We've updated this post just in time for Valentines Day. A prix fixe menu is a great option to keep everything flowing smoothly in your restaurant on the busy romantic holiday.
Do you find that your restaurant needs a little more, je ne sais quoi? Perhaps all you need is a little insurgence of creativity. A perfect opportunity to try something new and attract new customers is to have a prix fixe menu special. Most restaurants are accustomed to the idea of a fixed menu for special occasions such as Valentines day or Christmas, and in addition to those holidays, why not try adding the idea as a monthly tradition? Periodically offering customers a new dining experience can bring in the kind of repeat business that will keep you thriving, without having to put out a coupon or lower your prices. Read on for more tips on details to cover when organizing your prix fixe event.
When deciding on what to serve for your prix fixe evening, think about your restaurant's customers, your chef's expertise, and your local environment. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to just include plates from your regular menu without adding anything new. Your repeat customers will notice, and it can lessen the impact of your event. Take the time to prepare a completely new menu, from salads to entrées, that will impress your patrons. This is an opportunity for you to step outside of your restaurants routine, and test diverse new dishes without having to change your entire regular menu. Be sure to select ingredients and dishes that are outside the norm for your establishment, but not so exotic that your regular customer base will be excluded. Make selections that will help keep the kitchen flowing smoothly on the busy night, but that will also be enticing and engaging for customers that live in your area and can continue to return; you want your evening to be distinctive and dynamic, without alienating customers who just want to sit down and have a good meal.
There are endless options for how you can theme your evening and your food. Take some time to think about your chef's strong suits, and utilize that prowess. If your cook happens to prepare great Argentinian cuisine, for example, try a South American themed menu. You could decide to go with a specific region, a time period, or even a group of ingredients. Spend some time researching the food trends in your local area, and see what is becoming popular this season. Try to avoid being overly complicated with your dishes, and stick to just a few options for each section on your menu. Part of the beauty of having a prix fixe menu is to focus on select items, making it easier for your kitchen to prepare a volume of dishes quickly on your busy night. Think about what is available at the given time of year at your local farmers market or produce stands, and consider including the local vendors business names in your advertisements. Chances are if they are known for fresh, local and high quality goods, it will add even more buzz surrounding your event, and drive community interest. Make sure you have some special wines (also good idea to go local) on hand that will pair well with your dishes, or have your bartender whip up some speciality cocktails (American's do love their drinks, after all). Also very important are the desserts. Come up with some creative, chocolate based ideas, such as flourless cake, and add some variety to your after-dinner menu with chocolate covered fruits or small tarts that couples can share. Whichever choices you make, prepare well ahead of time so that you have an opportunity to test your ideas and perfect them. Get out there and publicize your special evening! Make flyers, take out a newspaper advertisement, and get on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets to engage with your current customers so that they will share your information with their friends and drive attendance. Make your advertising campaign interactive by offering your followers a special opportunity to win a prize, such as half off of their bill, or a free dessert after their meal. You could also create a Facebook event for your prix fixe night, where you can allow people to "RSVP", and then chose a random attendee’s name as a raffle winner. It is no secret that customers love discounts; providing incentive motivates people to get involved and can dramatically increase potential interest. Get the word out through as many channels as you can manage without being overwhelmed. The most important thing to remember is to ensure the food is fantastic. If you are going through the trouble of coming up with fresh new dishes, creating an entire menu just for this particular evening, and spending all the time advertising the event, you do not want to be let down by a mediocre response to your food. Make sure that a chef or highly trained kitchen manager is approving every dish as it leaves the kitchen; it would be better to re-prepare a customer's plate and have the dish arrive a few minutes later than expected than it would be to serve underwhelming food. You will be showing your patrons how your restaurant works at its best, and an unpleasant eating experience will give them no reason to return and try your normal menu. Your staff can make up for slowdowns by providing great service; but even fantastic service will not save you from mistakes in the kitchen. So give it a try and see how it goes. If successful, you can make it a monthly tradition that your customers can look forward to. Once consumers see the pride and effort your establishment puts into an event such as this, you will stay in the front of their mind in their search for a great dining experience. If a prix fixe dinner sounds like too large of an endeavor for the first round, test the waters by offering a more simple prix fixe lunch. For more tips on how to market your restaurant on a tight budget, see our post about Simple Social Media Tools for your Restaurant. Image Credit (Flickr)