Warming customers up to winter menu innovation | Pizza Marketplace

Winter menu predictions are in, and chefs from across the industry are emphasizing the use of locally sourced, farm-fresh and innovative ingredients. In the “Warming up the Winter Menu” white paper, you will find winter menu predictions, which include day-parted grain bowls, charred vegetables, hearty local-produce for use in soups or salads and innovative, healthy alternatives like cauliflower crusts. 

Menu innovation is a must for forward-thinking restaurant brands, but how do these industry leaders warm their customers up to new ingredients and meals? 

Beefing up the benefits 
Leaders in menu innovation and revenue effectively convey benefits to their consumers. Rather than waiting for the customer to question the benefits of CBD-infused menu items or cauliflower-based alternatives, these restaurant operators create customer-centric messaging centered on benefits to the consumer. 

While menu innovation is usually centered on health benefits, environmental impact is also top-of-mind for consumers. Analysts at Barclays are predicting that the global market for animal-free meat substitutes could grow more than tenfold over the next decade and potentially reach $140 billion by 2029. More restaurant brands are partnering with Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger to expand their menus and the horizons of their existing customers. 

Through strategic marketing brands like White Castle and Red Robin have appealed to new customers by sharing the advantages of these plant-based meat alternatives. Consumers have also demonstrated that they are willing to pay a premium for these menu items. 

Building anticipation with announcements
Brands like Panera know the value of building anticipation. They are repurposing their animated menu content for social media to increase awareness of their soon-to-come, revamped grain bowl offerings. 

Regardless of the consumer touchpoint, be it in-restaurant, social media, the mobile-ordering app, customers are made aware of what’s to come with engaging, to-the-point video content. 

‘Tis the season of recovery and preparation
February tends to be the worst month for same-store sales growth rates. After witnessing an overall decline in restaurant sales during this same period year-over-year, brands are relying on menu innovation to lift traffic and sales all Winter long. 

Winter menu innovation is a must this time of year. The awareness and storytelling strategy is also imperative to restaurant operators’ success this season.
 

You can sign into this site using your login credentials from any of these
Networld Media Group sites:

You can sign into this site using your login credentials from any of these
Networld Media Group sites: