How to Introduce New or Seasonal Menu Items

    When you work creating culinary delights for your customers, you are constantly seeking to create new mouthwatering dishes to try. Once you have crafted the perfect dish, you may want to start incorporating it into your menu. 

    Perhaps it is a seasonal option or you are hoping for a new staple. Either way, you want to add it to the menu in such a way that promotes your new dish as well as encourages people to try it. 

    Encouraging customers to try something new is often the most challenging part. Many people who are regulars to your restaurant stick to the same dishes time after time. So how can it be done? 

    Incorporate flavors or items that are popular during that season

    When you choose seasonal flavors, you are offering them a taste of something that is at its best. Plenty of foods are seasonal and those that are, will be at their optimum taste at that time. 

    Offer unique flavors that are also popular. Things that are too obscure may stop people from taking the plunge to try something new. Keep it simple, but ensure that they are appealing to customers.

    Offer samples

    Samples are a great way to introduce something new and allow your customers to try before they buy. Give your customers a small sample of your newest products. A complimentary item is appealing to customers.

    Additionally, this way you can get feedback on what is popular and what isn’t before you roll it out fully. You can also be made aware of what could be changed; for example, more salt or a little less spice.

    Offer deals for the first week new items are available

    To promote new items effectively, you can make a type of ‘countdown’ to introduce the new dishes. The week it is available, offer the chosen dish at a complimentary lower price. This way, people will be more likely to try it. 

    With 50% off the asking price, you can recommend the new dish and encourage people to try, even if they have been unlikely to try something new in the past. 

    You may want to place the dish on your mobile app, so that people can use Mobile ordering to try the dish in the comfort of their own home. 

    Promote the item

    Promoting the item may seem difficult but it doesn’t have to be this way. Use your social media to promote the item with aesthetically pleasing photography. In this case, it is recommended to choose a professional photographer to really enhance the dish. 

    The best possible lighting and backdrops will make the dish look even more attractive and is likely to grab the attention of the masses.

    Alert your mailing list

    Your mailing lists possibly go out every week or month. Therefore, it is the perfect time to promote your item. Add the photos to the emails as well as any introductory offers, which will be circulated to all your customers or potential customers. 

    By utilizing your mailing list, you are promoting your product, completely free of charge. Alerting people doesn’t have to soak up your funds; instead you can use your finances wisely for optimum results.