Consumer Trends
Freshen Up Summer Sides
Globally inspired ingredients are showing up across the menu, from appetizers to cocktails to side dishes. Updating sides with new flavors and textures is a simple but profitable way to capitalize on this growing trend.
The user-friendly menu
The menu at Wave, in the W Chicago Hotel, has been a work in progress. Arriving early to the “sharing plates” party, Wave’s basic concept hasn’t changed, but the way it’s presented to customers via the menu has undergone a series of subtle shifts.
A lot of places don’t bother with hot drinks because they can be difficult to execute, but it’s something we embrace,” says Bob McCoy, beverage programs liaison at Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks in Boston. “Not only do we offer five or six hot specialty drinks seasonally, but we are ready to prepare anything a guest might call for.”