Why Customization Is King

Meal personalization that’s based on guest preferences and behavior is a powerful operational tool. As the fluidity of consumer lifestyles, dietary restrictions and expressions of personal tastes evolve, operators must embrace a more flexible approach to their menu offerings and structure.

Here we look at five approaches, each detailing how restaurants can tailor customization to enhance the diner experience and increase guest engagement and loyalty without disrupting operational efficiency or creating unnecessary complexity.

I. Gen Z Era of BYO Mood Customization

Operators are well-versed in executing standard build-your-own options in which guests select their preferred base, proteins, mix-ins, toppings and sauces. While traditional BYO formats successfully work for many operations and diners, a more agile approach needs to be considered in catering to Gen Z. When younger guests are basing their purchasing decisions on emotional rather than practical needs, an operational focus that takes psychology into consideration can deepen F&B connections and maintain relevancy with this savvy generation.

Implementing mood-based options provides a fresh way to curate menu experiences and make Gen Z diners feel valued. This style of customization eliminates menu decision fatigue because the offerings are based on how the guest feels in the moment.

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• BYO Mood Bowl (balance-stress reducer): herbed salmon + baby spinach + gingered tri-color roasted baby carrots + blanched almond slivers + citrus-honey dressing
• BYO MexiCali Hot Pot (shared global journey): roasted tomato chicken broth + thinly sliced beef and pork + shrimp + ramen noodles + fresh corn medallions + red bell pepper strips + napa cabbage + avocado crema + Cotija cheese-salsa macha + herbed chile crisp + toasted sesame seed ponzu + lime wedges

II. Downsized Flair

With a few exceptions (see: coffee buckets), the days of super-sizing are long gone; consumers are seeking out smaller, almost snack-like options for multiple reasons. Some crave variety and don’t wish to be restricted to a single dish; others need something they can eat quickly on the go. And some, thanks to the rise in GLP-1 usage, just want petite portions.

Appetizers and shared plates can satisfy this demand, but potential opportunities remain. By expanding tasting flights to the mains section, operators can solve the decision-making dilemma guests face when they can’t choose just one option. Curated, miniature entrée samplers not only provide a way to showcase multiple signature offerings, the tasting format also has an air of luxury about it. To satisfy customers who want a full-sized meal, just with more variety, offer a multi-component option, such as a trio of pastas. Better yet, accommodate all guests, including those with smaller appetites, by serving choose-your-own-size options. Those on GLP-1s or just not particularly hungry might choose one or two mini portions while others may go up to four or five.

An additional route would be to steal market share from popular C-store and grocery store snacking options. Restaurants could highlight all dayparts in customizable, on-the-go snacking meals, in which a variety of popular dishes are shrunk to bite sizes and served in a modular compartment container.

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• Italian Pasta Tasting Flight: jumbo-stuffed shell with Calabrian beef Bolognese + spaghetti in Parmesan truffle cream + four-cheese ravioli + pistachio pesto
• Morning Power Up 6-Snacker: two chorizo-egg-cheese taquitos + two batter-fried potato wedges + two strips of smoked bacon

III. Personalized Family Meals

Operators can deliver personalized convenience to busy families via customizable takeout meals. From homestyle to gourmet and everything in between, these build-your-own options would include trend-forward mains plus complementary sides, spice/heat levels and sauces with allergen-friendly and/or special diet options. Beyond staple offerings, restaurants have the option to showcase fun, themed pairings, such as breakfast for dinner, soup-salad-sandwich night, veggie-centric meals or even an appetizers-only celebration package.

Operators can also leverage personalized family meals as a “pre-drop” of new menu launches, yielding both sales insights as well as valuable feedback from core guests. It’s a clever way to bring patrons into the fold of exclusivity through a first taste of new items in an off-site setting.

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• Father’s Day Indoor Texas Cookout: smoked brisket + jalapeño-cheddar sausage + grilled vegetable skewers + potato salad + Texas ranchero pinto beans + watermelon slices
• Summer Menu Sneak Peek: beef-and-barbecue carnitas burger + tres leches frozen custard-swirled frosted lemonade

IV. Mix-and-Match Wellness

The new “rules” of eating are largely driven by individual needs, with many diners crafting their own pared-down combinations. Often these choose-your-own-adventure meals merge indulgence and wellness through dissimilar, yet still complementary, pairings, like fried calamari with marinara and an Italian chopped salad. Within this space, operators can help guests find the best of both worlds.

One way to start would be to make a special note of items that, when ordered together, create a delicious meal with a bit of a health halo. This tactic doesn’t require a menu overhaul, but rather allows diners to mix and match their personalized creations from existing items. Restaurants who want to take the mix-and-match philosophy a step further could incorporate personalization into late-night menus, bar menus or happy hour pairings. On these fronts, social media offers an engaging source of inspiration and an entry point into the customization conversation.

An especially timely strategy would be to feature personalized protein options, whether served chopped or sliced, with nothing else. The simple offering would comprise a small container full of the protein of choice and could be menued as a snack, an add-on or as a meal itself. In the age of protein-maxxing, these simple yet tasty whole foods go a long way with appreciative consumers.

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• Pick Your Odd Couple (pairing): fried feta + smashed chile crunch cucumbers
• Tropical Retro Happier Hour: Hpnotiq shooters + grilled jerk shrimp + peanut chicken satay skewers + crab rangoon

V. Cuisines Ripe for Customization

Operations are well-versed in seasonal LTOs with flavors and ingredients tailored to specific times of year or locales. Playing off this, a contemporary storytelling strategy would be to feature hyper-regionalized flavors of a global cuisine over the course of a year. Such a series would comprise thoughtfully integrated LTOs, enticing guests to repeatedly return to try what’s new.

While Italian, Mexican and Chinese cuisines have led the customization charge, others are also well-situated personalization but for whatever reason haven’t been viewed that way in the past. Indian and Thai cuisines are poised to spark curiosity and attract patrons through their vibrancy. As an example, operators could create “A Year’s Taste of Thai” (see below). Bi-monthly LTOs would showcase American-Thai fusions, exclusive flavors or a regional Thai dish that honors cultural origins and culinary creativity. These LTOs would touch all aspects of the menu ranging from savory items to desserts to beverages.

The goal is to create urgency and enchant guests so they become personally invested in an ongoing flavor discovery. The most popular (and high-margin) offers could eventually become permanent menu additions.

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A Year’s Taste of Thai

• January: Hot-and-Sour Shrimp Soup
• March: Green Papaya Crunch Salad
• May: Spicy Red Curry Crispy Chicken Sandwich
• July: Shaken Thai Tea Chilled Latte
• September: Sesame-Coconut Batter Fried Banana with Mango Ice Cream
• November: Crying Tiger Beef and Jasmine Rice Cakes

Journey Through India

• January: Garam Masala Triple Chocolate Cake
• March: Tandoori Chicken Mac ’n Cheese
• May: Dosa with Coconut Chutney and Sambar
• July: Pink Strawberry Rose Lassi
• September: Naan with Braised Lamb, Grilled Paneer and Tamarind Chutney
• November: Breakfast-Style Chicken Thigh and Egg Biryani