If you’ve already created a reputation for certain types of dishes at your restaurant, then you may not want to mess with your brand. But you can still cater to more people by creating a balance of health and abundance with your menu.
Here are some tips on how to make your menu healthier while still offering good variety.
In many restaurants, portion sizes can be relatively large. Even when eating something relatively healthy, too much can still be too much, making it difficult for your health-conscious customers to maintain their diet and monitor their caloric intake.
Whether by offering multiple dish sizes or by cutting down on portion sizes, you can make it easier for your guests to indulge in their favorite foods without feeling guilty. The added benefit of this being that you can cut down on the cost of ingredients and waste too.
Displaying calorie counts on your menu can also help your customers make more informed choices. In many cases, nutritional information is already a requirement via the FDA. With this information in hand, your customers will feel more empowered to make decisions congruent with their overall health goals.
Changing ingredients isn’t necessarily the most appealing of prospects for most restaurants. Sometimes, you may need to purchase more expensive ingredients. You may also need to change the way certain foods are prepared and cooked. If you keep it simple, however, you may discover that certain substitutions don’t take away from your menu items or cause them to be any harder to make.
You could: Use higher quality oils in your fryer, use olive oil instead of butter, use brown rice in place of white rice, substitute Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, and so on.
Substituting ingredients is a relatively simple way to create more choice for your guests.
If you know your customers are coming to your restaurant looking for healthier alternatives to the standard fare, try highlighting menu items they would likely enjoy. You could do this by using symbols, by categorizing your menu, or even just with bolded text. It doesn’t need to be complicated.
By indicating which of your menu items are healthy, it makes it easier for your diet-conscious consumers to find something that meets their exacting needs. They’ll begin to see your restaurant as a “safe place” for them to come with their family or friends, even when they want to keep an eye on their diet.
If you already have healthy menu items, but your guests just don’t seem to know, highlighting them in your menu is a good way to make them aware of your broader selection. Don’t forget to leverage the creations you already have.
It’s the final quarter of the year, and the New Year is coming up. Every year, people set goals to slim down and lose weight. Adding healthy items to your menu is a good way to appeal to those who are trying to shed those holiday pounds. If you already have healthy menu items that are being taken for granted, then simply make an effort to boost awareness. Make it apparent in your menu.
It may take some effort, but you can create a meaningful balance between health and abundance with your menu. By doing so, you may be able to appeal to a broader range of customers too. Give your customers options and the freedom to decide what they want.