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1. Promote, Promote, Promote!
Get the word out on social media by reaching as many of your followers as possible. Use your Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to generate buzz amongst your most loyal customers by teasing what’s in store long before launching your new dishes.
If you have the budget for it, it doesn’t hurt to invest in high-quality professional photography of your latest items to make them appear as tempting as possible.
2. Publish a Press Release
Write a press release about your new food menu and get it published in various local newspapers and food magazines.
Make it count by starting with an attention-grabbing headline and including appetizing photos and positive feedback for your existing menu items.
3. Reach the Right People
Contact foodie bloggers and influencers with substantial social media following and journalists and food critics.
Entice them to come in and try your new items by offering free food and exclusive first tasters—which will hopefully result in reviews and added publicity for you.
This approach is also a great way to get valuable feedback from experts in the industry.
4. Front and Centre
Update your menus straight away. Make sure your newly introduced items are front and center on your menus—both in print and on your website.
There’s nothing more frustrating than being excited about trying a particular dish but not being able to locate it on the menu.
You can even make your new dishes part of the Specials for the day, week, or even month to encourage people to order.
5. Get your staff on board
Your staff is primarily responsible for selling what’s on the menu as they are the ones who interact directly with the customers.
Make sure they make well-informed and genuine recommendations to those who ask for them.
The more excited your staff is about what’s on offer, the more people will be encouraged to ditch their regular order to try something different.
6. Free Samples
No one turns down anything offered for free, right? Offering free samples, usually bite-sized or smaller portions of your dishes, ensures that your items will be tried at least once by existing customers.
Your staff can give them to those waiting to be served and ask for immediate feedback.