Words like "homegrown", "handmade", "local" and "seasonal" appeal to guests, and attract them to your restaurant. But guests are beginning to feel there's a lack of transparency and honesty around the terms. How can you showcase your produce, without risking the hard-won trust of your guests?

1. Are you being transparent enough?

2. 81% of our guests said
they’re more likely to
visit restaurants which
use local ingredients.
And 59% are more
likely to visit a
restaurant that uses
seasonal ingredients.

3. Guests were also sceptical.
They thought hospitality
operators needed to be
more transparent about
definitions when using terms
like “artisan” and “local”.

4. "Local" is very arbitrary. I like evidence.
“Local” means anything the restaurant
wants it to mean.
They need to give a definition as to what
these terms mean as they can be very vague.
The definitions of seasonal and local ingredients can cover diverse
areas and the term may be applied to what you would not consider to
be a true description.

5. While 75% of guests
were willing to spend a
little more on dishes
with locally sourced
ingredients…
…most demographics
didn’t think local and
seasonal ingredients
could justify premium
prices.

6. We asked our guests how much more they would be
willing to spend on dishes that used locally sourced
ingredients.
£0
Less than £1
£1-£2.99
£3-£5.99
£6-£8.99
£9 or more

7. There should be no reason why local ingredients should
cost more if they are sourced from a local farmer.
I think often restaurants use seasonal or local ingredients as an excuse
to charge higher prices.
Seasonal ingredients would be plentiful and therefore
cheaper and locally grown would entail smaller transport
costs.
Seasonal and local ingredients should not have a price mark up
as there will be lower transportation costs.

8. How can restauranteurs capitalise
on the demand for local and
seasonal ingredients, while still
maintaining integrity in the eyes of
their guests?

9. ∩
Guests define “local” by
distance rather than
heritage or region.
TIP: Be open about the proximity of the supplier to the
restaurant.

10. Be creative with menus, chalkboards, and
online content to help educate guests on your
dishes and showcase ingredient provenance.

11. Therewas amisconception amongst
ourguests thatthereduced travel
costsoflocalingredients would
always mean cheaper dishes
TIP: If you choose to charge more - talk to your guests about the
higher quality of local ingredients.

12. TIP:Showcaseyourrelationshipswithlocalsuppliersonline,todemonstrate
transparencyandestablishauthenticity.
74%ofconsumersusesocialmediatoinfluenceapurchase
decision.

13. Ensure your team are knowledgeable when talking about
the origins of ingredients, to reassure guests and
enhance their overall experience.

14. Want to find out more about
your guests’ experience?
hgem.com @HGEM_HGEM
Your business thrives on its reputation, and this in
turn is influenced by the way in which the
experience of your guests is managed.
We call this Guest Experience Management, and we have
the technology and services to help you be amazing at it.