Contributed by Ann Martin
Everyone loves a night out on the town, especially if dinner is involved! Who doesn’t like a break from cooking yet another meal? Lately, on my adventures out, I have been noticing a trend popping up within many restaurants; many are now offering a prix fixe menu. A prix fixe menu is a collection of courses presented as the meal at a fixed price. Typically, a prix fixe menu consists of three or four courses: a soup or salad (sometimes an appetizer is offered in lieu of the soup or salad), a main entree and a dessert. Prices for a prix fixe menu vary from restaurant to restaurant, but a typical cost for a prix fixe meal is around the $40.00 mark.
I began seeing this trend of prix fixe menus when local restaurants participated in their area’s restaurant week. It made it quick and easy for diners to select their meal and in turn made it a bit simpler for the chefs in the kitchen as well. Usually after the conclusion of restaurant week, many restaurants ended their promotion and that wonderful idea of a prix fixe menu disappeared. However, especially within the last year or two these special menus that have been making a strong come back, but, why? Mainly because of the poor economy, more and more people are not traveling as often and are staying closer to home. Businesses are seeing this trend and are capitalizing on it. So, instead of having a prix fixe menu just during restaurant week, many restaurants now have been offering a seasonal version, which is just brilliant!
Restaurants are trying to lure customers into their eateries with these special menus. Some of the more expensive restaurants may be out of price range for some diners and this is their way to entice them to come and sample some of their best menu items at a fraction of the cost. Guests are able to enjoy the beautiful presentation of the meal on fine dinnerware, but at the same time stay within their budget. Diners seem to be taking to the idea and enjoy the fact of knowing that all the courses they receive for the meal are all included in one set price.
Having a prix fixe menu is an excellent way for restaurants to strut their stuff! Not only are guests able to experience fine dining, but also are able to experience what the restaurant is really about. From service to the ambience of the restaurant and everything in between – diners can get a true understanding of what the restaurant represents. This is what restaurants are hoping for, not only to bring business in, but also to keep customers coming back!
For all those restaurants out there, the demand is there for a prix fixe menu. Prepare a menu today, set out your restaurants Noritake Colorwave graphite or Noritake Colorwave blue tableware sets and be prepared for your costumers to keep frequenting your establishment.
