Appetizing Check Totals
Patrons and Operators Continue To Get Their Share From Bar Food

Perhaps mirroring the unprecedented demand for variety and diversity in beverage offerings, consumer desire for more in the area of bar food has pervaded the on-premise industry. In fact, as dining behaviors have evolved of late, with more patrons willing to spend more at the bar if the food is right, the trend has transcended the corner bar environment and attracted the notice of the chains as well.
    That being said, we thought it poignant to touch base with a few major movers in the chain restaurant and bar field to find out what they are seeing from their respective vantage points.

More Share from Sharing
    “The trends that we are seeing are share-able food items — small bites, that can be eaten in a group setting, shared and passed around,” says Clayton Dover, vice president of marketing for Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern. “Bennigan’s has introduced Bennigan’s Bar Bites Menu with very good success. This is a national menu that is only available from 4 p.m. until closing, which is 2 a.m. in some cases, only at the bar and cocktail areas. We have items on that menu that can only be ordered from that menu and not on the core menu. These are smaller portions developed to be shared, such as burger bites, popcorn shrimp, onion rings, etc.  Additionally, they are priced at $3 or $4 based on region and partnered with beverage specials on the same menu.
    “This program has been very successful and created a cult following for the food and helped our off-peak sales period. I see that trend continuing into 2007.”

More Choice, More Margin
    “The hottest overall trend is putting the guest in control,” says Jon Taffer, chairman of Taffer Dynamics Inc., a consulting group for on-premise beverage and food operations. Taffer says giving the guest more options is evidenced in concepts such as appetizers being available in two sizes — for example, a choice of the regular 5-piece shrimp cocktail or a larger one with 8 pieces. 
    “We see this trend in fine dining like Ritz-Carlton and BLT in Washington, D.C., and now filtering down to casual restaurants. In bar foods, TDI has been implementing a two-size Bar Bites menu with regular-sized and larger dinner-sized or ‘sharing-sized’ items. The premise is that those at the bar may think they’re there for drinks and resist ordering dinner items, because of a pre-determined choice to go for a drink, not dinner. However, getting them to order larger apps is more palatable to them over ordering off a dinner menu. In effect, they can spend 80 percent of what a dinner costs, but not think of it as buying dinner.”

Better at the Bar
    Variety in serving sizes is one tool for breaking that resistance to spending, as is variety of items in general.
    “Bar food is making a comeback,” says Phil Costner, vice president of research and development with Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. “I think you’ll see more and more bar-specific menus emerging on to the scene. You’ve already seen other casual dining chains make a play on TV with such a menu. Bar food will be used as another mechanism to give the bar a specific personality, aside from that of the dining room.
    “’Mini’ type foods will play a large role in the bar,” Costner says. “Sliders, taquitos, tacos, personal pizzas, etc., will play a major role in the bar menu. Flavors will be big — spicier spice, hotter hot, saltier, tangier, etc. — as an enticement to sell more beverage and a brand statement.
    “Success will come through three avenues: great products executed well and that taste great, easy price points and fast food.”              NCB