Why Menu Optimization Matters
Restaurateurs put a lot of time and effort into building a unique atmosphere and professional staff. However, the focal point of any eatery is still the menu. That’s why menu optimization is so important; this defines whether you succeed. The placement of each item on the page alone affects sales.
Menu optimization makes for a more effective selection, comprising the items that really turn a profit. This is especially important to businesses recovering from the pandemic, which wreaked havoc on the restaurant industry in particular. It also provides a more efficient checkout experience when combined with a smart Point of Sale that digitizes dining and makes self-ordering possible.
During the pandemic, menus shrunk for myriad reasons. Supply disruptions played a role, as did slow business meaning that restaurants simply couldn’t afford to sit on as much inventory as before. The increased reliance on delivery and takeout also meant paring down to food that traveled well. Now, the pandemic is in retreat, and it’s time to bring back your menu to its full potential—and prepare for 2022 in the process.
Photo by Katarzyna Grabowska on Unsplash
Menu Optimization in 2022
Trends to Focus On
A lot of the trends that pervaded the market this year set to stay: Convenience, ethical eating, and efficiency make happy diners. Smart Point of Sale systems, like the ones powered by eatOS, let you view real-time sales data and analytics. Thus you can adjust the menu accordingly, fitting new promotions to current trends.
Upgrading to a more advanced POS has an additional benefit: Integrate mobile and self-ordering technology to increase self-service. This directly benefits profit, given that customers can take their time browsing the menu and adding all the customizations they want, without fear of judgment. All of these savings help restaurants battle rising costs, tight profit margins, and fierce competition that’s permeated the marketplace lately.
Restaurants, Consider These Tips
As you’re paring down the menu, remember what really matters to customers. For example, maybe stock the new menu with local, seasonal vegetables, particularly in salads as we head into summer. Protein bases that rely on non-meats, like tofu, tempeh, or beans, also draw in the vegetarian and vegan crowd. As diets and food restrictions proliferate, more restaurants are coming to add designated alternatives to their menus. To that same end, non-dairy milk is also multiplying as sales rise.
People also want food that directly benefits their physical and mental health, given the times we’re in. Focus on nutritious meals that also fill them up, while finding ways to make it your own. When they think of your brand, they should associate it with all the good things your restaurant has to offer.
Meanwhile, while catering to customers’ new concerns, you can still reduce your own expenses in the process. Focus on foods that require less labor to prepare and aren’t as expensive to buy during this reopening period. Buying smarter also means choosing ingredients that you can use in many different dishes. Cross-utilization reduces food waste because you’re not sitting on as many ingredients, so you’re more likely to use them up before they expire.
Photo courtesy of eatOS
Menu Optimization for Your Restaurant
What works for your business won’t work for others, so the specific changes you make to your menu will reflect the uniqueness of your brand. No matter who you are, though, everyone would benefit from more efficient operations and better customer service. For that, restaurants need to upgrade their POS system.
eatOS offers an all-in-one cloud-based eco-system exclusively for restaurants. From Point of Sale to Contactless Ordering, Pay & Order at Table, Kitchen Display System, Customer Facing Display, Online Ordering APP / Website and Workforce Management there is everything to help a restaurant succeed no matter the size. Click Here to Schedule a demo to learn more about how your restaurant can make a smooth transition into the world of restaurant technology made simple.
