3 Shortcuts to Refresh Your Menu

With the events industry always changing, every business must adapt and change with the times in order to stay current and relevant. Rental companies must rid old styles (hello, rustic chic) to make way for new designs. Designers must keep up with the hottest color palettes and event themes. Caterers must be aware of new flavors, ingredients, and presentation techniques that have clients excited.

Change is essential for growth and a company’s openness to new ideas says a lot about their values and how they seem themselves in the marketplace.

“Our clients love our signature items,” states Lon Lane of Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions. “However, introducing new items is a testimonial to your company that you are up-to-date, cutting-edge, and forward-thinking. I believe new items should be introduced seasonally but planned at the beginning of the year.”

If you’ve been considering a menu refresh in 2020, consider what the experts have to say about switching things up for a new take on your offerings. 

Pick and choose

While a full menu overhaul can be intimidating (and frankly overwhelming), swapping out a few dishes can give you all of the refreshing that you need without the stress of creating a menu from scratch. Perhaps you just need to introduce new flavors or swap out one under-selling meal; you may be just fine leaving most of your signature dishes alone.

“I think you need to look at the items that didn’t move or were really hard to produce for the team,” says Adam Gooch of Common Plea Catering. “Instead of a full revamp, you can remove a couple of items and replace them with one from the huge list of items in our software that we haven’t used in a while. We all have some items that just sit in the system and don’t move, but are really great items. This can be a way to roll them out on a new menu with a whole new look, which could give huge results without reinventing the wheel.”

Plan ahead

Smart business owners are always planning ahead and a menu refresh is no different. Changing your menu isn’t just about editing a document and telling your clients; you need to be prepared to research sourcing options, experiment with flavors, and practice it plenty before serving. All of this takes time, so it’s always best to get an early head start on your new dishes.

“The New Year is optimum for new products,” shares Lane. “It makes sense. Also, by developing a plan in January, it gives you 11 months to execute the plan to perfection. Without a plan, you’ll find yourself in the second quarter wishing you had one.”

Remember it’s not just your menu

It’s easy to think that a fresh menu is all it takes to increase your client base, but it’s important to remember that people are booking you (or not) for far more than a list of dishes.

“If you’re selling your menus first instead of the experience of doing business with you and the results of choosing specifically your company, you’re going to lose some sales,” assures Alan Berg of Wedding Business Solutions, LLC. “No matter how talented a chef you are, the menu comes AFTER deciding they want you to cook it, not before. Any talented chef can accommodate specific menu needs.” 

However you see your menu changing, make sure you allow enough time to have your team practice to perfection before putting it out in front of clients. New dishes will showcase your company’s creativity and innovativeness, but only if they’re done properly and professionally.