The prix fixe meal — also known as prato comercial, prato feito, or simply “PF” — is one of the most popular options in Brazilian restaurants. It's a quick, practical meal, which is why it's the favorite of anyone in a rush who needs to eat away from home.
So creating a prix fixe menu for your restaurant is a great opportunity to attract this type of customer and increase your sales. Especially if your business is in a busy area with lots of companies nearby.
To learn how to build a prix fixe meal and see some tips to sell more, keep reading this article!
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What is a prix fixe meal?
The prix fixe meal is a complete meal served directly on the plate. Geralmente é composta de uma proteína, acompanhamentos e saladas. Um PF clássico brasileiro é: arroz, feijão, bife, batata frita e salada.
Unlike à la carte and the self-service buffet, where the customer is free to put the meal together however they like, in the prix fixe meal the combination is fixed. The idea is to be a quick, practical, and cheaper option. Por isso é tão popular.
And anyone who thinks this means low quality is mistaken. There are options ranging from the simplest to the most sophisticated, at different price points. It all depends on what the establishment is going for.
It's also common for restaurants to serve this type of meal throughout the day, not just during lunch or dinner hours. That way, they serve people who can only eat at off-peak times.
There are several ways to offer the prix fixe meal at your restaurant:
- Just one prix fixe option;
- PF of the day, rotating the options throughout the week;
- Several protein options, with standard sides;
- A prix fixe menu with several different dishes.
Benefits of the prix fixe menu for your restaurant
If you're wondering whether it's worth adding prix fixe meals to your menu, know that there are plenty of benefits.
As we saw above, the PF is in high demand, so offering this option will certainly attract more customers to your restaurant.
Besides that, the prix fixe meal is easier and faster to serve. So the time customers stay goes down and you can serve a larger volume of people. High turnover leads to higher faturamento for the day.
Serving a PF can also be a good strategy to start opening at other times. Por exemplo: se você só abre para a janta, pode testar o horário de almoço servindo apenas o PF, já que a operação é um pouco mais simples.
Another advantage is that, if you plan well and price correctly, prix fixe meals can reach a good Profit margin.
Leia também: Restaurant pricing: 5 mistakes you need to avoid
Finally, since they're fixed combinations of the same ingredients, it's simpler to plan purchases and control inventory. Isso evita perdas e torna seu negócio mais eficiente.
So, shall we see how to build a successful prix fixe meal? Check out our tips below.
How to build the best prix fixe meals?
The prix fixe meal should be a complete, balanced, and practical meal. Even if you work with a more sophisticated concept and invest in premium ingredients, remember to create popular, varied combinations to suit different preferences.
As we saw, the PF is usually made up of:
- Proteins: Have different options, such as beef, chicken, fish vegetarian.
- Side: Sides are usually carbs and legumes. Rice, pasta, potatoes, beans, lentils, and chickpeas are the most common.
- Vegetables and Salads: To make the dish more nutritious, it's worth including cooked or fresh vegetables and green salads.
That's the basics for creating combinations, but you can explore different preparations to build a more attractive, varied prix fixe menu. Taking into account, of course, your restaurant's concept and type of cuisine.
A good tip is to create combos of prix fixe meals with drinks and desserts. That lets you stand out from the competition and raise your average ticket.
Besides that, when planning your menu you need to know your audience's preferences and understand which dishes are most popular It's also extremely important to choose ingredients and recipes that deliver a good profit margin.
Learn more: 7 tips to create a profitable restaurant menu
9 best-selling prix fixe meals
Below you'll find some ideas for traditional prix fixe meals that tend to sell really well. Check them out!
1 – À la Minuta
Also known as bife à cavalo, the à la minuta traditionally consists of a beef steak, fried egg, rice, beans, french fries, and a simple lettuce and tomato salad.
However, some restaurants offer variations without the fried egg, with different types of meat (chicken or fish) and rustic potatoes or mashed potatoes, making the meal less caloric.
2 – Stroganoff
A dish of Russian origin that won over Brazilian palates, stroganoff is made with beef, chicken with a creamy sauce made from table cream. The side is usually white rice and shoestring potatoes.
To include a good vegetarian or vegan option, you can swap the meat for mushrooms, hearts of palm, or chickpeas. The sauce should be made with plant-based cream.
3 – Breaded steak
Another Brazilian favorite, the breaded steak is coated and fried until crispy. It can be made with beef, chicken breast, or fish. The sides are the classic rice, beans, and salad.
4 – Beef steak
A timeless classic, this is the most famous PF in Brazil: rice, beans, steak, french fries, and salad.
If you want to stand out, go for different cuts of meat and a variety of sauces on the side, like chimichurri, sautéed onion, or Madeira sauce.
5 – Chicken Fillet
This is a lighter, healthier choice. The chicken is usually grilled and served with the same sides as the Beef Steak.
If your restaurant follows a more health-focused approach, you can include brown rice and a more elaborate salad.
Another idea is to use different seasonings and sauces, with mustard and cheese, for example. That way you give the dish a gourmet touch.
6 – Steak parmigiana
This recipe is a bit more complex, but it's a big hit: breaded beef steak topped with tomato sauce and cheese, browned in the oven and served with rice and fries.
You can also include variations with chicken and eggplant and swap the sides for pasta.
7 – Fried fish
Breaded or in steaks, fried fish is also a prix fixe meal that sells a lot. Besides rice, beans, and french fries, some restaurants also offer pirão as a side.
Grilled fish alternatives, like salmon, with a quinoa salad can appeal to customers looking for lighter meals.
8 – Feijoada
Usually served on weekends, feijoada can also be a prix fixe meal. It's a complete dish with several cuts of pork and black beans, served with rice, collard greens, farofa, and orange.
It's also common to offer lighter options, with less meat, or even a vegetarian option made with vegetables.
9 – Lasagna
Lasagna is another prix fixe meal that strays a bit from the traditional and pleases a lot of palates.
You can explore different fillings: bolognese, shredded chicken, cheese, spinach with ricotta, and squash with dried beef.
It can also be made using vegetable sheets to create a gluten-free version and serve customers with dietary restrictions.
These variations on the dishes can help keep your restaurant's menu interesting, encouraging customers to try something new on each visit.
Besides that, adapting dishes to meet specific diets or food preferences can broaden your customer base, attracting everyone from those looking for healthier meals to those who want some comfort food.
How to increase prix fixe meal sales
Once you've built your prix fixe menu, it's time to sell. We've put together some quick (and effective) tips to help you increase sales:
- Invest in digital marketing, promoting your prix fixe meals on social media;
- Put up a banner or sign at the entrance to advertise the dishes;
- Offer a loyalty card, encouraging customers to come back;
- Keep quality and speed of service high, ensuring a good experience;
- Explore partnerships with local companies for lunch deals for their employees;
- Expand service to other formats, like delivery and takeout;
- Create promotions with special discounts on the “dish of the day”;
By implementing these strategies and keeping a constant focus on food and service quality, you'll not only increase prix fixe meal sales, but also build a base of loyal, satisfied customers.
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