Adapting Your Menu To Be On Trend & Pandemic-Friendly
Is your restaurant looking for ways to bring in more people during the coronavirus pandemic? You may want to consider adapting your menu to be more pandemic-friendly (I never thought I’d say that before). A survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association shows that many of the predicted 2020 trends are perfect for where our country is right now in terms of adapting to meet new standards and a new customer mindset. Let’s dive into how your restaurant can be on-trend while serving pandemic-conscious customers and begin to see your profits increase.
Plant-based proteins
This trend has taken off in 2020, and at the perfect time. Meat prices have hit an all-time high due to the shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and restaurants need tasty alternatives to offer their diners. KFC gave this trend a try back in January 2020 when they partnered with Beyond Meat to provide the first plant-based chicken as a test run in a few states. Other restaurants have followed suit to provide their customers with alternatives to the now high-priced, protein-based meals and it may be time your restaurant does too.
Meal Bowls
While meal bowls aren’t the hottest new trend, they’ve been around for a while, but they are the perfect items for restaurants to add to their menu. Not only do they package easily, but they will travel well for takeout and delivery. They are convenient for customers as well. Not only do they pack all of the meal into one container for easy consumption, but they are also more environmentally friendly by using fewer containers than a typical to-go meal.
Stress-Relieving Ingredients
As a whole, our country has experienced tremendous stress since the arrival of COVID-19. The virus has uprooted our normal lives and after 4 months into the pandemic, true relief still seems far away. So now is the perfect time to try another on-trend adaptation to your menu, using stress relieving-ingredients in your drinks and meals to give your customers a sense of peace. Health.com has listed 20 stress-relieving foods that your restaurant can add to the menu to give this a try.
Revamped Cocktails
Don’t forget about your drink menu, it needs to be revamped too! While some people love a classic drink, giving your cocktails a new twist on flavors will be sure to win over your customers. Host to-go happy hours (if legal in your city) and let your customers take home a new-found favorite drink to enjoy in the comfort of their home. Do you have adventurous customers? Create a mystery cocktail that customers can purchase to guess the ingredients of the drink. It’s okay to keep things fun even during these times.
If your menu could use a refresh, give some of these options a try. Not only are they on-trend, but they are also pandemic friendly and will give your customers a reason to skip the home-cooked meal to give something new a try. Need more help than a menu refresh? We’ve got you covered. We have been providing working capital to restaurants across the U.S. since 2001 and we’re not stopping now. Locate your local loan consultant to discuss the options we have available to give your restaurant the boost it needs. Or, get started now by completing an online application. There’s no obligation to borrow and no hard credit pulls to see how much you qualify for. A local consultant will contact you after you complete your application to go over your quote with you to find the perfect solution for your restaurant’s needs.