Killer dessert tactics

Food Menu

Sweet ideas for dessert menu success

Serving dessert should never be an afterthought. Menu experts Mike Hilton and Gavin Harrison give you simple tips and tricks to profit from your customers’ sweet tooth

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hat’s the fasting-growing menu category in Canada right now? Those of you who consider yourself health-conscious may be disappointed to find out that it’s desserts. They are again becoming a profitable part of the restaurant business.

How can this be possible in an age where Canadians are eating smarter, cooking with natural ingredients, exercising more and, in general, taking better care of themselves? The answer is simple. For the average Canadian,

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an out-of-the-home dining experience is treated like a special event. We may be eating less dessert overall but we save the indulgence for an evening out.

As a restaurateur, it’s up to you to take advantage of this growing trend. Take note of a few simple tricks and tips to help grow this portion of your business.

Most people assume we’re joking when we suggest that the key to boosting dessert sales is to remove these items from their food menu. It is the first thing you’ll want to do if selling more desserts is your goal. Think about it. How can

you even consider splurging on a dessert if your server took the menu away before your appetizers? The opposite mistake is to present your dessert selections after the meal, when your guests are full and already thinking about heading home or to a movie. We are here to suggest a better way.

Developing a separate menu for the combination of desserts and cocktails opens the door for you to introduce the idea of dessert at just the right moment – after your customer has placed their meal order, but before it has arrived at the

Food Menu

table. They’re hungry and they’re bored.

They start to look through your cocktail list. As they sift through the mojitos and belinis, they come across your triple layer chocolate fudge cake. To any empty stomach, it’s an offering from the gods.

Once their sweet tooth has committed to tasting dessert, your guests are more likely to save room. In fact, while their meal is being prepared, customers can be justifying to themselves why they deserve a special treat today. They will instinctively eat less of their meal to make room for the dessert item they have decided that they need.

To further add to your dessert revenue, consider selling smaller portion desserts at a lower price point. This trend has taken off in many national chains in the United States. Selling two smaller slices

of cake for $3 each is easier than one large one for $6. It also allows for tables to taste a variety of treats. Case studies show that this technique is increasing the average cheque size. In short, dessert sales are representing a bigger piece of the proverbial pie.

Don’t forget to add after-dinner liqueurs, coffees or toddies to your dessert menu. Selling more desserts is the

key to securing one more round of drinks, or coffee after a meal. Pair your desserts with bar items. Maybe a flavoured crème brulee paired with a sparkling wine. Be creative. Your customers can be healthconscious tomorrow.

With economic uncertainty staring us in the face, now more than ever, it is important to maximize sales with each and every opportunity.  Gavin Harrison is CEO of design firm INDUSTRYimages and SMARTmenu. Mike Hilton is in charge of Business Development for INDUSTRYimages and Lead Consultant for the SMARTmenu program. The SMARTmenu team helps restaurateurs achieve their goal of maximizing profitability through menu development and engineering

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