FREEDOM OF CHOICE

MENU CUSTOMIZATION IS EMPOWERING DINERS AND DRIVING BIG REVENUES

- DAMIEN MARTIN

Burger King has been inviting customers to have it their way for 50 years, but across the restaurant landscape customized orders used to slow operations and draw sideways glances from staff. As fast-casual setups have become more prevalent and in-app ordering popular, though, so has menu customization. It’s a good thing for restaurants, too, because customers have come to expect personalization. Even BK has elevated its stance with the “You Rule” campaign that “celebrates everyday royalty and puts the guest at the forefront of everything the brand does,” the company said in a press release. The chain even lets customers get a side that’s half French fries, half onion rings.

BIG BENEFITS

There are plenty of reasons for restaurants to embrace menu customization. Customers like it, of course, which makes them more likely to return. And with rewards for in-app ordering, coming back will be all the more worth their while. With all the data from in-app orders, restaurants can get to know their customers’ preferences better, even saving common orders so people can order with as little friction as possible.

Just like with delivery companies stocking regional fulfillment centers with the items people in a certain area regularly order, restaurants can adjust their ordering and procurement based on how much of specific ingredients they expect to sell.