As we head into fall, the holidays are just around the corner. As a restaurant owner, you’ve hired extra seasonal labor, ordered bulk seasonal items from your vendors, and now you’re almost prepared for the influx of patrons. Now, you might be considering adding desserts to your menu to accommodate the seasonal changes and more substantial dining traffic. It’s a great move, and nine out of ten menus feature dessert options. Plus 52% of patrons eat dessert at the same location as their meal! Below are some tips to adding post-meal treats to your menu and why Sara Lee Bakery desserts are a sweet addition to your bottom line.
Seasonal Sweets & Indulgence
It’s the time of year where people are donning their sweaters and raving about the return of fall flavors in all their favorite coffee shops and store shelves. Capitalize on this seasonal movement by joining in and offering your dining patrons sit down or takeaway options as their shopping around. In fact, 54% of consumers purchase on impulse (especially if your café keeps desserts near the checkout line or the end of the menu). Having a ‘treat yourself to dessert’ option will be a huge hit. ‘Tis the season to order those brownies and blondies without the guilt.
Increase Check Averages
Endorsing desserts increases check averages, which automatically leads to an increase in operator and waitstaff profits. For an example, if there is a table of four and at least one of them purchases a dessert, others at the table are more likely to order one as well, if not, a glass of wine or specialty coffee. If you’re not a sit-down restaurant, offering grab and go desserts at checkouts in your café can also add to impulse spending to diners. Sara Lee Bakery recommends various pre-packaged dessert options that can be sold individually at price points at about 40% of food costs leaving you with a larger profit margin per piece!
Variety to Satisfy Everyone
You can’t please them all, but you can offer a small variety to accommodate almost all your guests. It’s often best to feature a chocolate selection, a non-chocolate selection, and something lighter or fruit-related. Consider our Sara Lee Bakery, Three-for-All option that combines the top-selling must-haves to complement any menu. It satisfies the chocolate lovers with irresistibly rich brownies; the non-chocolate fans can enjoy a delicious blondie, and the trifecta is completed with luscious lemon bars. Not certain if brownies are the right fit for your operation? Datassential reports 24% of restaurant menus feature brownies and they are predicted to outperform 67% of other foods, beverages, and ingredients over the next four years.
Selling Desserts
If you haven’t previously offered desserts, but are planning to now, be prepared to coach your staff on how best to introduce and sell dessert options. Have your waitstaff suggest mouth-watering dessert options first when presenting menus. Or, you can instruct your servers to encourage sharing of desserts if the patrons are concerned with finishing individual portions. When launching Sara Lee Bakery dessert options, make sure you design a plan and coach your teams for best results.
Announcing Your Dessert Additions
Whether you’re opening a dessert café or supplementing your traditional flagship menu, how you go about announcing your additions can help ensure success. Consider creating a separate menu with visually appealing close-ups of those brownies and blondies. Use our editable flyer for easy posting at your entrance, point of service, or in high-patron traffic areas. Take advantage of banners available, as well. Use your social media platforms to offer sweet treats as an afternoon treat to holiday shoppers needing a break from the mall. Add a dessert announcement to your website. Dessert suppliers like Sara Lee Bakery even offer marketing materials for operators to use to promote their menu additions like edible flyers, print marketing, and even digital marketing collateral. While your community may know you for specific, main course meal selections, you can generate buzz about your new additions.
Take advantage of adding Sara Lee Bakery’s Three-for-All portfolio of delicious selections. It can be just the boost your restaurant needs to maximize your revenue this season. Click the link below for more information on tips for a successful dessert menu selection and launch today!
