Menu changes accommodate diners trying to pinch pennies

With lots of people looking to pinch pennies, diners have become much more selective.

Area restaurants know people are looking to get the most for the best value. So they are making some changes to their menus to save them and consumers some extra bucks.

That’s why Sweet and Savory restaurant owner Rob Shapiro is re-vamping his menu. He explained, “The most expensive seat in a restaurant is an empty seat.”

The economy is leaving many people stunned, forcing them to cut back on luxuries like dining out.

Shapiro said, however, that doesn’t have to be the case. “People are feeling tight, they still want to eat out, they still have to buy stuff, so they are going to the place with the most value.”

Simple changes, like cutting down portions, is the first step for some restaurants. Shapiro re-invented traditional, inexpensive sandwiches that are affordable and quick.

He also launched dining promotions like weekly specials, to help keep the cost down in the kitchen and on your plate.

Shapiro said, “Restaurant sales had dropped almost forty percent, and since we did the menu rewrite they have since almost fully recovered.”

Suzanne Gooden ate lunch at Sweet and Savory with her entire family. She said people in this area are looking for a good deal. “Everybody is trying to watch what they spend, and kind of be smart about their spending, and with good prices, and good food, people are bound to come back.”

That’s just what Shapiro hopes will happen with his new menu. He said, like the economy, the restaurant business is always changing. You just have to learn to roll with the punches.

Other restaurants like Union Cafe and The George are also re-vamping their menus to accommodate the recession.

Managers add that January tends to be the slowest month, so now is a good time to make changes.