Why Aren't Your Barbecue Sandwiches Selling?
When you own a barbecue restaurant, you typically rely on sandwiches for a good portion of your profit margin. But what if yours are not selling? Maybe customers are almost exclusively ordering other things on your menu, or perhaps you're just short on customers in general. Here are some possible reasons those sandwiches are not flying off the shelves -- and some suggestions for addressing the problem.
1. They're priced too high in comparison to the dinners.
At a barbecue restaurant, a sandwich is typically the less-pricey option. Customers expect it to cost significantly less than a dinner meal consisting of meat and a few sides. If your sandwiches are too close in price to the dinner meals, your guests may be figuring that they may as well pay a dollar or two more for the larger meal. For instance, if your sandwiches are $12 and your meals are $15, many guest may just spring for the meal.
Consider whether you can make a simple change to lower the price of your sandwiches. Can you switch to a slightly less expensive roll or use an ounce less meat, making it possible to charge less? Or maybe you actually need to charge a few dollars more for your dinners.
2. They don't come with sides.
For some people, side dishes are the most appealing part of visiting a barbecue restaurant. So if you don't give the option of buying a sandwich with sides, those customers will just order something else. You don't have to sell all of your sandwiches with sides, but at least give customers the choice. For example, you could charge $9 for a sandwich or $12 for a sandwich and a side.
3. They don't look appealing.
A sandwich at a barbecue restaurant is meant to make your mouth water before you even bite into it. Your sandwiches could be the tastiest thing on the planet, but if they do not look the part, people are not going to order them. To improve the look of your sandwiches, make sure you are using hardy buns that stand up to the moisture of the meat. Place the meat neatly on the bun, and add enough sauce for a little to drip out. Wrap the sandwich halfway in aluminum foil to keep it tidy.
With the advice above in your back pocket, you should be able to increase your sandwich sales soon.
For more information, you will want to contact a company like Au Jus NYC.
