When it comes to building a profitable foodservice menu, sometimes the simplest items can make the biggest impact. Fried foods have long been customer favorites, but their appeal goes well beyond taste. For operators, they can also offer an attractive combination of low ingredient costs, strong menu pricing and broad customer appeal.
From classic French fries and chicken tenders to mozzarella sticks, wings and creative appetizers, fried foods can turn relatively inexpensive ingredients into craveable menu items customers are willing to pay for.
Here’s why fried food can be such a valuable addition to a foodservice program.
One of the biggest advantages of fried food is simple: many popular fried items start with relatively
Think about menu staples such as:
These items can often be purchased frozen and portioned consistently, helping operators better control food costs and reduce prep time.
Once cooked, they can command a menu price significantly higher than their ingredient cost, creating an opportunity for a healthy margin on every order.
Fried foods are also natural add-on purchases.
A customer may walk in planning to order a sandwich, burger or drink, but an order of fries, onion rings or mozzarella sticks can easily make its way onto the ticket.
That means fried food can help operators:
You don't necessarily need more customers to increase foodservice revenue. Sometimes you simply need to give the customers you already have more reasons to spend.
Profitability isn't just about what you charge. It's also about controlling what goes out the kitchen door.
Consistent portions can help operators better predict food costs and avoid unnecessary waste. Pre-portioned or easy-to-portion fried foods make that process especially simple.
If every serving uses approximately the same amount of product, operators can more accurately understand the cost, and potential profit of each menu item.
A little menu creativity can go a long way.
Take French fries. Instead of offering only a standard side, the same basic product can become:
The base ingredient stays relatively simple, but toppings, sauces and presentation can transform it into a higher-value menu item.
The same strategy can be applied to chicken tenders, wings, tater tots and other fried favorites.
Another advantage? Fried food isn't limited to lunch and dinner.
Operators can build fried items into multiple parts of the day.
Breakfast: Hash browns, chicken biscuits, and breakfast empanadas.
Lunch: Crispy chicken salad, sweet potato fries, and onion rings.
Snacks: Mozzarella sticks, fried pickles, cheese curds and other shareables.
Dinner: Wings, chicken sandwiches, loaded fries and specialty appetizers.
Dessert: Churros, funnel cake fries, beignets and other sweet treats.
One piece of cooking equipment can potentially support multiple menus and revenue opportunities throughout the day.
Introducing an unfamiliar menu concept can require marketing and customer education. Fried food usually doesn't have that problem.
Customers already recognize these foods. They know what French fries, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and wings are...and they often don't need much convincing to order them.
That familiarity can make fried food especially attractive for businesses that want to expand foodservice without developing a complicated menu from scratch.
The revenue potential of fried food isn't limited to traditional restaurant kitchens.
can all use fried food to create an additional revenue stream.
The challenge is that many of these businesses weren't designed with a traditional commercial kitchen in mind.
That's where the right equipment can make a difference.
Adding fried food doesn't necessarily mean adding a traditional fryer setup.
AutoFry® ventless automated fryers are designed to help businesses introduce profitable fried menu items without the need for a traditional ventilation hood.
With a fully enclosed cooking chamber and automated operation, AutoFry makes it easier to add
AutoFry can help operators:
Whether you're looking to build an entire foodservice program or simply add a few high-margin items to your existing menu, fried food can turn a small footprint into a powerful revenue opportunity.
Ready to see what fried food could add to your bottom line? Explore AutoFry and discover how easy it can be to start frying.