Harvest America CUES BLOG

There’s a reactionary movement that I keep seeing in restaurants; a movement that assumes the answer to the restaurant bottom line is to take more and give less or give too much to justify raising prices. Raising prices is inevitable when the supply chain keeps beating restaurants over the head, in some cases simply because they can, but the answer is not as simple as: “pass it on to the guest”. It is important to always keep in mind that dining out is still a luxury, even though more and more families have built it into their lifestyle. Whether a quick service restaurant, family dining, food truck, or white tablecloth fine dining operation – there will always be some level of price sensitivity. If it becomes more and more difficult for guests to find VALUE, then eventually they will seek better ways to spend their hard-earned cash.

There has always been a commonsense way to build a menu knowing that in the end it is the beverage, and the bookends (appetizers and desserts) that hold the greatest opportunity for profit. A menu should thus be designed and priced to make those items seem essential. If we fail to look at the entire restaurant package, then we fail to realize how to earn profit. Here are some thoughts:

[]     GOOD BREAD IS AN EXPECTATION

The trend of viewing bread as a separate course to be charged as an appetizer is insulting. This is compounded when a restaurant doesn’t even take bread seriously. Bread is part of a meal, an important part, and a great conversation starter for your restaurant. When you charge for bread there is a gap in the meal experience.

[]     WATER IS NOT AN OPTION

“Would you like water?” NO! Water is there, it helps with the entire digestive eco-system, and has always been an expectation. Of course, water should be served and unless a guest chooses the more expensive options for bottled or sparkling water it should flow freely throughout the meal.

[]     AN ENTRÉE IS NAKED WITHOUT VEGETABLES

Yes, restaurants have, to at least a baseline degree, a responsibility to provide a balanced meal. Come on, we know this!  Variety on the plate helps to frame in the entrée and enhance the experience of eating. Chefs know how to plan the right combinations to maximize the experience and that is exactly how an entrée should be offered. When we look at vegetables as a ’la carte only, then we degrade the value of the meal and the skill of the chef. Now, if the guest wants a particular “special vegetable” then, of course we charge, but to leave a protein source on the plate as a stand-alone, is not what we do.

[]     APPETIZERS ARE NOT A FULL MEAL

Appetizers that are increased in size to raise the plate charge defeats the experience of dining. The most rewarding meals should include an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. The appetizer should be three or four bites – an introduction to the meal and should leave the guest hungry for what comes next.

[]     DESSERTS WITHOUT SHAME

In the same vein, desserts that are oozing with calories, massive in size, and over produced with too many ingredients are not as enticing as some restaurateurs think. If you want the full guest experience and you want to sell desserts, then keep them light, flavorful, petit in size, and elegant.  A square of double chocolate brownie with Rocky Road ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream and cherry on top represents more calories than an average person should consume in a day. Not necessary! Start with a belief that EVERYONE wants dessert and then make it accessible without shame.

[]     VARIETY NOT SIZE

Variety makes your plates interesting and exciting, the portion size of the protein on your plate only feeds unfounded cravings. There is no logical reason for a pound of meat. Four or five ounces with two or three types of vegetables, a small amount of rice, potato, or beans, and a sauce designed to enhance, not hide the natural flavors on the plate is far more satisfying, interesting for the cooks, and potentially profitable.

[]     CHARGE FOR COFFEE BUT DO IT RIGHT

Okay, so maybe coffee has become far more expensive than it was a decade ago, but now that you are charging for it – let’s step up your game. Do it right! Buy quality beans, grind them on premise, train your servers to properly brew, or better yet – hire a barista to take care of that. Serve it in a pot or French press, warm the milk and use quality sugar cubes rather than packets. Make your coffee experience comparable to that appetizer, entrée, or dessert.

[]     PRICE YOUR WINE BY THE GLASS AS A GATEWAY

A five-ounce pour is fine, but make sure your list is comprised of wines that match the quality of your restaurant and are promoted and priced to entice guests to order a bottle next time. Design your wine by the glass program to make sense for the guest and the property. As an example, instead of offering just a house red blend, offer that plus a more upscale Cabernet Sauvignon or Petit Syrah from Northern California. The three price points can be a tool for your service staff to educate and upsell. “Yes, our house blend is very nice and well received, but with the flat iron steak you ordered, I think the Cabernet Sauvignon would be a much more interesting pairing. If you enjoy that, we also have a wide array of excellent red blends by the bottle from California, France, and Italy. Would you like our sommelier to stop by the table and make some suggestions?”

[]     BRING BACK TABLE D’HOTE

Sometimes, the guest would really like to avoid making too many decisions. Help them out. Instead of wrestling with which appetizer works best with their entrée of choice and the wine that brings out the best in their decisions, a table d’ hote menu packages everything together for a given price. Whether a large tasting menu with multiple courses or a simple appetizer, entrée, dessert combination – putting the decision-making in the hands of the chef is a refreshing stab from the past.

[]     STOP RAISING PRICES TO ACCOMMODATE PRIME INGREDIENTS

Ah, so you’re anxious to improve that bottom line but agree that simply raising prices will do more harm than good – try moving away from those over-used ingredients that have become cost prohibitive. Tenderloins, strip steaks, lobster, scallops, and shrimp will always be expensive. So, why not test the skill of the chef to develop menu items drawn from less expensive ingredients but far more interesting and flavorful than their expensive counterparts? Try more items that respond to braising, work with roasts, try fish beyond the nine species most caught, reserve those under eight to a pound Diver’s scallops for very special times of the year and work with monkfish, or swordfish. As a friend of mine once said: “Anyone can learn to prepare a filet of beef or broiled lobster tail, but the real talent comes from a chef who can prepare a chicken leg to be just as satisfying.”

Value need not be focused entirely on price, it is, after all, the full experience of food, service, ambience, and context that excites people about dining out. But when a guest shakes their head and holds on to their wallet on the way out then you know the odds of them returning are slim. Price accordingly for the experience but know that “is it worth it” will always prevail in a guest’s mind – no matter their economic bracket.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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