As the sun visits our skies more often over the coming months, consumers plan to make up for lost time in the great outdoors and to soak up the best of the British summer.
And that means enjoying a lot of great grub outdoors too.
Many restaurants, bars and pubs have been offering al fresco dining during the pandemic, and it’s gone down well with diners. Across the country tables have popped up on pavements and other outdoor spaces thanks to a capped license application fee.
Now – despite restrictions having been lifted – around 6 out of 10 consumers say they’d choose a venue with outdoor space over one without so many operators are doing what they can to hold on to their al fresco areas.
To support this, UKHospitality is lobbying for extensions to the Pavement Licensing scheme which is set to end at the end of the summer. They said:
“Pavement licences have been a really positive success story, and the fact the scheme has been embraced enthusiastically by several local authorities is hugely encouraging.
“They have also brought benefits to town and city centres previously without alfresco drinking and dining opportunities.
“Pavement licences also revealed our sector’s ingenuity and creativity, with some truly striking outdoor spaces being created across the UK – from pods to yurts – and significant levels of investment in features such as lighting and heating.”
Sunshine on a plate
Of course, offering al fresco dining isn’t just about offering suitable seating. Outdoor diners want to embrace the summer sunshine on their plates too – think light dishes, colourful salads, fruity desserts or sharing platters that groups can graze on over catch-ups. Check out some recipe suggestions here.
We know that British summer weather doesn’t always mean guaranteed sunshine so allowing your menu and specials board to multitask between wet weather and sunny spells is key.
Our range of versatile kitchen essentials make it easy for you to make the most of the sunny days, without adding complexity to your operations.
Posh picnics
Having gathered together outdoors during lockdown, consumers have developed a taste for picnicking and bakeries are catering for it. Premium ingredients are being used to posh-up the picnic as we see high quality products pies, sausage rolls and pastries land on shop shelves.
Tap into tropical trends
It’s not just tropical weather that consumers are yearning for. Diners are looking for exotic flavours to treat their tastebuds.
Operators are going global with flavour combinations, taking inspiration from Japan, the Middle East and European holiday hot spots.
Transport your customers’ tastebuds using Macphie’s wonderfully versatile and simply delicious products that work beautifully with foreign flavours.