4 ways to make breakfast an all-day menu option

In the restaurant world, breakfast and brunch can be big business meals. But they don’t have to stop when the clock strikes noon—in fact, many restaurants are implementing all-day breakfast options to increase sales and traffic. But serving all-day breakfast doesn’t necessarily mean just serving pancakes and eggs well into the afternoon. Instead, there are a number of ways to offer all-day breakfast foods without it feeling stagnant or expected. Check out these four ways to build a great all-day breakfast menu.

Offering amped up versions of classic breakfast dishes—omelets, pancakes and eggs, etc.—is a great way to get more people excited about breakfast foods beyond the morning hours. While during the week, diners may be more focused on finding something that’s quick and easy to eat on-the-go, weekend breakfast orders are driven primarily by the desire to eat food that tastes good, according to Technomic’s 2017 Breakfast report. And when it comes to where they choose to eat, 60% of consumers say that a wide variety of breakfast items is important—operators should offer an array of classics, as well as trendy iterations of them. For instance, eggs benedict is a perennial breakfast favorite, but swapping the English muffin for griddled hash brown cakes can create a craveable alternative for someone who wants something a little different.

The number one reason for skipping breakfast, according to Technomic’s Breakfast report, is because consumers aren’t hungry. Behind that is that they wait too long to eat, and then it’s nearly lunchtime. Crafting an all-day breakfast menu for these diners is the perfect solution. But not everyone wants stuffed French toast for their breakfast, whether at 9 a.m. or at 3 p.m. For those diners, offering savory options such as chicken and waffles, breakfast pizza (with toppings such as hash browns, bacon and over-easy eggs), and breakfast sandwiches and burgers topped with hash browns and a fried egg are great all-day-breakfast options. These breakfast-inspired, filling meals are perfect for bridging the gap.

Keeping breakfast menus interesting month after month can be tricky, but luckily, diners’ tastes tend to shift a bit with the seasons—according to Technomic’s 2017 Flavor report, 32% say their preferences tend to change depending on the season. This opens up opportunity for operators to add new ingredients and flavors to popular dishes. For instance, in the fall, breakfast bowls can include ingredients like roasted turkey, pumpkin, cranberry or maple, and in springtime, fresh veggies such as snap peas and asparagus can be great omelet fillings or toppings for hash browns. Avocado toast has been trending for a while, but operators should keep an eye on up-and-coming food trends at breakfast, too.

Mimosas and Bloody marys are standard breakfast and brunch drinks, but another way restaurants can capitalize on all-day breakfast customers is by creating a specialty drink menu to correspond with all-day breakfast options. Later in the day, diners may want to indulge in “happy hour” along with their meal, and having breakfast-themed cocktails or specialty mimosas can be a great way to increase check averages.

By offering all-day breakfast foods and drinks, operators give diners the chance to come in later and still enjoy their brunch favorites—no need to hurry out of bed before noon to get their favorite breakfast item. And with that relaxation could come longer time spent at the restaurant—and bigger checks.