Meet the Experts...

Making more profit from serving bar food

The Bridge at Napton, Warwickshire, is operated by the Gilbert family with father and son, Hugo and Quintin, running the kitchen between them. It is a quaint destination pub that sits alongside the Oxford Canal, catering for all types of customer.

The Bridge has faced several challenges recently, including poor summer weather, the smoking ban and cheaper supermarket alcohol. Hugo and his team recognised the opportunity to tempt those customers who would normally just pop in for a drink, to order a bite to eat through the Bar Favourites menu from Moy Park Foodservice.

The Bar Favourites menu included "Light Bites" such as Garlic Mushrooms served with a choice of dips, "Bigger Bites" like Baby Camembert on a bed of fresh salad with onion marmalade, and "Sharing Platters" including the Chicken Supreme Sharer, with Breaded Chicken Drumsticks, Wings of Fire, Breaded Chicken Dippers and Natural Onion Rings, served with a dip selection and salad garnish.

Hugo commented, "Many items were light enough to eat between meals and some customers would order a "Light Bite" when they called in at lunchtime to book a table for later on that evening." Hugo added that there was definite appeal to the Bar Favourites menu, and that the concept of offering a light menu alongside a regular menu is great; "although we would think carefully about the number of items we eventually have on the menu as storage space is limited for us."

Hugo added some tips for those wanting to serve a bar menu "Keep the menu concise as customers may feel overwhelmed with too much choice and storage has to be a consideration. Make it unique as customers like to see something different, and make sure it is easy to prepare, as you don’t want to be getting behind on main meals because the lighter menu is too time consuming."