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SNACKS: REIMAGINING THE SNACK EXPERIENCE
Reimagining the snack experience
A well-crafted snack menu is emerging as a key strategy to enhance guest experiences and drive revenue in pubs, writes Deb Jackson.
IN AN era where patrons are increasingly cautious about their spending, pubs are reimagining their food offerings to enhance customer experiences and boost revenue. One key opportunity is the evolution of the snack menu. No longer just an afterthought, snacks are becoming central to pub dining, providing a way to engage guests and drive additional sales.
A prime example of this trend is at the White Horse in Sydney’s Surry Hills, where the pub has been revitalised featuring a vibrant downstairs restaurant complemented by a more casual, snack-focused menu upstairs.
The essentials of a snack menu
Jed Gerrard, the executive chef at White Horse, spoke to Australian Hotelier about the importance of a well-curated snack menu.
“A strong snack menu lets guests on a smaller budget enjoy the same experience as those who can spend more, so it’s about making sure what we offer meets the different needs and budgets of our guests,” he says.
“For me, a good snack menu should offer a mix of flavours that keep things interesting, without being too complicated. It’s also key that the snacks work well with the drinks on offer –something tasty and easy to enjoy with whatever you’re sipping.”
Gerrard says when it comes to snacks, people gravitate towards familiar favourites such as oysters, house-made French fries, and veggie crudités with smoked eggplant dip. At White Horse, a crowd-favourite is the steak sandwich.
For internationally renowned chef Chris Rendell, he says that generally speaking, the snack portion of a menu in a pub is for “that in between time” where people know they can pop into a pub during an of f-peak time and will still be able to get a top-quality snack with their drinks.
There is an opportunity to raise the bar of food options outside of lunch and dinner.
-Eleanor Knight, McCain Foods
Recently Rendell spearheaded the menu design at the The Beehive Hotel in Melbourne, which reopened following a 15-year hiatus. And while the historic venue will still be a place for music and boozing, this time around there’s a strong focus on food.
A core item on the menu is The Beehive’s housemade focaccia or wood-fired pizza bread, which can be smeared and topped with a selection of accompaniments – from whipped parmesan drizzled in basil oil, and chicken liver parfait, to heirloom tomatoes with toasted buckwheat and finger lime, or prosciutto San Daniele.
Shareable snack experiences
It’s dishes like these that make for a great snack menu, says Rendell, who also highlights that a snack menu should include finger food that is easily shareable.
Following years abroad as a chef in London, New York, and New Zealand, Rendell says that it was great to be back in Australia curating the menu for The Beehive Hotel, and seeing how the pub culture and the quality of food in pubs has significantly improved since he was here last.
“Having lived in New Zealand for five years, we don’t really have that same pub culture. So, being back in Australia, specifically in Melbourne, it was great to get around to a few places and see what people are doing. There is really some great food coming out of some great pubs,” he said.
The design of a snack menu is crucial for its success and White Horse’s Gerrard emphasises that a pub’s menu should align with the venue’s overall concept and appeal to its target audience. He also suggests giving the menu a seasonal revamp to keep things fresh and interesting for customers, giving them an opportunity to come back and try something new.
“The snack menu should really capture the venue’s identity and concept,” he says. “It’s important that it speaks to our target audience and pairs well with the drinks we’re serving.”
This approach not only enhances the drinking experience but also establishes the pub as a destination for quality food. A well-curated snack menu also plays a vital role in extending dwell time, encouraging patrons to stay longer and order more.
As Gerrard explains: “A solid snack menu means they can stay and eat instead of heading to another venue when they get hungry.”
This extended stay is valuable for maintaining a lively atmosphere and driving additional sales throughout the day.
Off-peak opportunities
Eleanor Knight, head of future growth innovation ANZ at McCain Foods, says that pubs need to think creatively about generating revenue beyond traditional mealtimes.
For me, a good snack menu should of fer a mix of flavours that keep things interesting, without being too complicated.
-Jed Gerrard, White Horse
“With more than 40 per cent of Aussies now snacking instead of having a proper meal at least once a week, having a well-curated snack menu designed to cater for the blurred lines of food consumption is critical,” she says.
“Non-traditional dayparts (i.e. outside of lunch and dinner) typically represent two-thirds of the total venue operational hours, but potentially only generate one-third of the daily revenues,” she explains. “So, there is an opportunity to raise the bar of food options outside of lunch and dinner.”
Knight highlights that almost 25 per cent of patrons are heading to pubs at least once a month for drinks-only occasions, so offering versatile food options is a way to entice customers to stay longer.
She says that with its extensive and experienced foodservice field team, McCain Foods plays a significant role in supporting pubs with high-quality snack options.
“We see ourselves as your committed team of industry professionals who deliver high-quality products that ensure your customers have a memorable dining experience,” she says.
One recent addition to McCain’s offerings is the Pickers range, a selection of savoury bites designed to complement existing foodservice options.
“Pickers is the new range of Savoury Bites to complement the existing McCain Foodservice portfolio,” Knight explains. “With a range of six products that are bite-sized shareable snacks and made in Australia from premium ingredients, the range offers differentiation to what is available in the market to deliver on-trend and inspirational menu additions.”
The Pickers range includes versatile items like Cauliflower Bites, which can be used across different menu applications – from starters and sides to bar snacks and main dishes.
When designing a snack menu, pubs should consider several factors to maximise both appeal and profitability. Knight offers these key principles: “The ideal snacking menu should have a minimum of seven options to maximise customer appeal.”
She recommends including a variety of items with two types of protein (things like chicken wings or salt and pepper calamari), a few vegetarian options (cauliflower bites or onion rings), one or two carbohydrates (fries and wedges are staple crowdpleasers), and a few indulgent menu options (such as mozzarella sticks or mac and cheese).
Knight also highlights the importance of menu presentation, saying: “Statistics show that 68 per cent of people can be influenced to purchase food when a menu catches their eye. Nearly 50 per cent of customers (48.7 per cent) said a snacks menu at the bar would influence them to order a snack or sharing side to accompany a drink at a pub.” This underscores the impact of a visually appealing and diverse snack menu in driving additional food and drink sales.
A well-executed snack menu of fers numerous benefits to pubs, from extending dwell time and increasing revenue to enhancing the overall customer experience. By of fering a range of appealing, high-margin snacks and aligning them with the venue’s concept, pubs can create a more engaging and profitable environment.
