Housemade sodas have been popping up at restaurants across the country and the trend is not fading out anytime soon. Our consultants at Synergy are big fans of this trend because it helps increase check averages and provides a fun, artisanal drink option for diners. As diners become more health conscious and traditional soda sales plummet, we’re learning of another great benefit to housemade drinks. According to Technomic, 87% of diners associate ‘fresh’ with ‘healthy.’ This means that consumers perceive that artisanal drinks made in-house with fresh ingredients provide good-for-you health benefits.
While many restaurants are aware the popularity of housemade sodas, two Chicago restaurants have especially capitalized on the trend. Mercadito in Chicago offers their signature Refrescos, a combination of fresh fruit juice with fruit-flavored soda water, at $6 a glass and has sold over 2,700 this year! At sister restaurant Tavernita, diners are thrilled to find an entire section of the menu dedicated to housemade sodas. With flavors such as orange, white grape, and ginger chile ale, the menu also suggests pairing the soda with a favorite spirit. Tavernita’s sodas have accounted for nearly 14% of beverage sales this year.
While traditional soda sales are down across the country, consider adding fresh, housemade sodas to your menu to give beverage sales a boost.
Here are five fun flavor ideas for housemade sodas:
– Caramelized Pineapple
– Grapefruit
– Cucumber Mint Lime
– Orange Vanilla Cream
– Ginger Lemonade
You can read more about this trend here.
Please contact Synergy for help with menu innovation.