5 Tips for Table Tents
Casey Slack, Martin Bros. Multimedia Designer
Table toppers and table tents will never go out of style. They function as mini billboards for what’s hot in the kitchen. Whether in a plexiglass sleeve, napkin dispenser panel or a simple folded tent, they are a classic way to advertise to patrons. They can be a great way to showcase the special of the day, week or month as they’re being seated and deciding what to order. They also can help increase sales, improve customer engagement and enhance the overall dining experience at your restaurant.
Daily Specials Showcase
Use table tents to highlight your daily or weekly specials, seasonal special or limited-time offer. This can include appetizers, main courses, desserts or chef’s choice. Include a brief description and the price to entice customers to try something new.
2.
Drink Promotions
Feature signature cocktails, happy hour deals and/or wine pairings. This can boost beverage sales and introduce customers to unique drink offerings they might not have considered otherwise.
3. Dessert Highlights
Showcase your dessert offerings with appetizing descriptions and photos. Dessert is something that many diners don’t even consider after a filling meal. However, if you feature a picture of a delicious-looking dessert right in front of those diners on the table all throughout their meal, you have a better chance of snagging several more dessert orders each day.
Consider your tabletop real estate and budget, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box. A dash of humor and a pinch of creativity can turn a simple table tent into a recipe for fun and increased sales. Remember to keep the design in-line with your restaurant’s branding and to use clear language. Also, words are great, but a dynamite photo can really help. And final tip: You don’t want to clutter the tabletop with too many things, so be extra mindful of what customers will see and what they’ll have to move around for room on the tables.
Now go forth and tent-alize your tables!
4.
QR Code Menu
Display a QR code on the table tent that customers can scan with their smartphones to view your full menu. This is especially useful for contactless ordering and can include more detailed descriptions or photos than a traditional printed menu.
5. Upcoming Events
Promote special events, theme nights and/ or live entertainment that will be happening at your restaurant. This can encourage repeat visits and help build a loyal customer base.
1. Birria Pork Loin
To make pork loin, preheat oven to 450°F. Rub pork loin with 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 Tbsp chili powder, salt, pepper and beef base. Place on a baking rack in a shallow pan. Roast for approximately 15-20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°F. Roast until internal temperature reaches 140-145°F. Pull from oven. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
To make birria sauce, bring 2 cups birria broth to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, mix 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup water together. Whisk broth while adding cornstarch slurry, whisking quickly to prevent lumps. Continue to simmer for a few minutes.
For each serving, top 1 cup rice with 2 oz birria sauce, 2 Tbsp olives, 2 Tbsp diced tomatoes, 1 Tbsp diced onions, 1 tsp diced jalapeño and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Yield: 1
2. Birria Tacos
Preheat oven to 325°F. Season 6-8 lb beef chuck with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides in a hot skillet or on a flat top. Rub with beef base. Place into a roasting pan with 2-3 cups heated birria broth, 1 cup water and 2 Tbsp minced garlic. Cover and roast until tender. Pull from oven. Rest. Shred, leaving in broth until ready to serve.
For each serving, serve three tacos using three tortillas, 6 oz shredded beef that has been heated and drained, 3 oz queso fresco, 1-1/2 oz sliced red onion, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Yield: 1
3. Birria Bowl
Preheat oven to 325°F. Season 6-8 lb beef chuck with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides in a hot skillet or on a flat top. Rub with beef base. Place into a roasting pan with 2-3 cups heated birria broth, 1 cup water and 2 Tbsp minced garlic. Cover and roast until tender. Pull from oven. Rest. Shred. Pour 2-3 cups birria broth into a stock pot. Add shredded beef. Add more birria broth if needed. Top each serving with diced onions, jalapeño slices, chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
Yield: 1
with Birria
UPPER CHOICE NECK OFF BEEF CHUCK (805338 – 3/1 piece)
What is Birria?
Birria is a Mexican dish. It’s a flavorful stew usually featuring braised goat or beef and slow-cooked in a flavorful broth made with chile peppers and spices and often served as tacos or on its own.
GROUND CUMIN (472291 – 1/14 oz)
DARK CHILI POWDER (472211 – 1/20 oz)
MASTER’S TOUCH BEEF BASE (500355 – 12/1 lb)
STRAP-OFF PORK LOIN (928410 – 6/6-9 lb)
PRESSED FLOUR TORTILLA – 6 IN (949950 – 12/24 ct)
POSADA LATIN RICE (396220 – 4/3 lb)
Long grain white rice seasoned with tomato paste, chicken bouillon, cumin, chile powder, parsley and onion blended with fire roasted red bell pepper, roasted poblano peppers and roasted corn.
–
(357733 – 1/2500 ct)
BIRRIA BEEF ROLLED TACOS (90777864 – 3/24 ct)
Tortillas filled with shredded beef seasoned with garlic, onion, chile peppers, cloves, lime and other spices then rolled and dipped in a savory batter…for a crispy and crunchy bite when baked or fried.
WHITE PAPER FOOD CONTAINER (820840 – 1000/8-10 oz) LID (821058 – 40/25 ct)
WHITE PAPER FOOD CONTAINER WITH LID (820960 – 250/32 oz)
FOIL WRAP
12X12
Backyard BBQ Style Party
Hormel Austin Blues Pit Smoked Sliced Beef Brisket (910510 – 2/7 lb)
Hormel Austin Blues Pecanwood Smoked Pork Shoulder (928590 – 2/5 lb ave)
Hormel Fire Braised Loin Back Pork Ribs (806210 – 10/1 piece)
Hormel Fire Braised Boneless Chicken Thigh (997860 – 2/5 lb ave)
Lamb Weston Chicken Batter Seasoned Deli Wedges (963690 – 6/5 lb)
Basic American Au Gratin Potatoes (602730 – 6/2.25 lb)
Michael Cheesy Hash Brown Bake (942028 – 4/5 lb)
Kraft Heinz White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese (954100 – 4/4 lb)
Mrs. Gerry’s Coleslaw
Mrs. Gerry’s Potato Salad
The Inspiration
Want to include BBQ on your menu and see your guest checks and profits increase with no waste? Don’t have a smoker? That’s OK! No pitmaster on staff? That’s OK, too! There are heat and serve BBQ options at your fingertips! And nobody needs to know that you didn’t start smoking in the middle of the night! Be creative! Design your own program! Great options for in-house dining or get those extra sales with BBQ to go! Serve it individually and/or family-sized! The options are limitless!
to go
McCormick Cattlemen’s Kansas City Classic BBQ Sauce (560610 – 4/1 gal)
McCormick Frank’s RedHot Stingin’ Honey Garlic Sauce (561920 – 2/1 gal)
Choose 1
Rotella’s Dinner Roll (986440 – 8/12 ct)
General Mills Gold Medal Honey Cornbread Mix (402460 – 6/5 lb)
Black & Gold Foil Tray with Clear Lid (357804 – 1/50 ct)
Honey Bourbon Glazed & Tangled Ribeye
1 each 12-14 oz Steak from Copper Creek Angus Choice Upper 2/3 Lip-On Heavy Beef Ribeye (324200)
As needed Salt
As needed Pepper
2 oz Ventura Sauce Craft Honey Bourbon Smokehouse Barbecue Sauce (631820)
2 oz McCain Moore’s Onion Tanglers (964130)
PREP | Season steak with salt and pepper. Cook to customer’s request. Halfway through cooking, brush with barbecue sauce. When plating, top with tanglers and drizzle with more barbecue sauce. Serve with 5 oz fries seasoned with grated parmesan cheese and 4 oz seasoned mixed vegetables.
Build your bowl.
YIELD | 1
Benefits
• Ability to effortlessly emulsify soups and sauces.
• Don’t need to transfer food between containers. No pouring hot liquid.
• Easy clean up.
Peanut Butter Blitz Cone
How To
Scoop ice cream into cone. Cover with shell topping. Press on chopped Reese’s.
Tip
Remember to work fast when constructing this blitz cone…before the shell topping starts to harden!
CHOPPED REESE’S
PEANUT BUTTER CUP TOPPING (761040) – 2 oz
PEANUT BUTTER &
ICE CREAM (990250) – 2 scoops
WAFFLE CONE (416810) – 1 each
FUDGE
French Onion Wagyu Burger
How To
Mix soup with 1 qt water. Heat to a boil. Stir and remove from heat. Strain some of the onions onto a hot griddle. Place burger on top of the onions. Cook burger to customer’s request. Top with cheese slices. Melt. Serve burger with melted cheeses and grilled onions on bun. Top with onion tanglers. Serve with a side of soup for dipping and a side of onion tanglers.
What is Wagyu?
Wagyu are a Japanese beef cattle breed derived from native Asian cattle. They were originally draft animals used in agriculture and were selected for their physical endurance. This selection favored animals with more intra-muscular fat cells, or marbling. The unique taste and tenderness of highly marbled wagyu beef makes for an unrivaled eating experience.
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June 11
Best Practices: Assessing the Need For and Offering Appropriate Religious & Therapeutic Diets
Evaluating the religious and cultural dietary needs of the resident population is a necessary step to determine what foods and cooking skills are necessary to care for the residents. Learn keys to evaluation and implementation of facility diets.
Presenter: Mary Sell, MPA, RDN, LD, Menu Services Manager at Martin Bros.
Eligible for one general hour of continuing education for Certified Dietary Managers by CBDM.
Audience: Senior Living
WEBINAR SCHEDULE 2025
January 15
EQ: Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
February 12 MDS & Careplanning Documentation
March 26 Senior Living Wellness: It’s in the Eye of the Beholder
April 16 Nutrition Care for the Older Adult
May 7 Real Life Lessons From Real Life Claims
June 11 Best Practices: Assessing the Need For & Offering Appropriate Religious and Therapeutic Diets
July 9
Infection Control Strategies in the Kitchen & Beyond
August 13 Your Dish, Your Story: Mastering Personal Plating & Social Media
September 17 FSMA & The Food Traceability Rule
October TBD Be a Ladder Holder: A Panel Discussion on Elevating Emerging Leaders
November 12 Protecting Your Clients: Balancing Professional Ethics & Food Safety
December 10 Sharpening Your Leadership Influence to Create High Performing Teams
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