Be thoughtful about your menu; instead of buffets, offer family-style for small group social gatherings. For takeout or dine-in, include charcuterie or small plates. Offer a luxury selection of prepackaged foods that inspire bringing the holidays home. Also consider adding festive touches to your dine-in and takeout.
Ideas
- Charcuterie boards with wine pairings
- Serve comfort foods family-style
- Virtual cooking shows with your meal kits
- Pies to-go program
- Hot chocolate gift set
- Dessert at the table with “make your own s’mores” Cookie kits (pre-made or ready to bake)
How To…
CHEESE BOARDS
Cheese plates are an increasingly popular course at restaurants.
A standard cheese plate will include three to five different cheeses.
This plate is accompanied by an assortment of dried fruits, breads and nuts. The easy ability to manage portion size will help your restaurant control costs. Cheese plates will also help your restaurant increase wine sales. Many customers will want to enjoy a bottle of wine when ordering a cheese plate as a delightful combination. Consider options to enhance home holiday celebrations with kits to
take home and make themselves.
CHARCUTERIE
Charcuterie boards afford restaurants the opportunity to delight their customers with a
creative mix of tastes and textures. The flavors can range from sharp and salty, to sweet and buttery flavors. A standard charcuterie plate will include three to five different cheeses, accompanied by
an assortment of dried fruits, breads, and cured meats. Consider options to enhance home holiday celebrations with kits to take home and make themselves.
TAKE AND MAKE MEAL KITS
Offer your customers the option to pick up pre-portioned ingredients and preparation instructions so they can recreate the magic of your menu at home. Meal Kits can also pair with virtual events like cooking classes, virtual celebrations, and more. Meals that travel well, such as pasta-based dishes or hamburger packs for the family, are prepackaged essentials. Offering the opportunity to be
“Chef for the Day” can become a fun family activity. Find more options in our Kitchen2Kitchen Toolkit here.
FAMILY STYLE MEALS
Family-style meals are a great way to provide comfort foods to families – they are cost-effective and efficient to execute in an off-premise dining program. Some operators have found success by creating a separate, limited takeout menu that offers a few select items. This has the added benefit of reducing back of house labor. Meals that are quickly and easily assembled can provide operators with an effective means of fulfilling consumer needs and driving revenue for their operation. Learn more in our Family Style Toolkit here
