Fries are a tasty and often-ordered side on their own. But fries with a signature dipping sauce? Simply fabulous. That juicy burger goes from everyday fare to object of desire—even the reason for a special trip—when it’s dripping with a housemade barbecue sauce you can’t find anywhere else. And Sriracha-spiked mayo is a simple, yet palate-pleasing complement to everything from fried appetizers and veggie platters to breakfast plates.
Done well, signature sauces, dips and condiments transform the ordinary to extraordinary. They add cachet to a menu, give patrons a compelling reason to return and help a foodservice operation stand out from the competition. Changing them up regularly—with seasonal, weekly or themed limited time offers (LTOs)—captures the interest of regular guests.
Sauces in particular are a relatively easy way to spice up a menu. They also provide the novelty that diners increasingly are seeking when they dine out. About a third (32%) of consumers are more keen to try new flavors than they were just two years ago, according to Technomic’s 2019 Flavor Consumer Trend Report. And 36% of them say they are more likely to order a particular dish if it comes with a unique sauce.
Providing flights of side sauces, condiments and dips also satisfies consumers’ desire for novelty and customization. Dishes that are meant to be shared allow for experimentation and ensure there’s something for every palate.
Younger adult audiences are especially eager to have new eating experiences, and they also prefer variety and bolder flavors. Operators can capitalize on this by creating a must-try dish that features signature sauces, dips or condiments.
Crafting your secret sauce
Spicing up a menu with signature sauces doesn’t necessarily require a deep culinary bench or a massive inventory of ingredients, however. You can differentiate existing recipes or ready-made sauces, dips and condiments simply by adding one or two carefully curated “secret” ingredients that yield a memorable custom flavor profile. Many operators are dealing with limited SKUs right now, so being able to invent sauces using ingredients already on hand can be a big help.
For instance, consider the Zax Sauce at Zaxby’s. Reportedly a mixture of kitchen staples—mayo, garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper—this tangy concoction with a hint of heat provides a perfect foil for the brand’s chicken fingers and fries.
Savory dishes deserve bold flavors. More than a quarter (28%) of consumers say they love hot sauce and use it with a variety of foods, making the TABASCO® Family of Flavors®—with their distinct taste profiles and artisanal quality—an especially powerful ally in any kitchen.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Substitute TABASCO® Brand Original Red Sauce for vinegar or lemon juice to brighten a sauce or season a marinade.
- Create a bold marinara for pastas or dipping bread sticks by spiking a typically mild recipe with TABASCO® Brand Cayenne Garlic Pepper Sauce.
- Add an unexpected and welcome dimension to ranch dressings and dips with an infusion of TABASCO® Brand Buffalo Style Hot Sauce—ideal for crispy fried chicken sandwiches—or TABASCO® Brand Habanero Sauce, teamed with fried apps.
Learn more about how TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce Flavors can pair with kitchen staples to create signature sauces at TABASCOfoodservice.com.
This post is sponsored by TABASCO® Brand