alads, appetizers, and soups are recognized by savvy operators as valuable opportunities for incremental purchases that enhance sales and profitability. Technomic describes these categories as the “left side of the menu.” This is also the same area where new flavors, ingredients, and preparation methods are introduced because they represent a relatively easy way to test new ideas without significant impact on the core menu.

We recently finished several studies on appetizers and salads, looking at attitudes and behavior for both consumers and operators. Here are some of the key findings.

Appetizers
Traditional favorites remain the driving force in appetizers, but consumers also note they want to try new items that are unfamiliar and intriguing. A sound response is to update popular items with new twists. Cheese sticks are a classic example of an item that can be tweaked to deliver excitement and familiarity at the same time.

While healthy options are on the rise, fried, breaded, and battered appetizers are still the most popular options. However, even these types of starters are evolving to include some better-for-you ingredients. Options have expanded beyond breaded proteins (chicken, cheese sticks, etc.) to include vegetables like crispy green beans.

Most appetizers are shared. Operators recognize this, and we’ve seen a definite increase in the menuing of combination platters and “party size” portions allowing for sampling of multiple items. These group-friendly sizing options are an integral tool for operators to increase check averages. For individual items like chicken strips and breaded vegetables, different portion options are also important to ensure appeal for both small and large dining parties.

Lunch is a growing opportunity, with appetizers increasingly popular as substitutions for main entrées during this time. Many operators vary the starter options at lunch, versus dinner, to appeal to different customer tastes within these dayparts.

Salads
As in many other categories, salads are benefiting from the consumer’s affinity for ethnic. Southwest, Asian, Mediterranean, and Greek salads are gaining presence, and consumer interest in these varieties is growing.

While chicken has been ubiquitous on salads for years, steak and other beef toppings are becoming more popular. Other innovative ingredient opportunities include nuts, fruit, and unique cheeses.

Salads topped with seafood are being emphasized by nearly every type of restaurant. With an upscale cache and healthy image, seafood is a clear fit for salads. Tuna obviously remains the most popular, but shrimp and salmon are making more appearances on menus, as are crab, lobster, and calamari.

Understanding the overarching trends that impact consumers’ likelihood to purchase these items is critical. Those who manage the foodservice operations among hotel and lodging properties will benefit by looking at their restaurant counterparts for best practices in driving incremental sales in these important categories.

David Henkes is a senior principal at Technomic, a Chicago-based consultancy focused on away from home eating and drinking. For more information on the studies referenced above or on other issues, please contact the writer at 312-506-3927 or at dhenkes@technomic.com