[clarksnack]

Hi all. I've been using this site for helpful info for a very long time. Thanks to everyone for all your posts, ideas, recipes, encouragement, etc.

I'm a owner, operator, cook, server, janitor and fix it person of a small restaurant/pub. I've been doing it for 3 years and this year, like for so many, my struggles have been the hardest. I'm giving it one last push to maximize my summer revenues and make enough to try to pull me out of the hole from this winter. This is my last chance push with lots of effort and hope. I've never posted here...but thought...maybe I should.

Here's my first question that might benefit others as well..

Knowing that I own a pub style restaurant...high quality ingredients...house cooked everything, but very simple menu of sandwiches, soups, chowder, salads and some stand-by standard pizza to keep the tourists happy.....

If you were to add just ONE menu item that is knock-your-socks off good that is virtually prepared 100% ahead of time and has good shelf life....what would it be?

Thoughts I've had in past....but haven't drilled recipes, prep or execution....

Tuna salad Sandwich-addictive yummy
Chicken Salad Sandwich-addictive yummy
Crock pot meat sandwich....keep the meat on low all day, ladel onto a high quality hand twisted Kaiser and Serve....

Anyone got any high quality, great shelf life, addictive recipes that they would want to nominate as the ONE new menu item to try? Not limited to my suggestions....any ideas would be great....high quality, great life span, yummy and FAST AND EASY TO SERVE.

Look forward to talking to more of you in future.

[chefhow]

Like you, my parents are making a hard push to make it thru the winter with their restaurant and have had to let a few ppl go while doing more of the kitchen work themselves. If I was in your situation with a "pub" type place maybe a meat pie where you can make individuals and heat and serve during the day or even a Shepards Pie, make it and portion it up so all you have to do is heat and serve again. Good luck

[CookingAngry]

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Nothing goes better with a stout. But that isn't very summer seasonal. The pub by my house in S.E. Michigan only does it in the winter but whenever it's on the menu I simply can't order anything else... including the burger that was listed in G.Q. as on of the top 20 in the country.

So where's your pub?

[CookingAngry]

Chefhow is a faster typer than I.

[DMT]

What sort of "atmosphere" is your pub/restaurant??
Number of seats?
Geographical location?
Local favorites that folks come to expect??

The description of the menu "sandwiches, soups, chowder, salads and some stand-by standard pizza to keep the tourists happy" is a bit vague, yet you're considering adding another sandwhich...

I'm not trying to come off as nit-picky, but soup/sandwhich/salad/pizza is sort of generic, and can be represented in many ways...

Our family had a billiard parlor with what amounted to a "snack bar" (or pub/restaurant with 16 seats) which was very successful.

We used only the absolutely best ingredients, made tasty/comfortable food, and our menu was pretty limited.

Burgers, hot dogs, chili, egg salad, tuna salad, ham & cheese, quesadillas, chips (no fryer for fries), plus coffee, milk, sodas, malts/shakes and beer.

Granted we made most of our money off of beer sales and billard table hourly rentals, but there was hardly any time when there wasn't something food-wise being prepared for a guest.

None of the above menu items took much more than 7 minutes to prepare and serve, but there was always a couple of hours of prep work to do before opening each day (or spread out during the 18-20 hours we were open each day)

Big question is what is your current "best seller"??
How can you capitalize on that?
What's your local competition offering?
What would set you completely apart from what they're doing, yet would be accepted (as "normal") by the local customers??

Our signature dish was always our burgers, but a close second to that was our own concoction called a Chili Crisp... Sold a ton of 'em...