As restaurants reopen and begin their roads to recovery, refining the menu is something that’s top of mind for many operators. Some operators are opting to trim the menu, eliminating items that aren’t cost-effective to keep around or that aren’t as popular as they’d like, while others are adding new and trending items to the menu to entice diners back into the dining room. Part of the reason for adding new, global menu items could be because consumers say they expect to order global foods more than they used to—according to Technomic’s 2020 Global Food and Beverage Consumer Trend Report, 30% of consumers say they anticipate ordering mainstream global foods more, while 40% say they anticipate ordering unique or emerging global foods more than they did before the pandemic.
Global foods are appealing to consumers for a number of reasons, but they’re good for operators, as well. There are three big ways that globally inspired offerings can drive sales: They appeal to diners seeking new and novel foods; they can boost profits by being sold at a premium; and they drive the small-plates trend, which allows consumers to try something new without a big commitment.
New, exciting items
For consumers who are heading back to restaurants after a long spell of enjoying mostly—or only—takeout, being able to try something new on the menu will be a big draw. What’s more, operators can flex a little more creativity with global foods than they might normally—Technomic’s 2020 Global Food and Beverage report found that 38% of consumers, up from 36% in 2018, say they like to explore regional varieties of mainstream cuisines so they can try new foods and flavors. In other words, operators can branch out from the tried-and-true global dishes and offer options that guests may not have had yet at all. By increasing menu appeal by way of novelty and originality, operators set themselves up for success.
Premium options
Another way global food offerings can help boost sales is with premium pricing. When it comes to authenticity, consumers may be willing to pay a little extra for truly authentic cuisine, and operators can use that opportunity to menu unique, authentic foods with a slight upcharge. Operators can also consider using global foods as an upgrade option—for instance, at breakfast, Filipino-inspired sausages can take the place of traditional breakfast sausages for a few dollars more, or at lunch and dinner, flavor-infused sausages can be swapped in place of traditional options to give the meal a bold flair.
Small-plates boost
Finally, global foods are great for the bottom line thanks to their high rate of trial, especially when it comes to appetizers and small plates. Technomic’s Global Food and Beverage report found that 37% of consumers say they are likely to try global foods or flavors in an appetizer, while 34% said they’d be likely to try them in a shareable plate. By offering global flavors in small plate form—think a Pierogi and Polish Sausage plate, or an Italian Sausage and Peppers option—operators can entice diners to try global flavors without being nervous they won’t like their whole meal. Offering smaller portions for unique items takes away any hesitance that a diner will feel “stuck” if they don’t like something.
Sausages fit the bill
When operators are looking for versatile, globally inspired options for the menu, sausages are a perfect solution. Perfectly at home on the breakfast menu, great in a bun as a sandwich and excellent as a small, shared plate choice, globally inspired sausages from Sigma Foodservice are ideal for every part of the menu. To learn more about how to feature globally inspired sausages on the menu, visit www.sigmafoodserviceus.com.
This post is sponsored by Sigma Foodservice USA