Labor shortages aren’t a new problem. In fact, according to Technomic’s May 2019 Foodservice State of the Industryreport, labor is becoming an ever-increasing pressure for operators, with 80% citing retaining qualified employees as their main concern. Additionally, 76% say a top concern is recruiting qualified employees and 75% point to higher labor costs as a primary concern.
With numbers like these, it only makes sense that operators are continually looking for ways to trim the amount of labor needed in the back of house. By using prepared foods and speed-scratch ingredients, though, the burden can be lightened a bit. For instance, Tyson® Nashville Hot Chicken gives kitchens the ability to serve the authentic spicy flavors consumers are clamoring for, with a shorter cooktime, thanks to the chicken being fully cooked and a premade sauce is provided.
Why speed-scratch?
As operators struggle to balance their food costs with labor costs, one easy way to take the stress off the kitchen is to use products that eliminate a bulk of the prep work associated with sought-after dishes. WithTyson® Nashville Hot Chicken products, including thigh filets, breast filets and boneless wings, restaurants can put together tasty appetizer trays perfect for sharing, flavorful chicken sandwiches and more. Without having to prep each chicken portion for each order, kitchen staff can focus on other prep areas, cleaning and other tasks—without sacrificing the taste and quality diners demand.
Nashville Hot heating up
Speed-scratch products aren’t a new innovation, but by having fully cooked proteins ready to go, especially in flavors consumers want more and more, restaurants can quickly add new dishes to the menu without adding additional labor. And Nashville Hot Chicken is one of those flavors diners are increasingly looking for. According to MenuMonitor, mentions of Nashville Hot Chicken sandwiches or wraps are up 116% from Q1 2018 to Q12019, while Nashville Hot Chicken strips or nuggets are up 33% on appetizer menus and Nashville Hot Chicken sliders are up 100% in the same timeframe. With boosts in popularity like those, restaurants would do well to serve this trending preparation—especially among the 28% of consumers who, according to Technomic’s 2019 Center of the Plate: Poultry Consumer Trend Report, say they are eating more fried chicken with spicy flavors now than they were two years ago.
Saving on labor while offering the dishes diners want most is a win-win for restaurants. Tyson® Nashville Hot Chicken couldn’t be easier to prepare, either—simply heat the fully cooked chicken, toss with the signature sauce (which can be easily heated by running under hot water or soaking in a water bath), and it’s ready to go!
Fully cooked Nashville Hot Chicken not only reduces back-of-house prep time, it also ensures consistency across every order—there’s no chance of a customer getting a dry or under-sauced piece of chicken—and it minimizes waste to boot. By ensuring only the exact number of portions needed can be prepped at a time, there’s no leftover portions that need to be discarded at the end of service. In essence, not only do Tyson® Nashville Hot Chicken products save on time and labor, but they can also help save on food costs. What’s not to love?
To try Tyson® Nashville Hot Chicken and save up to $500 while doing so, visit https://www.tysonfoodservice.com/nashville-hot-chicken today.
This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc.