Have you ever noticed that when you go to a restaurant, the staff brings roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers as soon as you sit down, even before placing your order? Ever wondered why?
Well, there are several reasons why restaurants do this. And knowing them will enhance your dining experience. These practices can also be applied at home.
Roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers are quick to prepare, can be made beforehand, and can boost sales
Roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers can be enjoyed while waiting for your main course. So when you’re feeling hungry, you can start snacking on them right away. This naturally increases the restaurant’s revenue.
Furthermore, having these snacks readily available makes customers feel well-served, as they don’t have to sit there without anything to munch on.
If the restaurant offers these snacks for free, the cost might not be high, but it can leave a positive impression from the beginning. This makes customers appreciate the restaurant, so they won’t mind if the food takes a bit longer to arrive. If the restaurant chooses to give roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers to customers as a welcome gesture, it’s a low-cost strategy that can win customers’ hearts. Therefore, whether it’s when paying the bill or as a gift, serving roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers in advance is beneficial, and customers are always hooked.
Encouraging additional beverage sales
While waiting for their main course, customers who eat roasted peanuts will experience a high level of salt and oil, which stimulates their taste buds and makes their mouths dry. This prompts them to order water, beer, wine, or other beverages. This way, the restaurant can easily sell more drinks without much upselling effort. Especially if there’s a new dish available, the staff can conveniently introduce additional beverage options. It’s a clever way for the restaurant to boost sales. Even if roasted peanuts are offered as a complimentary item, the restaurant can still make more profit by selling more beverages.
To prevent customers from getting impatient while waiting for their order
Especially in crowded restaurants with slow service, having roasted peanuts and pickled cucumbers on the table allows customers to eat something while waiting. This makes them feel like the wait time is shorter than usual, reducing their annoyance about the delayed food and lowering complaints about the restaurant. Moreover, delicious roasted peanuts also hint that the restaurant’s dishes are sophisticated and flavorful, which raises customers’ expectations, satisfaction, and anticipation.
Eating roasted peanuts reduces hunger, making customers feel satisfied with the portion size
When you eat roasted peanuts, your hunger is alleviated. So when the main course arrives, you don’t feel the need to eat voraciously, which means you might not complain about the restaurant serving small portions or consider the food overpriced.
Using roasted peanuts as a dessert can also help prevent the negative effects of alcohol. Usually, before eating, people tend to drink first. But if roasted peanuts are served as an appetizer, they act as a stomach liner. The presence of this fatty food can slow down alcohol absorption, making people less likely to get drunk quickly. This increases the demand for more drinks and makes it safer for customers.
Thus, when dining at a restaurant, it’s important to pay attention to these practices in order to respond appropriately. If you want your customers or your group to have a pleasant waiting experience without feeling annoyed or making complaints, you can consider ordering roasted peanuts before the main course. However, if you truly want to fully enjoy the first taste and dining experience at the restaurant, it’s best not to indulge in these snacks beforehand to ensure a more authentic flavor.
How to make delicious pickled cabbage
In the scorching heat of the sun, enjoying a bowl of soup made with pickled vegetables and pork ribs or a meal of beef stew with preserved fish or mackerel, alongside braised carp, is a delightful experience. Whether it’s dưa nấu sườn, dưa kho cá ngừ, cá đối, or cá chép, these dishes are all incredibly easy to savor.