Has the menu at your steakhouse restaurant stayed the same for years? You can just tell that guests are itching to try something different, or maybe you believe a menu change will bring in more new customers. You may not have to overhaul your entire menu, though. There are a few simpler changes you can liven up the menu without making things too much harder for the kitchen or making long-term customers think you've had a total makeover. Consider these ideas.
Add some new sauces.
If you're confident the kitchen has the art of preparing steaks down, and you don't want to change the way the steaks are made, adding some new sauces to the menu can make meals more creative without the kitchen having to change their cooking process. You could go with the classic French sauces, like Mornay and Hollandaise, or you can make some more American sauces, like your own version of A1 steak sauce and a house-made ketchup. Give diners the option of including one sauce with their steak order, and charge an extra $2 or $3 per sauce if they want to try more than one.
Introduce a unique cut.
Sometimes all it takes is one unique cut of meat to bring past customers back to your steakhouse restaurant to try something new. If you're still just offering the old standbys, like ribeye and filet, then add a bavette, tri-tip, or coulotte steak to the menu. Customers who are more knowledgeable about steak will be thrilled to see these modern options. They may choose your restaurant over competitors simply because you give them the option of trying something different.
Add some vegetarian dishes.
Now, this may sound counter-intuitive at a steakhouse, where the entire premise is that you serve meat. But consider this: more and more people are becoming vegetarian these days. If these people go out to dine with their meat-eating friends, they'll pick a restaurant that has some vegetarian options on the menu. If your menu doesn't have any vegetarian options, you'll lose out every time.
You don't need a whole page of meatless meals, but if you can include even a portobello burger and a vegan pasta dish, you may find you attract more customers — vegetarian and meat-eating alike.
If it has been a few years since the menu at your steakhouse changed, it's time for some updates. Your loyal customers will appreciate the switch-up, and you may just find some new customers, too.
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