Quick-service restaurants are increasingly diversifying their menus to account for the ever-changing tastes of consumers, from beverage programs to unique LTOs. According to Datassentinal, 74 percent of customers look for new food and beverage trends. For restaurants to remain competitive, updated menus are necessary. However, it can be expensive if they don’t have the labor or an operator is not re-purposing SKUs to offer multiple items.
LTOs are exciting, and when done right, they will increase profits and customer satisfaction. However, if an LTO is overcomplicated or includes too many specialized ingredients, it can add pressure to back-of-house operations, be expensive, and lead to dissatisfied customers.
Chef Greg Gable, corporate Chef for AFP advanced food products llc. acknowledges the complexities involved with creating LTOs. “Depending on the LTO and how simple it is to make or serve, it can add a lot of strain. If it’s not done well it could increase customer wait time leading to dissatisfied customers and stressed staff. It’s almost a double-edged sword you could have a successful LTO but a restaurant of unhappy people.”
In response to these challenges, restaurants are seeking ways to streamline back-of-house operations while still innovating with new LTOs. Chef Gable emphasizes the importance of creativity in leveraging existing pantry ingredients: “It’s about re-imagining the ingredients in your pantry.” AFP provides inspiration and recipe ideas but also offers shelf-stable products that eliminate back-of-house strain and facilitate recipe innovation. Gable explains, “Most of our products—specifically the cheese sauces—can be used as a base to make secret menu items or LTOs.”
Having a partner who knows what trends consumers are looking for and how to eliminate back-of-house inefficiencies while adding menu offerings can help restaurants stay competitive while reducing risk. “AFP‘s goal goes beyond providing high-quality consistent products it’s about the plus one solution,” Gable says. “Our products are shelf stable, so no refrigeration makes it easy to store.
The emergence of secret menu items exemplifies how restaurants can change current menu items to make them exciting while using on-hand ingredients. Capitalizing on trends like “secret menu items” and LTOs can be a challenge when trying to reduce SKUs, which is why partnering with an experienced outside manufacturer can help.
“Partnering with AFP offers restaurants more than just high-quality products—it provides a comprehensive solution to their menu innovation needs,” Gable says. “We offer videos online showing the best way to use our sauces, store our sauces, and customize our sauces.”
In the competitive quick-service restaurant industry, menu variety that doesn’t inflate costs is crucial. Consumers seek new trends, driving the need for innovative LTOs and exciting new offerings, but operations can be strained if they are too complicated. There is a necessary balance between innovation and efficiency that can be met by repurposing existing ingredients and embracing trends like “secret menus.” Partnering with experienced manufacturers like AFP enables restaurants to meet these challenges, driving profitability and customer satisfaction with confidence.
For more information on AFP’s solutions, visit their website.
By Ya’el McLoud
