Pumpkin spice lattes are more than a sign that autumn has finally arrived. They’re also a major money-maker. Starbucks saw a 10% spike in sales the first week of its 2021 pumpkin spice re-release. This is just one example of the power of seasonal menus.
But seasonal menus have the potential to do more than boost your bottom line. They represent an opportunity to try out new dishes and to flex your creativity.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll share the benefits of making your very own seasonal menu. Then, we’ll run through the six steps you need to take to create an unforgettable menu of your own before going over a few key considerations to keep in mind before you embark on your seasonal menu journey.
Adopting a seasonal menu lets you do more than try out new dishes. It also gives you the opportunity to revamp your restaurant menu. Seasonal dishes are low risk. If your customers don’t like them, you can simply stop serving them after your limited-time promotion has run its course.
Of course, a seasonal menu has so much more to offer than just providing an opportunity to try out new entrees. It also can work as a powerful marketing tool. You can take to social media to advertise your new menu to reach new customers.
Finally, seasonal menus break up the monotony of your restaurant’s day-to-day routine. It’s all too easy to fall into a rut as a restaurateur. By forcing yourself to think twice about your restaurant’s current offerings, a seasonal menu can help you raise your restaurant standards.
Whipping up a seasonal menu from scratch doesn’t have to be hard. Use the steps below to help you make a profitable new menu that takes advantage of seasonal foods while showcasing your creativity and brand identity.
Before we get too deep into the weeds, let’s be clear about one thing: making a seasonal menu isn’t an excuse to shoot off in a wild new direction. If you run a vegan diner best known for its sweet potato tacos or red onion, zucchini, and radish pizzas, you should probably stick with the veggies.
Moving in a radically different direction will turn off your existing customer base, and whatever new customers you absorb won’t likely stick around after your seasonal menu disappears.
Instead, take stock of your best sellers, and put a spin on them to reflect the season. For example, if you own a pizza parlor, consider selling a new type of breadstick, or enhance a customer favorite with seasonal produce.
Seasonal menus are by definition limited-time deals. Still, there’s a difference between offering promotional menu items for the whole summer (or whatever season it is) vs. two weeks. The latter gives you greater flexibility when it comes to ditching duds. It also creates a sense of urgency in your customer base.
What if a limited-time deal takes off? You can not only extend its shelf life, but you can also incorporate its popularity into your marketing materials. Let everyone on social media know that their favorite seasonal dish is back by popular demand.
Using seasonal produce like cranberries, cilantro, and pomegranate in the fall or watermelon in the summer can help you cut down on costs. That’s because in-season ingredients tend to be cheaper than non-seasonal items.
Not only will using in-season ingredients boost your profit margins, but they may also help you attract new customers. That’s because people have mental associations built between different types of food and different seasons of the year.
During the summer, we’re more likely to seek out sweet blueberries or cool watermelon than we are in the winter. Your customers might prefer a heartier artichoke or fennel-heavy dish in the cooler months of autumn.
Now that you’ve identified fresh ingredients to try, it’s time to create your new menu items. Remember step one, these shouldn’t be a radical departure from your core business offerings. But, that doesn’t mean you have to stick too closely to what you’ve always done.
Instead, use your existing brand identity to try out menu items that represent a continuation of what you do best. For example, if you run an Italian restaurant, you could try a new pesto spaghetti dish or a seasonal veal with caramelized brussel sprouts.
This is your time to get creative and try out the dishes you’ve always wanted to sell. The important thing to remember about creating a seasonal menu is the stakes are much lower than with your permanent menu. That gives you a lot of freedom to experiment and showcase your creativity.
Seasonal menus don’t stop with the actual menu. While you’re thinking up new seasonal dishes, you should also be considering how they’ll fit into your overall dining experience. For example, if you intend to sell a new cranberry cocktail, you may want to pair it with a brunch menu item.
Or maybe that cocktail would work better as a happy hour special. You can increase menu accessibility by instructing your waitstaff to provide recommendations based on your seasonal items. For example, you might ask your front-of-house staff to bring up certain complementary appetizer-entree pairings based on taste, flavor, and limited-time promotions.
It doesn’t matter if you have the best seasonal menu on earth if no one knows about it. Getting the word out about your new seasonal dishes is one of the most important parts of getting a new menu off the ground.
To market your new seasonal menu, broadcast your menu changes on social media. Consider using a mix of organic reach — such as posting your seasonal items on your Facebook and Instagram profiles — and paid ads.
To increase your offline presence, reach out to local businesses. Ask if you can leave flyers advertising your new menu in their lobbies or common areas.
To get the greatest benefit from your seasonal menu, try to use local farms and local produce when possible. The growing farm-to-table movement means that you may attract new customers who care deeply about the environment and want to support local businesses.
Local produce is also often cheaper and fresher than fruit and veggies that were picked far away. Part of the appeal to a seasonal menu is taking advantage of the freshest food available.
Finally, buying from local farms opens up additional possibilities for partnerships and marketing that you can use to grow your customer base.
The key to creating a top-notch seasonal menu is to take stock of your best-selling menu items and center your new creations around what already works. Consider limited-time deals, and take advantage of delicious, in-season produce. Plus, try to support your local farms and producers if possible.
Don’t be afraid to try out new menu items. Seasonal menus represent the perfect opportunity to show off your creative side. Just keep the whole dining experience and your brand in mind when crafting your menu, and don’t forget to market your new creations.
With KioskBuddy, set up a self-service kiosk in your restaurant and easily switch from your regular menu to a seasonal menu. You can import and store as many menus as you’d like in the KioskBuddy Dashboard, and you can even select different menus for each of your restaurant locations.
Get started with KioskBuddy today and enjoy a 30-day free trial!