Perdue can provide you with the solutions you need for front-of-house success. We've compiled tips and ideas to keep your business growing, menu profitable and staff motivated.
A friendly staff will influence patrons to spend more2—enroll in Foodservice Rewards® and earn free gifts to motivate and reward staff
Training your staff to recommend specials and upsell will increase check averages—check out waiter-training.com
Increase your employees' satisfaction with free employee meals—they're feeling the pinch too, and they'll be able to sell your menu better
Make server sections the perfect size—small enough to connect with customers, but large enough that they're making money
Going the extra mile is extra important right now, so make customer satisfaction your most powerful advertising medium—social networking has significantly increased word-of-mouth advertising
Drop the dollar sign from your menu—new research shows diners will spend more money if they don't see a dollar symbol—5.55 more on average3
Move the price of the menu item after the description—this discourages price shopping and encourages the customer to read the menu copy
Ensure menu descriptions are well written—this can drive sales of high profit items and increase incremental sales, boosting your check averages
List your highest grossing items first and last—first and last items in a section are more likely to be ordered
Use graphic elements on your menu like simple boxes and "New" or "House Specialty" call-outs to steer customers toward high-profit dishes
Using a plastic jacket menu format allows for quick menu and price changes and can be less costly
1: NPD CREST® Share of Traffic 2008
2: Technomic 2008 Consumer Pricing Sensitivity Survey
3: Cornell University Research, 2008
We have all the information you need to keep your back-of-house efficient. Below are tips and tools on how to reduce operational costs, reengineer your menu and avoid unnecessary food costs. Perdue is here to help you succeed.
Raise Prices—But make adjustments to menu items (like a new side or sauce) to justify the higher cost
Don't Cut Quality—Instead, put less on the plate or use a house brand for non-essential ingredients that have little impact on the final dish; learn more about Perdue's premium Poultry and Sliced Meats
Offer Smaller Portions—Not only are they in demand, it can cut costs and increase sales as customers are likely to buy more than one
Tweak Protein Portions—For example, use two 3 oz. chicken breasts instead of one 7 oz.; this lowers the plate cost and increases plate coverage
Stay on Top of Menu Trends—Drive traffic with on-trend offerings
Make Your Place Special—Give current items a twist to distinguish your menu from the competition
Offer Craveable Dishes—Offer dishes your customers can't duplicate at home; consumers report they will accept bigger price hikes for these menu items1
Serve Comfort Foods—Consumers turn to comfort foods during a down economy, so attract patrons with familiar favorites but with a twist
Beware of Competition—Consumers are turning more and more to supermarket delis for meals, and research shows they offer better pricing and convenience, healthier options and fresher ingredients
Lower costs by using fewer distributors and ordering less frequently
Avoid surcharges by ensuring all deliveries are over the minimum drop amount
Use products with innovative processing and packaging technologies that guarantee longer shelf life, reducing your need for frequent deliveries; check out PERDUE® TENDERREADY®
Be sure you are using your ingredients across multiple parts of your menu (each product should fit on your menu at least three ways)
Avoid Unnecessary Food Costs—Train servers to ask if customers want all the items that come with a dish—sandwich add-ons like lettuce, tomato and onion are often pushed to the side
Review what customers are leaving on their plates and not taking home with them to help to uncover opportunities to reengineer your menu offerings
Invest in additional storage; the investment will pay off quickly through better pricing, reduced surcharges and labor savings
Cut labor costs by using fully cooked and pre-sliced products—click here to learn more about PERDUE® products that can help optimize your labor
Use online ordering to eliminate time spent on paperwork and save money on envelopes and postage
Establish equipment startup and shutdown times to conserve energy
Examine your cooking procedures to ensure that the most energy-efficient methods are being used
Heating water is one of the more energy intensive aspects of an operation so use hot water heater insulation jackets and insulate water lines
Keep equipment clean to maximize efficiency; rinse and flush steam kettles and pressure cookers daily, keep burners adjusted and make sure oven spills are cleaned up immediately
Keep frying oil clean and filtered and don't damage the oil by turning on the fryers too early; oil goes bad much sooner with nothing in it
Add Delivery—Delivery will increase incremental sales; delivery vehicles can act as brand awareness billboards
Sports Appeal—Many customers cut out their cable sports packages to save money, so make your place a destination for the big game
Offer Catering—Consumers still don't feel like cooking when entertaining, and businesses are cutting costs by ordering in for office meetings
Try a Frequent Diner Program—Drive traffic on slower days by offering extra points; increase business on special occasions—"eat free on your birthday" drives loyalty and keeps patrons coming back
Switch to BioDiesel—Convert delivery vehicles to run on recycled fryer oil; the investment will significantly cut fuel costs and increase profitability of your delivery operation
Keep Your Kitchen Open Later—18-24 year olds are taking advantage of late night snacking opportunities
Maximize Space—Consumers are still looking to celebrate special occasions and businesses are looking for meeting venues; use underutilized space for corporate meetings or banquets (wi-fi and video-conferencing capabilities are a plus)
Drive AM traffic with portable breakfast sandwiches like the increasingly popular chicken biscuit, click here for information on PERDUE® Chicken Breast Filets
Attract health-conscious patrons that would normally shun breakfast with turkey bacon and sausage
Quality food is key, but so is your coffee—consumers are looking for premium coffee at breakfast
Price accordingly—Consumers think fast food breakfast should be under $5; $5-$8 at fast casual or full service restaurants1
Weekday lunches carried from home are on the rise—drive traffic by offering "craveable," low-price and healthy-perceived items
Consumers report having less time for weekday lunches, so consider a time guarantee during the lunch rush
Offer Premium Sandwiches—Consumers are willing to spend more for sandwiches with premium meats and cheeses, bigger portions and freshly baked breads; increase your check averages by using premium PERDUE® Pan-Roasted Turkey and Chicken Breasts on your sandwich menu
Price Accordingly—Most consumers think $5-$8 is an appropriate range for lunch at fast food/fast casual, $8-$12 for family and casual-dining, $12-$15 is also viewed as reasonable for casual dining
Consumers are eating dinner out less, so drive traffic and increase check averages with "Family Value Packs"
Price Accordingly—Consumers are less price sensitive at dinner, however, they will resist price increases on items that are easier to eliminate from a meal—like appetizers and desserts
Chicken and Turkey are lower-cost proteins and proven moneymakers. Perdue offers many products that can help control costs, provide labor savings and maximize efficiency without sacrificing quality. In fact, consumers will pay more for premium quality meats like PERDUE® Poultry and Sliced Meats.
PERDUE® TENDERREADY®: Fully cooked halves, quarters and breast filets for maximum labor and energy efficiency with a 90-day shelf life from date of production for inventory control.
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