Springtime Menu Freshness - Part 1

Springtime brings holidays and events, and a seasonal selection of fresh fruits and veggies, all good reasons to add new items to your menus.

Sporty and Sharable
Chain Leader.com tells us that the Hooters chain is enticing sports fans with their food trends of sharable appetizer portions like fresh-cooked potato chips covered in bleu cheese, bacon, diced tomatoes and green onions.

In Houston, Joe’s Crab Shack has added a line of sharable Steampots in all of their over 120 locations. Each one has a combination of shrimp, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes; with individual dishes including either crawfish, lobsters, clams, Dungeness crab, and sweet snow crab or some combination of them.

Another example of Food Retailers using this idea is Schlotzsky's sandwich chain, based in Austin, Texas. Schlotyzsky's is promoting baseball-themed club sandwiches. In addition to enjoying any of the Big League Clubz selections (Ham 'n Turkey Club, Chick 'n Turkey Club and Beef 'n Bacon Club), customers can collect baseball cards for a chance to win prizes, and online, customers can sign up to win baseball prizes including a trip to the All-Star game.

Holiday Observances
Hooters has menu offerings for customers who are observing Lent, such as a Blackened Mahi Sandwich served on a ciabatta roll and bite-size grouper with corn-flake breading. And also in honor of the Lenten season, Steak-Out Char-Broiled Delivery is offering Char-Grilled Mesquite Scallops & Rice Pilaf.

Seasonal Offerings
Seattle's Best Coffee launched a seasonal latte--the Blackberry Creme Latte. For a hint of spring, hot or cold, enjoy espresso including drink ingredients with blackberry flavors and "a hint of floral notes," topped with steamed milk, a sprinkle of citrus-berry infused sugar and a touch of white chocolate sauce.

The Pacific Northwest has a few chains that are making seasonal offerings part of their regular food and beverage management, and making it work. Next time we’ll look at ideas to go on using the freshness of spring to make the move to seasonal, locally-grown items that will keep your menu fresh year-round.