“American food has grown in popularity over the last few years, with TV shows such as ‘Man vs Food’ showcasing the best of American casual dining to UK audiences. In the UK, consumers have been turned on to this trend and foodservice operators have been quick to adapt, with new menus offering modern twists on American classics. Foods such as burgers, fries, fried chicken wings and hot dogs all offer operators a quick, simple and easy way in to this growing market segment.
“Growing consumer demand for convenience, alongside great tasting recipes has been a large contributing factor in the continued success and popularity of American food.
“American inspired food can offer a less formal, more socially interactive dining experience. Consumers now want to engage with the food they eat and having the ability to ‘pick up and eat’ or ‘tear and share’ with friends, makes for a more rewarding dining experience.
Consumer trends
“Reacting to consumer trends is important for caterers, as it can help drive sales, profits and footfall,
whilst ensuring your outlet is at the very forefront in terms of menu appeal.
“Caterers should be looking to offer diners tasty food which can be served quickly and eaten conveniently. As people’s lives get busier, time has become a precious commodity. Sourcing products which allow for quick and easy eating, will help drive sales and increase the turnover of total covers per shift.
Handy hot dogs
“Gourmet hot dogs are an ideal dish to offer diners looking for a true American inspired dining experience.
“Choosing to serve frankfurters, offers caterers lots of benefits and opportunities, as the frankfurter is an extremely versatile platform, on which caterers can build an array of American Inspired dishes. Offering a varied menu focused around one key ingredient allows caterers to add value and broaden appeal of the core offer.
“Serving varied hot dog dishes, such as the Texan chilli dog served with Chilli and Monterey Jack cheese or the Kansas City dog topped with mustard, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and onions shows innovation, whilst having visual impact and culinary flair, which can help to drive sales.
“Toppings can also be prepared before opening times along with the frankfurters, providing consumers with a quick serving solution and caterers with more time to focus on customer service during service.
“Sourcing a high quality frankfurter in conjunction with a creative American themed menu, can
provide the perfect combination to increase profitability, by offering customers a unique and memorable experience.
The Westlers way
“Frankfurter specialist, Westlers, manufacture a premium beechwood smoked frankfurter made from 90% pork, which makes it ‘bite for bite’, a leading frankfurter in its class. The distinctive naturally smoked frankfurter, offers consumers a twist on the classic American ‘dog’, providing a subtle and tasty flavour.
The Westlers frankfurter enables caterers to have confidence in their base ingredient, allowing them to be creative with themes and flavours that compliment in both quality and taste.
“Along with the premium frankfurter, Westlers can offer support with cooking equipment to help caterers prepare and present their frankfurters in the best possible way. Bain maries, roller grills and steamers allow caterers to offer hot dog dishes directly from the counter as both the frankfurters and pre-prepared toppings can be kept at optimum temperature throughout service.
“In addition to this Westlers also provides POS materials such as posters and flags as well as sundries such as branded hot dog boxes, which are designed to create theatre and help create an engaging dining experience.”