Quick Reasons Why Prix Fixe Menus Rock
While they are nothing new, Prix Fixe Menus are a hot trend right now. At least in St. Louis, they are cropping up everywhere! In a downward economy people still want to eat out, but are looking to save cash. Prix Fixe Menus bring in business and help your customers out. Here are some quick reasons why:
The Menu is Limited
A limited menu helps you scale your costs. Each meal costs the same…each meal has a set margin. You can assure to make a specific margin off each meal, and that’s piece of mind.
Customers Want Limited Choices
When developing web-based software like UrbanBacon, it’s best to limit choices for users. Keeping things simple is why we built UrbanBacon. For example, I personally get lost when using Microsoft Office 2007. There are unlimited options, buttons, formulas, and formatting that is flat out confusing. Most of the time, simple is better.
The same goes for a menu. Unlimited choices confuse people. It’s overwhelming. Have you ever opened The Cheesecake Factory Menu? By limiting choices you take out the guesswork. This is what you get, for this price. That’s attractive to people because they don’t have to think. In today’s society, we prefer streamlined options that eliminate our thinking, whether it’s technology or menus.
Perfect a Few Items
When doing self-evaluations, most people focus on strengthening their weaknesses. To me, that’s completely backwards. Focus on your strengths and become a Rockstar, forget your weaknesses. What does Kat Vitale do REALLY well? Tattoos. How about The Cake Boss? Cakes. They are Rockstars in their skill sets and do it better than anyone else.
If you are bad-ass at grilling pork chops, than by all means put that on your limited menu. If your customers constantly rave about your Shrimp Diane, than guess what? It’s going on the limited menu. Focus on your most popular dishes, perfect them, and make a limited menu.
Offer Deals without Affecting Image
In the minds of customers, deep discounts are perceived as desperate.
“They must be hurting for business, they’re practically giving them away!”
Don’t get me wrong, customers will jump all over a chance to get something ½ off. It’s a no-brainer. From a branding and business standpoint, it’s a bad move. You deflate your product and value by offering deep discounts. Trust me, people are paying attention.
Prix Fixe Menus present a few awesome options at a reasonable price. 3 Courses for $25 doesn’t kill your brand. It says:
“We know you still love to eat out, and the economy is tough, so we are offering a few limited options at a reasonable price.”
At UrbanBacon we believe you should offer specials without devaluing your brand and product. Prix Fixe Menus are the perfect compliment to both!
Tags: create a menu, menu, prix fixe menu, Restaurant Marketing, restaurants