29 February 2016
 Categories: , Blog

Tapas are small plates that let you showcase a range of food items, and they can be a great option for a Thai restaurant. You can incorporate tapas into your menu to create interest in your menu and encourage more sales per ticket in your Thai food restaurant. Here are just some of the many benefits of tapas-style Thai food menus.

Tapas Showcase Your Best Dishes

When planning your tapas menu, be sure to include some of your best dishes in tapas form. This may mean making smaller orders of favorite menu items, such as lad na or pad Thai. Guests who fall in love with your signature dishes from the tapas menu may be tempted to come back later to order a full entree featuring these specialties. You can also use your tapas menu to create new items to test out. If they are a hit on the tapas menu, you can consider adding them to your list of entrees.

Larger Ticket Orders

Because tapas dishes are small but shareable, guests may choose to order many different dishes to share with each other. Instead of selling two appetizers for a hungry couple, you may end up selling lots of small plates, which could potentially boost your average ticket sales. Be sure to offer tapas for appetizers, main courses and desserts so people can order multiple dishes for each course. You may find that people will mix and match tapas, choosing to order a few for appetizers and desserts while sticking to an entree for the main course. Giving customers flexible ordering options can help to make your restaurant stand out from the competition.

Ideal For Parties Of All Sizes

Tapas are ideal for date nights, as they give couples a way to share their meal and create a more intimate connection. For large parties, tapas make it easier to order for the entire table instead of having to wait for each person to settle on an entree. You can even create a tapas catering menu for parties and gatherings, which can help you build the catering side of your business. You may want to consider offering tapas dishes in two sizes; one for couples and one for larger parties. This can help people to order the exact amount they need for the table.

Tapas can work beautifully for Thai restaurants. With so many different traditional foods that work for small plates, you can create a tapas menu based on some of the items you already serve. Think about the different options, such as chicken satay, shrimp cakes, papaya salad or spring rolls, and create smaller portions that are ideal for sharing. By expanding your restaurant's menu with these small plates, you can give customers plenty of options for ordering their favorite Thai specialty foods.