Take your restaurant to new heights of success with salad bars

In line with other first-world countries, obesity is quickly becoming a primary concern for Australia. The percentage of overweight and obese people was as high as 81% for the male population aged between 51 and 70 years, in 2018, which was a steep rise from the previous years. Thanks to changing trends and the initiatives undertaken by the Department of Health, Australian citizens are now starting to have an increased preference for healthy eating habits. This trend is particularly reflected in the urban population. Even a considerable chunk of the younger generation is now much concerned about healthy eating rather than tasty junk foods.

With the increasing trend of ‘healthy eating is healthy living’, the demand for tasty and nourishing foods are on the rise and salad bars are the perfect way to tap into this growing market. For food outlets, introducing one to your establishment is a socially conscious move, that can quickly become the key to success. If your establishment has already had one in the past but switched it to something else over time due to the changing demand, now is the time to get it back. Having a new salad station has some notable benefits that can give your business not only happy customers but also the tag of a speciality food destination. 

Let’s take a quick look into why you should have it in your restaurant,

Additional options for your customers

You have a range of delicious dishes in the menu, but we are sure none of your customers’ will raise an eyebrow if you add some more options to it. We all like options and the more, the better, particularly when it comes to food. Adding a commercial salad bar opens the opportunity to provide your guests with a range of additional menu, different than the traditional dishes. Give your guests the choice to pick from a range of pre-designed speciality salads or customize one just in front of them according to their taste. This will undoubtedly give your mixed-green bar an edge. 

Enjoy more health and calorie-conscious guests

curved glass cake display stuffed with creamy pastries might deter a calorie-conscious customer, but a well-decorated station of mixed-greens is sure to be appealing to the same guest. As more and more people are becoming conscious about healthy eating and staying fit, a well-stocked station of mixed-greens with the right options is all you need to enjoy the presence of the calorie-conscious guests.

Customers who might not have considered visiting your restaurant previously might decide to purely because of your salad bar. It is important that you provide the right range of options and speciality dressings as well. As the number of vegans is on the rise, having a station dedicated to fresh vegetables and fruits makes sure that your non-vegetarian guests can visit the restaurant with their vegan friends and stay hooked on your delicious coleslaws, ultimately increasing your sells.

Serve the light eaters     

Salad bars are a great way to serve the customers looking for light fare. With the increasing trend of reducing the portion size, there are a bunch of eaters who prefer something light and healthy to snack in between meals. A display of salads can provide great options to these types of guests and will naturally draw more people in. They might turn into your regular customers and may even opt for larger meals after a nutritious and tasty serving.

What will you need to start a salad bar?

Space – If you are introducing  onein your establishment for the first time, you need to chalk out the right location, just like you do for the glass door bar fridges. Make sure that it is kept in a place with a clear view so that your customers do not miss it. It will add to the aesthetics as well. Simco’s counter top salad bars are a great way to save space without losing on display.

Speciality equipment – A salad bar, appropriate spoons, pans, and tongs are the necessary equipment you will need for the station. For the size, and other specifications, consider the volume of customers you are planning to serve. You can get the best options only from a renowned commercial salad bar supplier. There are different variants to choose from, starting from the size of the unit to other intricate specifications, pick one according to your needs.

Trained staff – The bar will have fresh food that should be rotated frequently for which you need trained and dedicated staff. It would be best if you also have a chef for preparing your signature salads. For customizing the dish as per the preferences of the guests and serving, a professional hand is essential.

So, if you have the space to accommodate a station of mixed greens in your restaurant, the additional expenses will be only on the equipment and staff payment. Which is a smaller price to pay for the bunch of speciality features it will be adding to your restaurant. More to the point, you can also buy commercial salad bars for sale to save on cost.   

Salad Bar or Pizza Prep Table what you need?

At the core, both the equipment come under prep fridge category, which means they combine the effectiveness of a refrigerator with a suitable tabletop for preparation of certain special dishes. However, they have their differences. Salad prep table, also known as a sandwich prep table, comes with shallow cutting boards suitable for salad and sandwich preparation. On the other hand, pizza prep tables have a more in-depth cutting board along with a raised pan rail. The food pans in the top storage area are usually of 1/3 size for pizzas and 1/6 size for the sandwiches. If you are looking for commercial salad bars in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart or Perth, it is best to invest in specialized equipment designed to serve the need in the right way.