On Wednesday in the “How to Start a Food Truck” series, we wrote about the importance of quality ingredients. As a customer, I wholeheartedly second that.
I’m sure that as a business owner, you constantly feel the tension of ingredient prices. Do I buy the cheap grocery store-quality tomatoes, or do I buy the fresh-from-the-local farm, $3 more per pound tomatoes? Will my customers even notice the difference?
To some people, there’s no difference between the two—at least not one they’re willing to pay for. They want your sandwiches to be cheap, fast, and good enough. Essentially, they want you to be Subway.
Let them eat at Subway. You don’t want these customers.
Why? Because you can’t compete—at least, not where it matters to them. You can’t compete with a massive chain restaurant on price. So don’t.
Where you can compete is on quality. The customers you want, the ones who will become loyal, reliable customers, recognize quality and will pay for it. And these aren’t all “foodies” either. Your average office worker will choose fresh over Subway—they just need to understand the value.
This brings us back to my favorite topic, one that I continue to bang on like a cheap drum—tell your story. Tell me why you choose higher quality ingredients.
The farm-to-table movement continues to grow. The photograph above is one I took this summer at Wise Acre Eatery’s farm dinner, an event I have not stopped talking about since August. The event has made me a customer for life, because they did everything right.
I connected with the Wise Acre Eatery mission and I now view myself as part of their extended family. Their success matters to me.
Now, there is an equilibrium you need to find. If the going rate for lunch in your downtown area is $6, you can’t jump in with an $18 offering and expect massive sales. Educate your customers over time on why quality matters. Try wording like this:
I’d love to hear how you educate your clients on the freshness of your ingredients. Share with us below.
###
Image by Mindy Holahan
This post was last modified on January 24, 2014
Hello Portland! If you're looking to add a dash of Portlandia's awesome street food scene filled with doughnuts, nachos, and…
Hello Minneapolis! If you're looking to add a dash of The Twin Cities' awesome street food scene filled with hot…
The first-ever Food Truck Owners Expo is launching this year! And it promises to be a great event for the…
Hello Houston! If you're looking to add a dash of Houston's awesome street food scene filled with Tex Mex and…
Hello Denver! If you're looking to add a dash of The Mile-High City's awesome street food scene filled with Mexican…
Hello Boston! Ready to have a wicked awesome time? If you're looking to add a dash of Beantown's awesome street…