With today’s customers craving variety, innovation, and flavor, it should come as no surprise that beverage innovation has proven to be among the top industry trends in 2013. A dynamic, original beverage program can have a significant impact on restaurant traffic, revenue, and brand awareness. Let’s take a look at some of the hottest non-alcoholic beverage trends.

Handcrafted & Artisanal Sodas

As the first-ranked beverage trend by the National Restaurant Association’s 2013 ‘What’s Hot’ survey, house-made soda is becoming increasingly prevalent on successful menus. In San Francisco, The Corner Store offers 4 house sodas (cucumber, grapefruit, spiced orange whip, and mixed berry shrub) and 10 classic regional sodas such as Cheerwine and Boylan’s. In Ann Arbor, Zingerman’s Deli’s soda fountain has been lauded for unique offerings like Puck’s, a nostalgic soda made with natural cane sugar and no artificial flavors. The trend has also taken root on a national scale; Starbucks recently began testing a line of proprietary handcrafted beverages including root beer and ginger ale, and Ruby Tuesday’s introduced a series of seasonal, made-to-order sodas.

Specialty Iced Tea

Iced tea is also experiencing a huge jump in popularity with many restaurants finding success by offering flavored tea drinks or even by using tea as a cocktail base. The trend is influencing brands across all segments; Wendy’s now features Wild Berry Tea, McAlister’s Deli has added Peach Sweet Tea, and Jack-in-the-Box is serving raspberry, peach, and mango flavored teas.

 

Gourmet Lemonade

Lemonade variations are another popular way to elevate an otherwise ordinary drink menu. Chefs are giving lemonade the gourmet treatment by infusing the classic drink with unique, unexpected flavor combinations. Lemonade, a fast-casual concept serving seasonal Southern California comfort foods, offers 6 varieties of lemonade daily, including flavors such as blueberry mint, spinach pineapple, and blood-orange. On the opposite coast, NYC’s Gramercy Tavern serves their Limeade with a small pitcher of simple syrup so guests have the ability to adjust the flavor to their preference and Birdbath’s Farmer’s Lemonade is a unique mix of house lemonade with dairy cream.

We especially love the idea of adding muddled mint to lemonade such as in this great recipe for Watermelon Mint Lemonade from J. Kenji Alt at Serious Eats.

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/06/watermelon-mint-lemonade-recipe.html

Ingredients

2 quarts 1-inch seedless watermelon chunks
1 cup fresh juice from 10 to 12 lemons
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
Cold water (as needed)
1 small bunch mint
1 quart ice

Steps

1. Place watermelon, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into 1- quart liquid measuring cup. Add cold water to equal 1 quart.

2. Place mint in the bottom of a pitcher and muddle lightly with a wooden spoon. Add watermelon mixture and stir to combine. Add ice. Serve immediately in ice-filled glasses garnished with mint sprigs.

A recent research study has found that restaurant-goers have a new definition of value.  While it’s easy to assume that value is synonymous with price, consumer behavior suggests that quality is most important.

The NPD Group conducted a study to examine consumers’ perceptions of value when they go out to eat.  According to “Defining Value Today,” quality of food is the most important value driver when choosing a restaurant.

While it may seem simple at face value, there are many attributes that factor into the value equation. Consumers consider aspects such as service, portion size, taste, quality, and atmosphere.  While price is still a consideration, only a small percentage of people feel that price alone drives their decision-making and, instead, the correct combination of value elements is more important.

It’s not enough for restaurants to simply offer quality food; they must also communicate their story to consumers who are interested in the quality and sourcing of ingredients.  To provide the information consumers seek, many restaurants tell their story by featuring their suppliers, adding sourcing information to the menu, or sharing the farming methods used to grow ingredients.  Chipotle’s story is based on serving “Food with Integrity,” which they describe as “the very best sustainably raised food possible with an eye to great taste, great nutrition, and great value.” To support this mission, their website offers a wealth of information on the animals, people, and environment that are involved in the Chipotle supply chain.  In another example, Tender Greens, a fast-casual restaurant based in California, provides consumers with the exact farms and purveyors they use to source their ingredients, which in turn helps to communicate their philosophy of “slow food done fast.”

Whether it’s time to update your menu with quality ingredients or you simply need to better communicate your message, use this consumer research to your advantage and give consumers what they are craving.

When summertime comes around, fond memories of fairs and amusement parks seem to conjure up in my mind. But the funny thing is that it’s not the rides or attractions that I first come to think of– it’s the food! Light and fluffy funnel cake, freshly made corn dogs, and deep-fried anything is enough to make my stomach rumble and my mind find excuses to take a day-trip to the nearest amusement park.

 

Traditional fair-food may indeed be a bit too standard-fare for some. Luckily these days, it’s not unusual to find a bevy of restaurants, from fast-casual to fine-dining, serving up a variety of delicious eats for every palette (yes, including the little ones’). After a long day of fun, wouldn’t it be nice to sit down at dinner with a plate of Linguine Frutti di Mare? How about about Pollo al Pastor or even Wild Mushroom Meatloaf?

 

So where can you find these dishes? Better yet –where exactly are the best amusement park eats?

 

The Daily Meal has recently listed out their top 22 Best Amusement Park Restaurants

 

Rounding out the top 10 on the list are:

 

1. Boma Flavors of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge — Orlando, Fl.

2. Mythos at Universal’s Islands of Adventure — Orlando, Fl.

3. Phoenix Junction at Knoebels Amusement Resort — Elysburg, Pa.

4. The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios — Orlando, Fl.

5. Ms. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm — Buena Park, Ca.

6. Chefs de France at Epcot Center — Orlando, Fl.

7. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs at Coney Island — Brooklyn, N.Y

8. Carthay Circle at Disney California Adventure Park — Anaheim, Ca.

9. La Hacienda de San Angel at Epcot Center — Orlando, Fl.

10.The Three Broomsticks Restaurant at Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal — Orlando, Fl.

 

To see the entire list, read: 22 Best Amusement Park Restaurants

While it didn’t make the top 10, Via Napoli (#18) is surely one the Synergy Team’s favorites when it comes to authentic, wood-fired pizza. Aside from the food, we love the décor and atmosphere, especially the wood fired ovens, each named after the volcanoes of Italy (Stromboli, Vesuvio and Etna), and certainly showcasing a personality of their own.

 

 

It is a common belief amongst restaurateurs that low-calorie menu options are necessary to accommodate health-conscious guests, but emerging research may suggest otherwise. A recent study by The NPD Group found that many consumers are not interested in light options and are eating “healthy” simply by ordering less.  Many Americans regard dining out as a treat, and do not want to be restricted to light meals.  Instead, they are practicing moderation by ordering smaller portions, skipping dessert, and passing on alcoholic beverages.

While this downtrend in order size isn’t necessarily good news for restaurant owners, it is possible to counteract this trend.  Menu innovation is key to giving consumers what they want: delicious food that they can feel good about eating.  Consider LYFE Kitchen, where every menu item weighs in at less than 600 calories, including full-flavored options like fish tacos, burgers, fried chicken, and desserts.  By using creative preparation methods, dishes that may typically be seen as overindulgent can actually provide consumers with the health benefits they desire without skimping on taste.  This prevents patrons from feeling like they need to order less and allows them to feel fulfilled within reason.

 

The National Restaurant Association’s annual culinary trends survey, “What’s Hot 2013,” also gives reason for restaurateurs and chefs to consider adding ‘better-for-you’ options to their menus.  Several of the top 20 trends indicate that consumers are trying to make healthier choices at restaurants by choosing locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce, focusing on health/nutrition, and ordering small portions.  Tender Greens, a fast-casual California-based chain, offers a menu and philosophy that is aligned with these trends by working with local farmers and producers to offer top quality, locally sourced ingredients.  Their menu, described as ‘slow food done fast’, features salads, soups, and grilled proteins that can be ordered as sandwiches, salads, sides, or hot plates.

If you are interested in providing healthy options that guests will crave, please contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants to learn more about our culinary innovation and menu development expertise.

After decades of being overshadowed by coffee, tea has finally begun to emerge to own the spotlight. Tea expert David DeCandia from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf says the tea industry is “going straight up” and will “at some point…reach the level of coffee”. Domestic sales of tea at restaurants, grocery stores, and shops have increased by 32% in the last 5 years and is still expected to grow to over $18B in the next two years. Compared to coffee, tea has actually been growing faster year over year in the last decade.

 

Asian consumers have traditionally been the biggest consumer base for tea. While this still holds true, many other demographics of consumers have become more and more interested in the product as well. With the help of celebrity endorsements from Gordon Ramsay to Wolfgang Puck and buy-in from consumer packaged goods companies such as PepsiCo and Coca Cola, tea has transformed from a traditional drink to a sexy, interesting beverage for the new age.

 

If there’s one mover and shaker in the beverage industry that can “make or break” this transformation, it would be Howard Schultz of Starbucks. And he sees tea as a “big, big opportunity.” In fact, Starbucks opened its first Tazo tea shop last year and acquired tea retailer Teavana as well. Riding on the backs of the healthy food trend, tea has also gained a following from those looking to improve their diets by switching to tea for its health benefits. From teens to yuppies, tea is slowing becoming the drink of choice.

 

Interested in exploring new beverage offerings for your restaurant, including tea? Contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants today for ideas to make your beverage list more enticing for consumers and more profitable for your business!

 

For many, a beautiful plate of food is akin to a work of art. As a restaurant operator, it is important to note that a dish is appealing not only to the taste buds but also to the eyes. Paying attention to food presentation can be the factor that elevates your customer’s dining experience to the next level. Did you know several studies have found that the visual presentation of food may actually affect the perceived taste of that food? A recent study researching the affects food presentation found that “The colour of the container where food and drink are served can enhance some attributes like taste and aroma,” as explained to SINC by Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, researcher at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain).”

There are various methods of food presentation that are simple yet effective means to deliver that “wow” element to a dish. Read our best practices below to make sure you’re covering all your food plating bases.

Combine various textures: an experienced chef understands that humans engage all five senses when they eat. Therefore, ensuring a dish contains a texture aspect is considered best plating practices. For example, if you are serving a soup, consider topping it off with a fried tasty crunchy garnish like fried shallots, garlic, or tortilla strips.

Play with color: This one is no-brainer! Different colors can delight the eyes, so always make sure that you don’t produce a boring, muted, monochromatic dish.

 

Try different dishes and containers: It’s not just what’s on the plate that matters, but also the plate itself. Experiment with using different plates and bowls for your food. Don’t be afraid to try something out-of-the-ordinary. Serve different food elements in bowls of varying colors, shapes and depth. You can even go plate-less! Try using food as a dish; think endive leaves, hollowed out pineapple, banana blossom petals – the possibilities are endless!

Paint with sauce: You’re a chef and an artist in the kitchen, so feel free to paint your canvas (plate) with some sauce! The beauty of this technique is that you can get really creative here. Serving up a plate of New York Cheesecake? Spoon-drizzle a combination of berry and chocolate sauce in swirls and drops.

Be an architect: Consider plating your food as a similar process to building a house. You need to construct your base and then continue to build layers. Try creating a mini-tower of food to create some awe at the table!

As you can see, there are so many ways so elevate your food by simply paying attention to food plating and presentation. If you need assistance with learning how to plate like a culinary professional, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants.

Healthy fast food menu items are increasing in demand as more consumers seek healthier meal choices. In the past, consumers looking for a budget-friendly, low fat, low calorie meal were limited to places such as Subway or Blimpies. However, in the past few years, healthier food offerings are becoming more accessible as major fast food chains recognize the need to accommodate the consumer’s changing attitudes.

 

A variety of fresh salads and sandwiches are among the most popular items on fast food menus across the globe. Just last week, McDonald’s released its EggWhite Delight breakfast sandwich – a healthier alternative to the Egg McMuffin. And also making its debut this month is the McDonald’s Premium McWrap, an upgrade from the original McWrap and is also marketed as a healthier option.

 

In a recent commercial, McDonald’s advertises its Premium McWrap as “a blend of tender, juicy chicken and tantalizing fresh veggies in three captivating flavors.” However, the nutrition profiles for each of the three flavors vary greatly in fat grams, calories, and sodium. The Premium McWrap Chicken & Ranch (Grilled) contains 16 fat grams and 430 calories whereas the Premium McWrap Chicken & Bacon (Crispy) contains 30 fat grams and 600 calories. Thus, even with a healthier spin on menu options, consumers still must carefully examine nutritional information in order to actually enjoy a healthy lunch.

Real healthy menu development combines deep understanding of consumer taste preferences with expertise in flavor and nutritional profiles of various foods. If you would like to implement truly healthy and delicious menu offerings at your restaurant, contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants, the healthy menu experts.

 

How is Your Restaurant Brand Leveraging Social Media Technology?

It’s harder these days to visit a restaurant and not see a Yelp! or FourSquare Check In sticker on the window. Social media icons like those from Facebook, Twitter and Google + are also proudly displayed on restaurant websites and marketing material. It’s clear that the consumer’s love for social media should not be ignored but rather embraced and used as leverage for your own branding and marketing purposes.

There are many web tools to help you promote your restaurant using social media. But did you know that there are also hardware options for this too? We recently came across a nifty social media device at a  Lollicup tea shop that allows patrons to snap digital photos of themselves inside the store and post them on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter for free. The product is called iSnap and essentially serves as a modern photo-booth with branding capabilities. This sleek device stands up as a vertical kiosk and has a small footprint. There are other similar devices on the market as well such as Social Kiosk Solutions, also suitable for events and placement in your storefront.

See a Social Media Kiosk in action

Every month we like to shed some insight into the newest menu offerings from your favorite quick-service and casual dining restaurants. There are lots to choose from this April and we did notice an emphasis on pizza (one of our favorite foods, admittedly!) Read about these debuting menu items to see whether they might be worth a taste.

 

Pizzaburger from Boston Pizza: No, this is not a late April Fool’s joke. Yes, pizzaburger – as in a food which is the combination of pizza and a burger. The Canadian pizza chain, Boston Pizza, describes this unusual dish as, “100% Canadian beef. Our half-pound prime rib beef burger wrapped in a cheese pizza. Stuffed with pizza mozzarella, cheddar, feta, Asiago, fresh Parmesan and our signature pizza sauce. Baked to perfection and topped with lettuce, tomato and pickle.”

 

Deep! Deep! Dish Pizza from Little Caesar’s: This very excitable name describes Little Caesar’s latest creation: “Our Detroit-style deep dish pizza with a unique, crisp-on-the-bottom, soft-and-chewy-on-the-inside crust. Topped from coast-to-coast with fresh, premium mozzarella and Muenster, baked to a crispy, crunchy, caramelized cheese edge. Four corners of perfection weren’t enough – so we gave you eight!” Deep! Deep! Dish Pizza will be available for Hot-N-Ready pickup.

 

Crazy Cheese Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut: It looks like the battle of the pizza chains is going strong this month! Pizza Hut unveiled an extremely cheesier cousin to its class Stuffed Crust Pizza this month. At just $12.99, you get a large pepperoni pizza that’s surrounded by 16 pockets of Italian 5 cheese blend. We never thought pizza could any cheesier until now!

 

Egg White Delight from McDonald’s: We recently mentioned this new healthier offering in our previous blog post. This egg white sandwich will be on sale starting April 22.

 

St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs from Boston Market: Move over ham, it’s time to share the spotlight with a new menu item– ribs! For a limited time, Boston Market is offering customers slow-smoked, seasoned BBQ ribs. It’s certainly is a nice twist to Boston Market’s traditional menu.

 

Video Little Caesars:

Hard cider is rapidly expanding beyond Martinelli’s and into a craft beverage. Traditionally made with apples, cider can also be from the juice of other fruits such as peaches, berries, and pears. The typical ABV for hard ciders are also very flexible, ranging from 2% to 8.5%. It has been cited by various publications as the next trend in beverages and a plethora of artisanal shops have cropped up, offering styles of cider for every palate.

 

Hard ciders offer restaurants an impressive variety of options to utilize for both food pairing and expanding its beverage menu in lieu of cocktails. It is also a great gender-neutral choice: in addition to 47% of women who are drinking more cider to try new brands, 21% of men are drinking more cider instead of other alcohol. Overall, 36% of regular drinkers have a very positive opinion of the beverage and 33% of male drinkers have grown to like the taste (Alcoholic Beverage DemandTracker).

 

The main obstacle to increased cider adoption is the lack of its availability in restaurants and bars. 26% of regular drinkers say they would drink more if it were more commonly offered and 15% of occasional drinkers agree. While some non-drinkers maintain cider is “not for people their age”, 8% of them state they would drink it more often if it were more popular. Thus, it seems cider protesters can be persuaded with the changing tide and the best course of action is to begin stocking the beverage as an early adapter in the changing food & beverage climate.