Appetizers are a great way to increase check averages as well as beverage sales.

• Make easy changes. Use appetizers to diversify your menu with easily managed food costs.
• Seasonal changes to start. Add seasonal flavors and global influences via new appetizers.
• Upsell the table. Increase profit per check by upselling guests on appetizers.
• Try a little of this or that. Appetizers let you experiment and increase direct customer contact.
• Get inspired! They can also help develop and inspire new entrées based on appetizer favorites.

Trends in appetizers for Bar & Grill operations:

• Buffalo Cauliflower: 442% growth in B&G over the past 4 years.
• Cauliflower Wings: 195% growth in B&G over the past 4 years.
• Falafel: 58% growth in B&G over the past 4 years.
• Loaded Tots: 42% growth in B&G over the past 4 years.
• Cheese Curds: 33% growth in B&G over the past 4 years.
• Pretzels: 22% growth in B&G over the past 4 years.

Chicken wings are found at nearly all Bar and Grills, but you have to stand out from the crowd.

Here’s just some of the growth in the wing category:

• Korean BBQ wings: Up 185.7% over the past 4 years.
• Lemon pepper wings: Up 165.1% over the past 4 years.
• Mango sauces on wings: Up 162.3% over the past 4 years.
• Dry rub wings: Up 135.9% over the past 4 years.
• Smoky wings: Up 133.9% over the past 4 years.

• All flats or all drums. Picky wing lovers should get only the wing type they want (with an upcharge)
• Prep alternatives save you stress. Don’t add labor; make it easy with alternative prep styles like smoked, baked, grilled or roasted wings that won’t crowd the fryer during your peak ticket times
• No bones, no problem. Boneless wings are hot! Serve up these trendy menu alternatives for diners of all ages
• Sauce them up. Upgrade wing sauces with global flavors like Korean BBQ – a growing wing trend up 186% on menus over the past four years!*
• Consider the wing type:
•      Bone-in: includes 1st- and 2nd-joint flats and drumettes. They’re a quick and easy appetizer that often increases bar tabs.
•     Boneless: breaded, whole muscle cuts of boneless breast meat used for a wide variety of applications. They’re a trendy menu alternative to often higher-priced traditional bone-in chicken wings.
• Consider the cook profile:
•     Fully cooked: these items can be fried or baked in an oven and offer labor savings. This option is best for customers when speed is important when it comes to cook times.
•     Par-fried: these items have been partially fried to set the breading. They need to be cooked to 165º F.
•     Raw: these items have longer cook times and need to be fried. They also tend to be lower in price than fully-cooked items.
• Consider the finish:
•     Breaded: these products are pre-breaded and individually frozen for easy prep and labor savings.
•     Glazed: offers a range of flavor profiles. Can be cooked from frozen for labor savings.

While burgers top this category, sandwiches are second only to salads on the list of most common appetizers and entrées, making them a great way to introduce trending flavors in an approachable format.

• Customize the classics. Upcharge for an upgrade to Wagyu or for add-ons like fontina cheese or hot honey butter.
• Make more mouths water. Gluten-free buns, plant-based proteins or low-carb lettuce wraps can extend this category to more customers.
• Travel internationally. Appeal to Gen Z diners with street food favorites from banh mi to bao and tortas to tacos.
• Don’t shortchange your bestsellers. We found that 64% of operators had burgers as their best-selling category.
• Traits to evaluate beef patties:
•     Waffling or Scoring: Dimpled patty that allows heat to penetrate the patty faster, decreasing the cook time.
•     Patty Size: Patties in our Exclusive Brands can range from 2- (sliders) to 8-oz. in size.
•     Patty Thickness: The thickness of a patty directly correlates to the length of cook time.
•     Patty Shape: Patty shapes include round, oval or home-style, with round being the most common option.
• Traits to evaluate ground beef:
•     Lean Level: The lean-to-fat ratio is a good identifier to determine which product works best for specific applications.
•     Lean-to-Fat Ratio: 73/27 to 80/20
•         Higher levels of juiciness, bind and flavor
•         Ideal application: burgers
•     Lean-to-Fat Ratio: 85/15 to 90/10
•         Lower fat content and less-beefy flavor
•         Ideal application: sauces, chilis, pastas, meat loaf and meatballs

Grind Size: Ground beef is made by controlling the plate size used in a meat grinder, ranging from fine to coarse.

• Fine Grind:
•     Popular choice
•     Works great for most applications
• Medium Grind:
•     Meatier texture and less firm bite
•     Ideal application: burgers
• Coarse Grind:
•     Heartier and chunky texture
•     Ideal application: chilis and sauces

No matter how you say it, potato products are a must-have for a Bar & Grill, but they don’t have to be forgettable.

• Stand out with a little help. Our Food Fanatics^® Chefs can help you pick the ideal waffle fry that holds up to your nacho toppings or select the tot that has diners of all ages talking.
• Soggy is sad. Avoid those less-than-favorable reviews by carefully selecting the vessel you serve in – from a mini fryer basket to a compostable, vented carryout container.
• Top them off! Loaded fries have grown 46.8% on menus over the past 4 years.
• Traits to evaluate your french fry quality:
•     XLF – Extra Long Fancy: Grade A, Great Consistency, Long Length.
•     LF – Long Fancy: Grade A, Good Consistency, Good Length.
•     F-Line Flow Fancy: Grade A, Low Consistency, Lengths Vary.
•     B-Grade: Widest range of product quality, Low.
• Make fries more than just sides. Cross-utilize potatoes on apps like trendy poutines or loaded for breakfast as a brunch main.
• Getting salty isn’t enough. Make your mark with signature seasoning blends, or design a flavorful variety of “taste adventures.”
• Tap into a trend. Reshape your menu to lean into growth like the waffle fry’s 21.7% jump over the last four years.

Our study respondents noted that entrées make up almost half of their food and beverage sales.

• Now and forever. US Foods® has Limited Time Offer (LTO) choices, as well as items you can add to your permanent menu.
• Looks good, doesn’t it? Increase perceived customer value with sustainable ingredients, and offer labor-saving options that make your kitchen staff happy too.
• Make entrées more profitable. 47.28% of sales come from entrées for Bar & Grill operators, but only 35.51% of profits come from that category.
• Keep classics coming. Make sure you’ve got both the classic favorites and what it takes to be innovative and interesting.
• Go global. Don’t be afraid of trying a new international dish or mashing up an old favorite with global flavors.
• Think big veggies. Main choices can go beyond meats. Try big flavor vegetables as a new option to wow your diners.

Salads feature on more than 90% of U.S. Bar & Grill menus.** Make sure yours aren’t just an afterthought.

• Greens are growing. Nearly half of diners (46%) have increased their salad consumption in just the last year.
• Spread the savings. Repurpose ground beef and fry up tortillas for an easy Mexican-inspired salad. Plus, upsell costly ingredients as premium protein add-ons!
• Upsell salad additions. Salads are highly versatile and allow for a variety of upsell opportunities – from a higher-scale vegetable assortment to protein toppers.
• More diners are eating their greens. Nearly half of diners (46%) have increased their salad consumption in just the last year.
• Add upsells on the protein. Premiums like steak, tuna and shrimp are salad additions diners are willing to pay extra for.
• Dress for the best. Make a standout salad menu with unique dressings that will become repeat customer favorites.
• Get ahead of the bowl curve. Trending bowls feature seasonal veggies, interesting visual appeal and can satisfy hungry patrons even as a dinner option.

Bar & Grill operators told us 9.38% of their sales come from their sides, but 11.18% of their profits** come from this category.

• Rise above the basics. Modern Bar & Grill menus treat sides as thoughtfully as mains–and see profits as a result.
• Elevate expectations. Unique side dishes can elevate your customers’ value perception of the entire dish, benefiting your profit margin.
• Let them choose. Let diners select their side (or maybe two) instead of attaching one choice to an entrée.
• Think beyond the fryer. Bar & Grills don’t have to deep-fry their veggies. Try modern, well-being pleasers like quinoa and wheatberries.
• Side sampler, anyone? Inspired by charcuterie boards, platters of multiple sides can feed a table or serve as a stand-alone meal.

In our Bar & Grill operator study, we found that 66% of Bar & Grill operators are focused on selling as many desserts as possible, and more than half of those operators said that desserts are real profit-drivers.*

• Have a little treat. Mini-desserts and individual portions are now preferred over the jumbo desserts diners used to crave.
• Don’t forget the cake! We heard loud and clear that cake is great (more than 44% of menus featured it), and you can make it personal with our single-serve cakes.
• Try sweets to take home. Satisfy diners without holding up a table (while still increasing profits) with to-go dessert options.
• Save time with sweets. Add prepared desserts – pre-sliced or individually wrapped – that you simply thaw and serve to grow profits, not increase labor time

Bar & Grill operators reported 20.97% of sales, but 28.67% of profits come from drinks.

• Make it picture-perfect. When you think beyond a simple drink, you can make your sips something diners will order for the flavor and to share on social media.
• Mocktails are winners! Kombucha, once considered a brief trend, had more than 100% growth over the past year.
• Glasses to match, of course. US Foods has what you need to make cocktails or mocktails and the glassware to mark any occasion.
• Try ready-to-drink. Please customers with packaged cocktails – perfect for carryout or delivery.*** Try a mango margarita or bloody mary in a customized, tamper-evident beverage pouch.