and create a social media buzz for your business.
This post is sponsored by f’real foods