When Datassential’s Jack Li spoke at our Innovations trade show, he had a couple questions for attendees about their most memorable meal.
First, he asked attendees to raise their hands if they remembered what they ate at this meal. Several hands went up. Then, he asked if they remembered who they ate with. Most of the room had their hands in the air.
His point: Food isn’t the only thing that makes a meal special. Meals often serve as communal experiences, and consumers increasingly crave immersive dining experiences and “eatertainment” with their friends and loved ones. Shareable appetizers, entrees, and desserts can help bring people together for meals they’ll never forget.
Supersized Sharing
Speaking of memorable meals, who doesn’t remember a get-together with a full turkey at the center of the table? Or a tiered cake that made guests “ooh” and “aah”? Large shareables have an undeniable presence, getting everyone’s mouths watering the moment they’re brought out.
A little extra pizzazz or creativity can make a large shareable the main attraction to a restaurant: a supersized skillet of flaming cheese dip, tear-and-share bread sprinkled with herbs and displayed on a beautiful platter, a huge BBQ spread highlighting multiple cuts. Create an extra large version of something traditionally small—like macarons or cheese sticks—for a special surprise.
Mini Moments
Bigger isn’t always better. An assortment of small bites gives the entire table something to snack on. Plus, the bite-sized portions are perfect for experimentation. Someone at the table might pass on a large entree with a bold ingredient, but what’s the risk of trying just one bite?
Try a mini empanadas sampler, with fillings ranging from sweet to savory. Mash up cuisines from around the globe with Mexican samosas, Thai curry empanadas, or Italian sausage egg rolls. For crust-lovers, mini pizzas have more crunch than a slice and can still carry a range of traditional and off-the-wall flavors.
Fried & Festive
Pubs and state fairs have the right idea: Over-the-top fried snacks and apps are hard to pass up. Nothing gets a group eating like onion rings, poutine, tater tots, fried pickles, funnel cakes—unless, of course, someone keeps it all to themselves.
The familiarity is certainly a draw to these items, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for adventure. Mole poutine, kimchi fries, hot honey funnel cake, and other unexpected combinations are delicious conversation starters.
Your Sourcing Solution
To echo chef Maneet Chauhan, who also joined us at Innovations 2024, food is “the world’s biggest connector.” Through shareable menu items, restaurants can connect diners to great food, diverse cuisines, surprising ingredients, and, of course, each other.
Dot Foods has ready-made products and ingredients for a wide range of shareable apps, entrees, and more.