November 2018 Digital Issue

THE HOSPITALITY MARKET REPORT
Foodservice
Performance
BY NUMBERS
TRAFFIC NUMBERS
QSR
2%|
6.6 billion visits annually
Full-service
1%|
Prepared meals/retail
5%|
iSTOCK.COM/LIGHTFIELDSTUDIOS [MENU]
trends helping keep margins intact. First
is sticking to menus that are much smaller
and more nimble. “Gone are the behemoth
tri-fold menus with 80 to 90 items, which
kitchens always struggled to manage.
Smaller menus should have no loss leaders
and each item must be simple to prepare in
order to keep labour costs down and preserve
margins,” he says.
Consumers are also steering away from
the formal menu structure, he notes.
“They’re less interested in the appetizers,
salad/main/dessert structure. It is now
melding into single offerings with greater
focus on shareables and platters.”
Successful restaurateurs are also learning
to focus on margins compared to costs.
“Higher-priced items can yield double or
triple the margin with the same labour
cost,” Wilson says. “For example, a
sandwich could cost $6 to produce and sell
for $10 for a $4 margin. Steak frites might
cost $15 and sell for $30, giving you a
$15 margin.”
Vegetarian and vegan are also becoming
must-haves on any menu, from QSR to fine
dining, he adds. “Vegetarian is mainstream
on menus today. Customer demands and
the inclusion of calorie counts are pushing
operators to think healthier and offer something
for everyone.”
Studies show 11 per cent of consumers
Family dining
3%|
compared to 2017
Adult-only dining
2%|
Average eater checks
2%|
overall
SOURCE: NPD GROUP
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