Healthy Restaurants: Trend and Tips
The food market is constantly changing, and one of the strongest trends in recent years is healthy restaurants.
That's because more and more people care about what they eat and look for options that deliver health and well-being. As a result, consumption habits are changing too — and you need to adapt to meet this demand.
In this article, understand this trend, discover some business opportunities, and check out tips to stand out from the competition.
The healthy restaurant trend
The healthy restaurant trend gained momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic. People are more aware of how important healthy eating is for health and well-being. This is changing consumption behavior.
A survey conducted by Ticket showed that 85% of consumers are looking for healthier meals.
When asked what they consider “healthy food”, participants mentioned:
- Fresh products (51%)
- Clear nutritional information on the label (33%)
- Foods that contain salad in their composition (30%)
- Vegan and vegetarian food (9%)
Also according to the survey, 39% of merchants said there was an increase in sales of this type of meal.
Everything suggests this demand should grow even more in the coming years, requiring menu adaptations and opening up investment opportunities in new businesses. Learn more about it below!
Healthy eating as a business opportunities
There are several ways to offer healthier meals at your restaurant. As we saw earlier, customers have different views on what healthy food is. So you need to create a menu that meets a range of needs.
In general, healthy restaurants offer a menu of nutritious dishes made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. They also avoid using processed oils, saturated fats, refined sugars, artificial additives, and ultra-processed foods.
In addition, some establishments also specialize in certain dietary preferences or restrictions. The most common ones are:
- Plant-based: or “plant-based”, these are foods with no ingredients of animal origin (meat, milk, cheese, eggs, etc.). They can serve customers who are vegetarian and sushi.
- Lactose-free: These exclude milk and its derivatives, for people who are lactose intolerant. Some alternatives are plant-based milks (almond, coconut, soy) and lactose-free cheeses.
- Gluten-free: Contains no gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, for example. Aimed at people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and those following certain restrictive diets.
- Fitness: Focused on nutrition for physical activity and well-being. The menu may include high-protein, low-calorie options, such as salads with grilled chicken.
- Functional: Foods with properties that benefit health beyond basic nutrition. Chia, quinoa, flaxseed, saffron, ginger, and turmeric are widely used in innovative recipes.
- Organic: The menu features ingredients grown and produced without pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Suppliers must be certified.
Bringing these options to the menu or even building a restaurant concept around them is a competitive advantage.
You can attract an audience with specific needs that values establishments committed to meeting them. In other words: you can win a loyal clientele and stand out in the market.
5 tips for succeeding with your healthy restaurant
Healthy restaurants are a great investment opportunity, but you need to deliver quality service, since this audience tends to be quite demanding. Check out some tips for success below!
1 – Choose good ingredients
The choice of ingredients should be careful, prioritizing fresh, quality food.
That's why it's important to find reliable suppliers in your region. Many people care about where ingredients come from and value establishments that choose local and organic producers, for example.
Besides offering the best to your customers, selecting quality ingredients also contributes to your restaurant's reputation, boosting its credibility.
2 – Create a varied menu
Bet on variety and distinctive recipes. That way you not only cater to different dietary preferences, but also bring innovation to your menu.
Forget the idea that a healthy meal is just salad and grilled chicken breast. Include distinctive, appetizing options to attract your audience and keep them coming back.
3 – Be transparent
Tell your customers about where the food comes from, how it's prepared and the nutritional benefits of each dish. Consumers know more and more about these aspects and expect the information to be available so they can decide what to order.
Also, write dish descriptions indicating, for example, whether it's a vegan or lactose-free option, etc. This makes choosing much easier for customers, conveys confidence and makes them trust your restaurant more.
4 – Allow customization
Offering the option to customize dishes can be a big differentiator for your restaurant. Letting the customer choose between regular, lactose-free or vegan cheese, for example, may seem like a simple thing, but it's highly valued.
Flexibility on the menu is essential to cater to every taste and keep customers satisfied. So think about how you can make substitutions work for everyone.
5 – Train your team
Finally, your team must be trained to ensure the quality of both the products and the service.
Treine sua equipe to prepare the dishes properly, ensuring the quality and consistency of the service. In addition, your service team needs to be able to clearly explain the characteristics and ingredients of every item on the menu, conveying confidence and professionalism.
Count on EPOC to manage your restaurant
By following these tips, your restaurant will be ready to offer great service and outstanding customer care, winning over customers who are looking for a healthy, quality meal.
To get even better results, it's essential to manage the business well, optimizing your operation for greater efficiency, cutting costs and designing effective sales strategies.
With EPOC, you get a complete platform — with POS, ERP, KDS, Analytics, self-service and much more — that helps take the complexity out of management. If you'd like to know how we can help, fale com nossos consultores!
