Wikipedia defines a milkshake as follows. A milkshake is a sweet, cold beverage which is usually made from milk, ice cream, or iced milk, and flavourings or sweeteners such as butterscotch, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or fruit syrup. We all have our own favourite flavour and their popularity is growing.
The rise of casual dining continues unabated as shown in reports like the licensed trade’s Market Growth Monitor from AlixPartners and CGA Peach in Dec 2015. The rise of casual dining is also seeing milkshakes popularity grow as they are options on more and more casual dining restaurant menus.
One of the big names and fastest growing casual dining restaurant brands, Ed’s Easy Diner has milkshakes at the very forefront of the customer proposition. The recent opening of another Ed’s Easy Diner, this time at the South Mimms Welcome Break motorway service station emphasised that. ‘Customers were able to enjoy complimentary samples of the delicious food and drink on offer at Ed’s Easy Diner, including milkshakes, burgers and cheesecake.’ Note placement position of ‘milkshakes’. We suspect that milkshakes are also high on their profitability list.
So for owners of all sorts of hospitality and catering businesses the question has to be, does having colourful milkshakes on your menu offer a high profit addition that customers will appreciate?
Adding milkshakes is easy if you already have a blender, smoothie maker or any drink mixer. If you are really serious you could simply buy a new milkshake maker. Milkshake makers are easy to use, easy to clean, trendy and can generate profits easily.
For most hospitality and catering businesses the addition of milkshakes couldn’t be easier and will add an in trend option customers will adopt. Most of us like them and they for many bring back childhood memories to relish.
Colourful milkshakes are an ideal introduction that compliment not only menus but can be used very effectively on websites. Once again we will look at Ed’s Easy Diner as an example of this tactic deployed well. At the time of writing as soon as you land on their home page you are greeted with the message – “Making up the dreamiest American duo in town, Ed’s have teamed up with Reese’s to bring you the best Peanut Butter Shake this side of the Atlantic!”
Clever graphics then link to the full details and this warning – ‘WARNING folks, prepare to be completely and utterly addictED! Once you’ve tried this you’ll be knocking down our Diner doors for more’.
As with all good marketing it is done with message and graphic positioning that compliments the brand.
Most casual dining outlets that are not already offering milkshakes as an option for diners could adapt easily. If your outlet currently has burgers on the menu, and let’s face it most do, what better to compliment than some interesting milkshake flavours.
There are always the flavour favourites like chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and banana and in most instances they will serve well, but how adventurous could you be? Changing flavours regularly is also an option and easy with the right milkshake maker.
The range of flavour options is almost endless with the right milkshake maker. Simple changes like raspberry could be popular and with Google searching for options couldn’t be easier. The home of the milkshake is the USA of course so why not take a look across the pond on Google and see what’s popular there right now.
Menu development thrives on innovation so why not choose to innovate with a wide range of milkshakes made to order. Modern milkshake makers allow for this as does the availability of syrups and fresh fruit and endless other flavours.
Milkshakes are not the one and only solution to increasing profits and being innovative in your menu development but…they are with the right milkshake makers an easy and simple one to implement.