Call it the tapas solution: As consumers scale back on what they’re willing to spend dining out, restaurant chains are introducing menu options like mini-burgers and 4 oz. filet mignons ($3.50 and $10, respectively, at Houlihan’s). They may not totally fill up your belly, but they won’t break the bank either.
USA Today reports on the trend of “small bites for small prices” at mid-level chains like Houlihan’s, California Pizza Kitchen, and Cheesecake Factory, with selections like:
California Pizza Kitchen. Its “small cravings” menu rolled out last month, and it’s driving business and boosting check averages, says Larry Flax, co-founder of the 216-unit chain. Flax says that he watched the success that Cheesecake Factory had with small plates.
While appetizers at the chain go for up to $10, the small cravings items top out at $4.99.
Cheesecake Factory. The chain introduced “small plates and snacks” one year ago, and they have added incremental sales, says Mark Mears, marketing chief. The items, $3.95 to $6.95, are a “low-risk way for guests to try new tastes,” Mears says.
Make that low-risk and low-price, so long as you don’t wind up ordering six or seven “small plates” to stop your stomach from grumbling.