Appetizers: The Shareable Dining Experience
Chefs understand that people visit restaurants for entertainment, as well as for nourishment. It may come as a surprise, though, that entertainment is just as important as hunger for motivation to begin a meal with appetizers, or "starters."
According to a recent Land O'Lakes Food survey, three leading factors influence consumers to order appetizers, including "the fun of sharing with friends" (63%), followed closely by "the desire to try new flavors" (62%) and "hunger" (61%). This "shareable" craze comes about as people are isolated more than ever at work, interacting frequently via email, fax machines and voice mail and less directly with other people. After punching out, they want to make up for that lost interaction--and what better way to keep in touch than with a big plate of appetizers and a table of friends. Consumers increasingly look to dining out as a chance to feed not only their physical hunger, but also their hunger for interaction and communication. Conversation flows easily over dips, spreads and finger foods, and restaurant patrons are able to bond with those in their party. The trend toward "appetizer socialization" helps redefine the restaurant visit as a full dining experience, instead of just a meal.
Menu for Sharing
There are many ways to cater to the trend toward appetizer socialization without incurring additional expenses or labor. By posting daily appetizer specials alongside daily entrée specials, operators can introduce the idea of ordering appetizers from the start.
Menus can be helpful tools in taking advantage of this trend by making it easy for patrons to order group appetizers. Featuring larger, group-sized portions of popular appetizers can be an easy up sell, especially if the server suggests a larger order for sharing. When groups decide to order appetizers, the biggest stumbling block can be finding a menu item everyone likes. Many operators avoid this problem by offering mix-and-match appetizer platters. Customers are able to choose two, three or more appetizers from a list, creating their own combination platter. For restaurants where menu flexibility is less feasible, sampler platters or pre-determined combination platters are a great compromise to suit the varying tastes of diverse groups.
When appetizers are ordered, servers can encourage sharing by distributing appetizer plates to everyone at the table. Patrons will feel more comfortable helping themselves this way, and they can more easily take a larger portion - which could lead to additional appetizer sales.
Test the Waters with Appetizers
An appetizer menu can be a great testing ground for operators. Nearly three in five operators (58%) use their appetizer menus to test potential entrees, and 63% experiment with non-traditional preparation styles or new ingredients on their appetizer menus. Operators say introducing a new appetizer can show patrons' reactions to a new flavor or ingredient, to help determine future menu changes. And, introducing new flavors on the appetizer menu provides a less "risky" way for patrons to taste new flavors, because they may hesitate to order an entire entrée with an unfamiliar flavor.
Appetizer orders even benefit wait staff - 86% of operators say appetizer orders increase ticket prices, and higher check totals can translate into higher tips. Servers at many restaurants encourage groups to share one or more appetizer orders, and 23 percent of consumers indicate this encouragement does influence them to order appetizers.
"The recent Land O'Lakes FoodWire research is a good reminder that appetizers are an essential and profitable menu part," says Bonnie Chlebecek, manager of Land O'Lakes Foodservice Test Kitchens. "Sometimes operators concentrate on entrées alone, giving the rest of the menu less attention. However, to maximize sales and benefit from the trend toward appetizer socialization, it's important for operators to consider how best to market the appetizer menu part - it can be a deciding factor in attracting new patrons and encouraging repeat visits, as well as increasing check averages."
Posted with permission from Land O'Lakes' Dairy Times, a newsletter that features tips and ideas to help foodservice operators take advantage of food trends and ideas from other restaurateurs. To subscribe, operators can email a request to Shelly Stanton, sstanton@shandwick.com or call her at 612-841-6188.
Speaking of starters, here's a recipe for roasted sweet potatoes, bell peppers, onion, corn and garlic atop a cheese pizza...
ROASTED VEGGIE PIZZA
YIELD: 24 servings
PORTION:
48 slices, 2 per person
INGREDIENTS, MEASURES, DIRECTIONS
Yams or sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed 1/2-inch Yellow bell pepper, julienned Red bell pepper, julienned Garlic, unpeeled, sliced in half Olive oil Salt Fresh ground pepper Purple cabbage, thinly sliced Whole kernel corn Onion, thin wedges 2-lbs 12-oz 12-oz 1 head 6 tablespoons 1 tablespoon to taste 1-lb 1-lb 12-oz. In large bowl toss sweet potatoes, peppers and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Divide mixture and place in two steam table pans. Bake. Conventional oven: 450ºF for 15 to 20 minutes. Add cabbage, corn and onion to pans; toss to coat vegetables. Continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned. Remove garlic; squeeze cloves from peel; chop garlic and return to mixture. Stir vegetables to mix thoroughly. Yield: 12 cups.
Italian bread shell (12-in), pre-baked Alfredo Sauce Shredded Mozzarella Cheese Shredded Parmesan Cheese 6 3 cups 1 ½-lbs 9-oz For each pizza: place pre-baked Italian bread shell on baking sheet. Evenly spread 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce on crust. Sprinkle with 4 oz. mozzarella cheese and 1 1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese. Top with 2 cups roasted vegetables. Bake until vegetables are heated through and cheese is melted. Conventional oven: 450ºF for 8 to 10 minutes. Cut each pizza into 8 slices.
Nutrition Facts (1 serving)
Calories 600
Protein 25-g
Carbohydrate 80-g
Fat 20-g
Cholesterol 30-mg
Sodium 1360-mg