September 2020 - Genuine Broaster Chicken

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!

Although it rarely pays to mess with a classic, innovation is key for restaurants looking to attract new customers and drive vital revenue growth. But…this is a real challenge.

After all, you have to keep your regulars happy (who love your eatery the way it is), but you also have to try new things to – quite literally – feed your new patron pipeline.

Luckily, it’s never been easier to offer a timeless, yet highly versatile menu platform with a Genuine Broaster Chicken food program.

Here’s how to customize your menu to satisfy your hungry customers!

Start with the Basics: Chicken…Perfected

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 Genuine Broaster Chicken.

Chef Ken has been in food service since he was a teenager and managed his own restaurant before joining the Broaster team.

No one keeps more current with food service trends than he does, so when asked about why our food programs are so successful in a variety of culinary environments, he had this to say:

“Well, Broasted Chicken is fresh, never frozen. Our signature marinades, cooking process, pressure frying equipment, and resulting products (always crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside) fuel great customer experiences and in turn…repeat business.

Although you need to follow our trademarked guidelines in order to truly serve and advertise “Broasted Chicken,” this is still the perfect starting point for customizing your menu items.

From traditional bone-in chicken to hand-breaded tenders to chicken sandwiches or even wings…you’re starting with a proven quality recipe that consumers know and love, so then…you just have to add your own flair to the equation.”

Well said…Chef Ken…well said. We truly believe that when it comes to customizing menu items that feature Genuine Broaster Chicken, the only limit is your own imagination.

3 Easy Ways to Customize Your Broasted Chicken Menu Items

Okay…so, you want to serve Broasted chicken in several forms. That’s good, we encourage that, but the next step is to customize your menu items to match the unique culinary style and aesthetic of your restaurant.

Luckily, we know three super, simple ways to get your creative juices flowing:

1) Signature Sauces

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.

For wings, try introducing your own signature buffalo, ranch, bbq, or extreme hot sauce?

For boneless tenders, maybe concoct some sort of honey mustard or honey sriracha, chipotle mayo…even signature gravy (shoutout to our Canadian neighbors to the North).

The possibilities are endless, so have some fun with the process! We know you’ll come up with some amazing sauce combinations.

BONUS TIP – Show a little behind-the-scenes on your social media accounts to start building intrigue for new sauces, or use some of your best customers as a mini-focus group to get some feedback.

2) Signature Sides

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.

For example, why not find ways to enhance a traditional Broasted chicken dinner in a family restaurant setting with hand-rolled biscuits, gourmet mac & cheese, or even your secret family coleslaw recipe to give your customers plenty of homestyle options?

Or, let’s say you wanted to serve a signature chicken sandwich (incredibly popular right now) featuring a hand-breaded, marinated, Broaster pressure fried fillet.

You could create a signature combination of homemade bun with locally-sourced cheese and toppings, or whip up some house cut/seasoned potato chips with a signature pickle?

BONUS TIP – Chef Ken recommends pairing a traditional chicken dinner with Broaster potato wedges, as they can actually be pressure fried in the same basket as bone-in Broasted chicken for efficient cooking and added flavor.

3) Think Outside the Box

Chicken for breakfast? Hand-pulling meat off the bone for soups or salads? Rotating menu items? With ever-evolving taste buds and preferences, consumers are constantly looking for their next great meal experience.

Satisfy your hungry customers by trying things you’ve never done before. Those who continue to develop new, custom dishes and always have something exciting to offer will remain relevant in the minds of their customers.

One of the greatest advantages to becoming a Genuine Broaster Chicken operator is that you don’t only get a single menu item…but an entire menu platform with the added ability to update seasonally and utilize in a variety of unique ways.

BONUS TIP – Don’t feel like you need to abandon all your tried-and-true menu items and start over. That will only upset your most loyal patrons. Instead, identify your most popular and profitable items to see if there is a way to create an additional menu item with a fresh appeal (i.e. offering spicy options in addition to regular or adding a seasonal twist).

It’s Time to Get Creative…with Genuine Broaster Chicken!

So… are you feeling inspired and ready to start experimenting? If you’re already an operator, we can’t wait to learn how you’re customizing Broasted chicken menu items to meet the needs of your distinct customers.

However, if you’re new to Broaster and would like to learn more, feel free to get more details on our top-notch, trademark food programs.

Although there are plenty of advantages to becoming a Broaster operator (I mean, we don’t even have franchise fees, so you can keep your own profits), we’ll give Chef Ken the final word…

“Genuine Broaster Chicken has been a well-established comfort food (especially in the Midwest) for generations. But, even if you’re from a different part of the country where Broasted chicken isn’t well-known, offering “Broasted” vs. “fried” chicken just becomes a great way to differentiate your restaurant from the next.

It gives you something different to talk about and add to the uniqueness of your restaurant experience, which is really valuable.

I mean, I managed a restaurant that served Genuine Broaster Chicken for years…and eventually left to join the company. That’s how much I believe in it.” – Chef Ken Folisi, Broaster Field Ops. Development Leader

Month: September 2020

How to Serve Restaurant Quality Chicken at a Grocery Deli