With many consumers understandably being more careful with their dining out, the trend for menu customisation is definitely increasing. For operators, it makes sense to maximise food spend as well as minimising food waste.
In response, analysis of menu trends suggests that more operators are reducing the number of dishes on the menu, but giving customers more options to tailor the dish to their own tastes.
The reassurance of familiar dishes and pub menus classics is one way to appeal to consumers, by serving something they know they’ll enjoy. At the same time, offering a choice of toppings and side dishes adds to the experience and creates a premium feel. For pubs, customisation can be a way to offer a tighter menu, built around the most popular dishes, without customers feeling they are being short-changed on choice.
While consumers are used to having a choice of toppings when it comes to burgers and pizzas, the principle can be extended to many dishes on the menu.
Steaks: Steak and chips is a mainstay of pub menus, as well as being a dish that customers see as a treat. Many pubs already offer a choice of sauces and toppings, such as garlic butter, peppercorn and béarnaise, and this can easily be increased to encompass spicier choices, such as peri-peri or chili sauce.
For a beef dish with a real kick, Szechuan Slow Cooked Beef with Noodles, Spring Greens and Asparagus is a way to use a less premium beef cut while still adding value and choice for customers:
Another way to serve steak with a difference is dry-aged chargrilled sirloin steak, oxtail mac & cheese with roscoff onions:
Fish: Pubs can freshen their fish & chips with the choice of different fish species, which also boosts sustainability. Fish supplier Direct Seafoods (
www.directseafoods.co.uk) can advise on the best available choice of white fish to batter, as well as help to vary the menu with farmed choices such as ChalkStream®️ trout. This works well in lighter summer dishes, and can be offered with a choice of accompaniments.
Fish specials are popular with customers who may not always be confident about cooking fish at home. ChalkStream®️ trout with chorizo, peas, grilled little gem, pea shoots, and garden pesto, is a summer recipe that makes the most of this tasty fish, as well as demonstrating the way different accompaniments can be used to customise dishes.
Pies: A choice of home-cooked pies is always popular, and varying the fillings regularly adds to customer choice as well as enabling pubs to make the most of changing availability. With more customers than ever looking for plant-based choices when they eat out, this Vegan Wild Rice, Button onion, Mushroom and Ale pie is a tasty twist on the classic steak and ale version:
Sandwiches: A lunchtime menu of deli-style sandwiches with a range of breads and fillings offers the opportunity for customers to create their ideal sandwich to eat in or takeaway, which can also add a much-needed additional revenue stream. For a classic deli sandwich, offer salt beef with mustard and pickles
www.henson.co.uk/salt-beef.html
Side dishes: Chips with everything may be the traditional approach, but varying the choice with sides such as sweet potato fries or Spanish-style spicy croquetas can help persuade customers to trade up. For something very different and colourful, offer kale Crisps as an option:
Sending customers away happy with their choices will help encourage them to make the best choice of all – coming back next time!