It’s not a secret that Americans have a love affair with snacks. And it’s easy to see why. Consumers are enticed by the flavor and convenience of salty and sweet treats. But snacks aren’t confined to chips, cookies, nuts, or other crunchy delights. Defined as “a small meal,” snacks can encompass almost anything that’s a quick, go-to bite. So, where do restaurants come into this relationship? Let’s take a look at how to add snacks to your menu in a way that sends your profits through the roof.
An appetite for snacking
Consumers don’t want to just enjoy snacking in their homes with their feet up anymore. After some of the hardest and most isolating times people have ever experienced, 70% of consumers surveyed are ready to return to restaurants (especially those with patio seating). Diners want to continue indulging in delicious snacks at home — but also in snacks that are prepared and served to them. The statistics don’t lie; the robust desire for snacks has increased snack sales by an impressive 39%. And over half of consumers state they’ve purchased (or desire to purchase) special treats for themselves or their family.
What diners want
The traditional three square meals a day isn’t as mainstream as it once was. A cultural shift put snacking in the driver's seat, with a whopping 45% of consumers having made an entire meal out of snacks. That means, if your restaurant isn’t incorporating snacks, you might want to start. To do it right, think about your audience and what they want. Do you primarily serve families with kiddos in tow, couples out for a date night, the coffee and sandwich crowd, business diners, or students wanting more than their dorm-sized fridge can provide? Think about the snacks that are the best fit for your customers and start introducing them into your menu.
Comfort and health
With your customers and operation in mind, try incorporating more healthy snack options. A large percentage of diners are concerned about their health and want a variety of nutritious and plant-based foods available. Think about cooking up a veggie-filled componada flatbread, cauliflower poppers or a tasty shiitake and asparagus taco. There’s also always room for amazing comfort staples like baked chicken wings, cheese curds, stuffed mushrooms and tasty crepes. Serving up what diners want, keeping tabs on what they don’t, and making menu adjustments accordingly is key to upping your snack profitability.
Snacks front and center
In addition to what you serve, a tempting appetizer menu full of tasty snacks should be looking customers dead in the eye. Menu placement is an important marketing and profit-boosting tool. Be sure to incorporate appetizing and attractive pictures to draw your diners’ attention, especially to the menu items that are most popular and cost-effective for your operation.
Tech wins at marketing
Technology is the future of foodservice and new tech-first tools can work to your advantage by helping you boost diners’ temptations and drive snack sales. Look into offering augmented reality menus to give consumers a better (and fun) “picture” of the snacks your operation has to offer. Social media platforms can also draw in the snack-loving crowd with daily promotions or offers. Customer incentives for Instagram or Facebook shout-outs are an excellent marketing tool. And don’t ignore super “techie” options — they’re quickly becoming more mainstream in foodservice circles. Geo-fencing tools, along with artificial intelligence (AI), can boost marketing impacts by sending offers to customers within a certain radius of your establishment and get diners in the mood for delicious snack options they love.
See the rewards.
Snacks sell, and your operation’s bottom line will see the rewards of adding them to your menu. Need some more inspiration? Check out our ultimate guide to snacks for the latest and greatest of the current trends and stats in consumer snacking.
