The best restaurants menus include old favorites and those new restaurant food ideas that continually pop up. For restaurants looking for the latter, this list of new restaurant food ideas can add spice to a stale restaurant menu.
Give your frozen beverages an adults-only twist
Craft beers and wines, step aside—or at least into this new adult favorite. Slushies are no longer just for kids; new slushie machines now turn craft beers and cocktails into adults-only frozen favorites. A bit of marketing and a few samplings take these frozen favorites from the unknown to a best-seller.
Stick with the classics
Food fads come and go, but the best foods are always top customer requests. The best way to offer these classics while still adding new menu items is to search for versatile commercial kitchen equipment. Equipment like griddles, frozen beverage machines, and fryers can satisfy customers’ cravings for the classics while still producing those new favs.
Don’t ignore local tastes
Local customers demand local flavors. This is truly evident in the Midwest, where customers seek out local dishes (i.e. cheese curds, brats) and seasonal tastes that fit with the changing scenery. The proof for this trend is in the numbers, like the increase in pumpkin dishes during the fall. The best way to harness those tastes into dishes couples actually order is to add the taste to a classic favorite, like adding pumpkin spice to a drink or dessert.
For restaurants offering more fresh dishes, consider adding farm-to-table options from local sources. Farm-to-table menu items are a popular trend right now, and one that sets a restaurant apart.
Offer healthy options
Healthy restaurant food ideas are a new trend completely appropriate for some businesses. Even small offerings are appreciated, such as apple slices or a portable yogurt in a kid’s meal. If fresh, healthy dishes are in line with the restaurant menu, consider adding trendy new menu items like wraps and salads.
Make customers want dessert first
One of the easiest ways to sweeten a menu is to add new desserts. The best news about dessert items is that they start with a base (i.e. piece of cake, scoop of ice cream) that can be customized for a unique menu offering. A scoop of soft serve ice cream can become a crowd favorite with delicious flavors or candy toppings.