Understand the latest trends and how to capture them

Appetizers aren’t just first courses anymore. They are small plates – from bar food beyond roasted peanuts to tapas with a Mediterranean sensibility and hand-held dishes inspired by street food from around the world. Appetizers speak to familial dining, bringing folks together through shared culinary experience. Today’s diners look to the appetizer menu for either fun, shareable dishes that offer that connection through family-style participation or small bites that give them just a taste of something, allowing them to experiment without too much commitment.

Whatever their form, appetizers are one of the most profitable categories on your menu. They can boost average-check size and help you capitalize on the latest trends – without reinventing your whole menu.

These appetizers are considered mainstays, but menu distinction and desirability comes from turning them into signature items by pulling from the trends we outline above. So, buffalo wings? Everyone’s got ‘em, but Thai barbecue wings? Now you’ve captured a hot trend while staying in the comfort zone of the familiar and popular. For those mozzarella sticks? Try bite-size morsels instead of sticks. Serve them in a cone with an array of dipping sauces – from traditional marinara to cilantro-spiked Ranch.