Restaurant Menu Marketing Needs Chicken Noodle Soup
When we were children and you lost your first ballgame, your old dog died or your first girl friend at the ripe old age of 12 started to hang around your best friend, the person who always comforted you was your mother. She would fix your favorite macaroni and cheese, Mickey Mouse pancakes or good old grilled cheese.
As we grew up we learned that when things got a little rough, a meal with a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes made us feel better. Peanut butter and jelly with a glass of chocolate milk always satisfied what, at the time, seemed like life threatening disasters
Our minds turned to palate and stomach filling foods that just plain tasted good and helped us get through the day. In the past few months people have moved back to “feel-good” foods due to job worries, general economic problems and the mutual fund that may have lost 30% of its value. Someone pass the fried chicken and a chaser of granny’s lemonade during these “hard” times.
Restaurants will find they are selling more sandwiches, lower priced menu items and old standard fare. Consultants will tell you consumers are cutting back and to some extent, it may be true. Look a little closer at what guests are buying, rather than what they aren’t buying. It is not a coincidence that the fried chicken is cheaper than a grouper dinner, but comforting as well. My guess is that more hamburgers will be sold this year than any year in history. Meatloaf, chicken fried steak, milkshakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza, chili and all the “comfort” foods will sell. Is it because of the economy or is it because of memories of mom’s chicken noodle soup or a little of both?
One of my restaurants is in the middle of $500,000 upward homes of mainly retired or semi-retired upper middle class demographics that really don’t have to worry about the cost of their dinner. However, they too have moved their general attitude towards a conservative palate. People want to feel good. Food is a way to do that. We are selling more $10 hamburgers, more chicken marsala and more pasta than ever before as a percentage of total sales. $25 steaks and $20 fresh seafood dinners still are the menu mainstays, but the addition of comforting entrees and specials have been a hit.
Spend a little time with your product mix during the last couple of months. You may find the menu marketing information you need to sell what your customers really want right now. At the same time your margins will increase during a tough year for the restaurant industry.
Now, back to my plate of spaghetti and meatballs in my steak and fresh seafood restaurant!
Larry Edger
Author, Restaurateur
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment