Be honest – when was the last time you got a really great meal from a grocery store deli counter? In most cases, even if the food wasn’t downright bad, it was probably just…forgettable.
And forgettable doesn’t lead to repeat business. That’s a problem.
But don’t worry – there’s good news! If you manage a grocery store deli, all is not lost. You CAN serve restaurant quality chicken to drive customer satisfaction and keep people coming back for more.
Here’s how to do it in 3 simple steps:
Step 1 – Start Fresh (Literally!)
When your food sales are down, it’s easy to get caught up in the apparent problem…”sales are down.” But in order to flip the script and become profitable again, you have to identify the REAL problem…”quality.”
Many grocery store delis cook their chicken ahead of time, and then it just sits and sits and sits…sometimes for 3, 4, even 5 hours.
We don’t mean to be harsh or overly critical, but we will shoot straight with you on this because quality is so, so critical in the food service industry.
Quality food satisfies hungry customers, builds loyalty, fuels repeat transactions, and creates brand advocates who constantly produce new customers through word-of-mouth and social media.
The best way to ensure the quality of your chicken is to start with a fresh, local product, develop a consistent cooking process, and serve it up hot.
Further Reading – Top 5 Secrets to Truly Craveable Chicken
Step 2 – Jumpstart Demand with Signature Menu Items
With an emphasis on freshness in mind, it’s time to take an honest look at your menu items and product offerings. Most grocery store deli menus are tired and/or just trying to do too much with too little.
It’s time for an upgrade. Take a good look at your menu and product design and evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.
You will likely need to cut down the number of menu items you offer to really feature your best, most profitable options.
These are your signature menu items, and they’re the all-stars you want to build your menu around to create meaningful separation from your competitors.
Further Reading – How Signature Menu Items Drive Revenue During Quarantiine…and Beyond!
Step 3 – Refine Your Platform & Process
With fresh ingredients and a qualified menu, comes great responsibility. It’s now time to finely tune your cooking platform and serving process to ensure those hot and fresh signature items make it to your hungry customers the same way.
This likely means upgrading to higher-performing cooking equipment, smoothing out labor inefficiencies, investing in associate training, and updating signage and packaging.
As a Broaster operator, we can help you get both your back of house and front of house in order. When you take advantage of our trademarked food program, you gain the ability to pre-coat chicken in the morning and cook closer to order with fast, reliable premium pressure frying equipment.
Your customers win with tasty chicken that’s crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and you win by controlling labor costs and serving restaurant quality Broasted chicken to your customers while your competitors settle for the status quo.
Why Genuine Broaster Chicken?
There are many advantages to partnering with a reliable, trusted hot food program like Genuine Broaster Chicken – whether you’re an independent operator, regional chain, or large national grocery chain.
As a Broaster Operator, you get…
- Our branded badge of true restaurant quality
- Exclusive differentiator of offering “Broasted” vs. “fried” chicken
- The extended benefit of staying abreast with new products, new equipment, & consumer trends
- Brand support as we continue to build the Broaster brand within the marketplace
- No fees, royalties, or franchise contract
- On-site service & equipment training
Are you ready to take your grocery deli’s menu from “meh” to “Mmm”? Don’t be a chicken… request a quote, or schedule a food demo today!
When you want to try something new, it never hurts to consult an expert. That’s why we caught up with Broaster Field Operations Development Leader, Chef Ken Folisi to share his thoughts on customizing 
Nothing complements mouthwatering Genuine Broaster Chicken better than pairing our trusted recipe with a signature sauce of your own design. In the restaurant business, we see this most commonly with items like chicken wings or boneless tenders.
The best thing about serving a versatile, blue chip menu item is that you can simply build around it with creative, signature sides. And this can be done in so many different ways.
