Rethink Your Menu for the New Year
December 2016
Diners are adventurous. They want new flavors. According to Technomic, 40% of diners are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers innovative dishes. It’s time to push the limits of your menu to attract new customers and keep them coming back for more.
You can innovate by using existing menu items in a different way. Chefs across the nation are beginning to use waffles as more than just a breakfast offering. Waffles are becoming bases for personal pizzas and sandwich carriers that blur dayparts. They’re even being broken down and used as breadings, coatings and seasonings for other menu items.
As an expert on turkey, Butterball has all kinds of recipes that incorporate turkey in new and interesting ways. Give these dishes a try:
- Turkey Shawarma: Cardamom and harissa give roasted turkey authentic shawarma flavor inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine. Wrap in a pita, drizzle with tzatziki, toss on some red cabbage slaw and pair with a cold beer for a mouthwatering happy hour must-have.
- Baja Turkey Salad Wrap: Combine a wrap and a salad into one for a unique, great-tasting offering. Roasted corn and black bean salsa, salsa ranch dressing and a smoky jalapeño vinaigrette add a Southwestern-style twist. Serve with jicama slaw and a Mexican beer—cheers!
- Korean BBQ Turkey Won Ton Tacos: Take patrons’ taste buds on a trip to Korea with these great-tasting won ton tacos. Soy sauce, ginger, sake and sesame oil add Asian-inspired flavor to tender turkey thigh roast.
Innovation doesn’t always have to involve flavor. Think about how your offerings are packaged and served. McDonald’s is bringing its popular Happy Meal concept to the breakfast hour. Diners will soon be able to have a morning Happy Meal that consists of McGriddles or an Egg & Cheese McMuffin and two sides. If you have a popular meal combination at your operation, consider how you can improve and innovate to give your diners something new. Browse our Culinary Center for more ideas.
SOURCES
Flavor Consumer Trend Report, Technomic, 2015.
Freier, Lizzy. The Next Wave of Waffle Innovation, Restaurant Business, September 2016.
Jones, Charisse. McDonald’s to test breakfast happy meal, USA TODAY, September 2016.
