The Power of Sampling

It's hospitable, it's profitable, and it's a great way to connect with your guests.

Your dining experience must be fresh and exciting to keep guests happy and coming back. Sampling is an excellent opportunity to improve sales of high profit menu items and test new menu items. If you're lucky enough to have a waiting list for tables, sampling can make the time go by faster for your customers and more profitably for you. Offering samples not only offsets hunger, it's perceived as a gracious and generous "value-added" benefit by guests.

Sample to the Staff During your Pre-Shift Briefing

Introduce the item to be sampled during a pre-shift briefing, and allow everyone to have a taste. "Hooking" the servers is the first step in successful sampling. If it’s something new and different -- and if they like it -- they'll sell it.

Designate a Server

Choose one person from each shift to interact with the guests and offer the samples. You want an outgoing, friendly person--preferably a waiter or waitress, or a skilled busser or food runner--who loves people, has a ready smile and a generous nature, and likes to have fun.

Presentation Counts

Purchase a series of attractive serving platters that complement your food and decor. For example, rustic, southwestern-style platters with cactus and chili pepper designs are perfect for sampling Mexican or Southwest cuisine.

Assemble Point of Purchase Materials

Buttons, recipe cards, mini table tents, server scripts, color postcards, and color menu cards are effective sampling "props." Many food manufacturers design these marketing tools and make them available through the distributor. Ask your sales rep or browse through the merchandising & promotional offers on manufacturer web sites.

Be Careful What You Sample

Sampled items should be served in small easy-to-handle portions. Avoid sticky fingers, gooey sauces and items too large to eat with one bite or one hand. When executed correctly, there's no better way to entice customers to try a new item than through sampling.

Develop, Practice And Role Play The Verbal Script

This is show business. You should have a script and protocols for how guests should be approached, what should be said, and how responses should be framed. And take the time to role-play. Practice the narrative at least ten times with each other before going out on the floor.

Download the Trade Secrets Special Report on Sampling for additional details and protocols for successful sampling in your operation. It's a great way to create a personal connection with your guests. It is the practiced art of true hospitality, and is a powerful way to differentiate yourself from your competitors. On the surface you're conducting menu merchandising (and market research) in its purest form. Ultimately you're creating word-of-mouth ambassadors -- advertising that no amount of money can buy.

Bill Main, FMP, FCSI, is a nationally-recognized author, foodservice consultant, and professional speaker. His goal is to help you define who you are, where you want to go, and the best way to get there. Bill Main & Associates (www.billmain.com) offers a wide range of consulting services, resources and tools in the areas of strategic growth, marketing, menu, leadership, training, and management development.