Give the people what they want: inviting guests to choose what goes on their plate builds appetizer and beverage sales.

Bold and fresh as the name suggests, Extra Virgin is a youthful Chicago eatery with an upscale attitude, right down to the cleanly creative build-your-own appetizer offerings. Guests select from a list of sumptuous seasonal veggies such as sweet baby bell peppers roasted and seasoned with balsamic vinegar and basil, and baby artichokes with grilled lemon and garlic. Add to that a choice of fine imported Italian meats and cheeses, and you've got an antipasti board built to suit all tastes and expand guests' horizons.

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"In the past, I always composed antipasti plates," says Extra Virgin's chef/owner Nick Van Wassenhove. "There was no customer choice involved. But this is more festive and fun. Most importantly, it lets guests customize their food at the front of the meal in a way that's easy to handle back of house."

The same is true at the more than 300 Bennigan's Grill & Tavern restaurants nationwide, where guests can choose from the Mix and Match menu of best-selling appetizers to build their own sampler plates combining, say, Cheese & Bacon Potato Skins, Southwest Egg Rolls and Golden Chicken Tenders. Any two items costs $6.99 and any three is $8.99.

Bennigan's isn't the only casual dining chain tapping the customized appetizer trend. At Houlihan's locations, diners enjoy building Threebies, appetizer plates they create by selecting three items from a list of eight appetizers. The 90-unit chain based in Leawood, Kan. launched Threebies early last year.

Clientele and ingredient lists may differ, but the aim of these operators is the same: systemizing choice. More than 70 percent of restaurant guests today ask to modify their meals in one way or another, according to National Restaurant Association estimates, so the need to figure out how to anticipate and manage, or "systemize," choice has never been greater. It's a worthwhile endeavor, as many operators are discovering that inviting guests to build an appetizer plate via mix-and-match, build-your-own or pick-two/pick-three options is a strategic solution that drives sales of food and beverage, and it actually helps operationally as well.

ANTICIPATING CHOICE

"Mix and Match Appetizers have been huge for us," says Clay Dover, vice president of marketing for Plano, Texas-based Bennigan's Grill & Tavern, which built the mix-and-match idea into its core appetizer, entree and dessert menus last fall. One out of every three appetizer orders is now a Mix and Match plate. "And total Mix and Match options now account for almost 20 percent of all items ordered," says Dover.

Jon Quinn, vice president of marketing for the 120-unit Damon's International, based in Columbus, Ohio, says create-your-combo features like those the chain promoted last summer pack "a powerful marketing message--a great combination of choice and value." It's especially a win, says Quinn, "if you can engineer the program to be at or above your average margin so there are no guest count hurdles to overcome." Damon's managed to do just that, thanks to increased appetizer and dessert sales driven by the program.

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While setting guests loose to create their own plates may sound like an operational nightmare, many restaurateurs are finding it benefits the back of the house. "Operationally, systemizing choice gives operators more control and the ability to train properly," says Melissa Wilson, principal at Technomic, the Chicago-based foodservice market research and consulting firm. "This way, you're not reacting, you're anticipating. You can prep items, and create balance among the selections."

Such has been the case at Damon's. "The create-your-own approach creates a stamping-out-widgets situation where you focus the guest on one portion of your menu, actually making it easier for your back of house because they get so proficient at those items," says Quinn. As a testimony to this, by the end of Damon's summer 2005 promotions, "We had greatly reduced food delivery times and were getting better scores for temperature [delivering hot food hot], too."

As Bennigan's Dover observes, "Such sections are a great way to provide new items without adding operational complexity. You're introducing 'new' dishes for the guest, without adding something totally new to the kitchen."

RISKS AND REWARDS

The strategy has significantly reduced requests for substitutions at Bennigan's locations. "We used to see customer requests for modifications popping up all over the POS system," says Dover. "But since launching Mix and Match, the modifications have dropped off across the board."

Also promising are operator reports that mix-and-match and build-your-own options are encouraging more experimental ordering patterns, boosting beverage purchases and enhancing customer perceptions of service and value.

"The mix-and-match approach allows the guest to combine an item they might not normally try with one or two of their favorites," says Technomic's Wilson. "It removes the risk of ordering something they don't like and encourages them to possibly discover a new dish or drink they really love."

Such guest experimentation is a key part of the appetizer program at Dallas-based Brinker International's Chili's concept. "Build-your-own-appetizer options have given our guests the chance to experiment a little by including something on the plate they may not have tried before without taking a big risk by committing to an unfamiliar item," says Ken Thews, vice president of marketing for 1,143-unit Chili's.

The company's Triple Dipper promotion in September allowed guests to pick two or three appetizers from a list of eight. "It increased profits during its four-week run," says Thews. "The idea was to leverage our best-selling appetizers by giving customers increased choice."

The Threebie core menu selection has proved a winner at Houlihan's. "It's all about choice today," says Dave Brown, director of beverage, "and the Threebie addresses that. It provides people with choices and the opportunity to experience different tastes, and caters to small parties and group sampling."

Beyond appetizers, Houlihan's has also done well with a Three's Company dessert option where guests can choose from three mini desserts served together on one platter for sharing. For larger parties, Houlihan's also features Fab Five Minis, which offers five choices from the mini dessert menu for a single price.

Since launching its Mix and Match Appetizer offering last fall, Bennigan's Dover reports increased appetizer sales as well as a seven percent increase in beverage sales, with beer experiencing the highest sales increase.

"We've noted that the mix and match appetizers sell at a higher rate in the bar and cocktail area, and that guests who order them stay for a longer dining experience," he notes.

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Due to the flexible section's popularity, Dover says the Bennigan's chain has, "added more selections for mixing and matching, such as Southwest Crispy Chicken Sticks and Boneless Buffalo Wings, and we're testing more items."

Even as they celebrate the benefits, operators acknowledge that getting to that point takes some effort. Plate presentation and training challenges are among the issues operators must grapple with in building successful customization programs.

INCREASE SERVER TRAINING

Dennis Lombardi, executive vice president of foodservice strategies at Columbus, Ohio-based WD Partners, says training should top the list of operator priorities. "Teach servers to suggest the customization opportunities you've built into your menu right away," he advises. "Don't wait for a guest to ask."

Increased beverage training and food tasting is also a good idea, says Technomic's Wilson. Sampler platters that change with each guest's order make it tough for servers to recommend complementary beverages. "Mix-and-match appetizer programs increase the need to emphasize beverage product knowledge," she warns. "Since servers can no longer memorize one or two drinks that go well with each dish, they'll need a more in-depth understanding of why certain beverages and flavors complement the ingredients of certain dishes."

One innovative solution: beverage flights. Houlihan's, for example, now offers flights of mini Martinis, wine and "Mini Guinies" (bitty stout samplers). And Extra Virgin's Van Wassenhove is adding wine flights to complement his build-to-suit antipasti.

Cost is also a key factor in a successful mix-and-match program. "Don't include too many high-cost offerings on your list," Technomic's Wilson advises. "Or, consider offering a smaller portion of a higher-cost item so your food cost for the overall plate is balanced."

When Houlihan's created its Threebie appetizer feature last year, the company limited offerings to eight choices, rather than open the entire appetizer section. "We avoided putting our highest cost or least margin items on there," says Jen Gulvik, creative director. "The aim was to balance variety and value for the guest, with margin for us."

Taking presentation cues from high-end build-a-meal operations is also helpful. At Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant in New York, simple, white plates are helpful in highlighting the guest's selections. Plates fitted with modular toppers are used by Wild Goose Restaurant in Tahoe Vista, Calif. "Modular plates really help with the concept and the presentation," says David Lutz, executive chef.

Photos also enable kitchen staffs to ensure excellent presentation no matter what is ordered. Bennigan's culinary team recently shot pictures of all possible plate combinations in its Mix and Match appetizer offerings to serve as a guide for best plating arrangements. "We're also testing bigger plates," Dover notes.

Michele Grayson writes about culinary and menu trends as well as foodservice operations from Chicagoland.