Value meals: Offer on the table
For pubs that have traditionally been wet-led, the first step into serving food can often seem to be a leap in the dark.
However, the reality is that even a modest food trade may mean the difference between success and failure in the current market. In the tenanted and leased market, the absence of a food tie has compounded the problem.
Tenants and lessees have been reluctant to share too much information about food deals with their landlords, while brewers and pubcos have tended to focus on supporting tied drink sales.
In an ever more challenging market, the arguments for greater co-operation are powerful. The buying power and retail discipline that a pubco can bring to a food offer can offer real benefits, especially to publicans unused to the food side of the business.
Earlier this year, Punch Taverns launched Table Top, a value food offer developed with around 1,000 of the pubco's tenanted and leased pubs in mind - those with limited kitchen space and which are particularly vulnerable to competition from low-priced food offers in their local market.
Through its Spirit Group managed arm, Punch's catering team already has plenty of experience of competing successfully for market share in the value food sector. The Table Top offer is built around five traditional core pub dishes - scampi and chips, sausage and mash, fish and chips, chicken and chips and burger and chips. The meals are priced from £1.99 to £4.99, depending on the pub's local market and customer base.
Menus and point-of-sale material are generated centrally by Punch, with the equipment and food required to deliver the offer sourced through nominated suppliers at agreed prices. The Table Top package has been developed by Punch's catering
executive team with the support of suppliers 3663, Brakes and R Hall, all of which have provided fixed pricing for key ingredients and kitchen equipment.
Punch's operations director Kevin Georgel said: "Table Top is a fantastic initiative for those licensees where a basic but competitive food offer could make a significant difference to their volume and profitability.
"It has been developed by Punch's team of catering executives as an off-the-shelf package, meaning licensees can very simply introduce a high-quality, low-cost food offer."
More than 400 pubs have already signed up to the initiative, making Punch's target of 500 by the end of the year looking very achievable.
Gareth and Julie Smith, lessees with Punch at the Cleveland Arms in Telford, Shropshire, introduced Table Top in January. The pub has an established restaurant menu, but the Smiths were looking for ways to increase footfall and bar sales.
After discussions with business relationship manager Lin Hamorak and catering executive Elaine O'Dowd, the pub introduced Table Top with dishes priced at £2.99. The offer is promoted with free external point-of-sale, which includes a giant banner and has proved successful at driving new trade.
Gareth says: "We've found that the huge banner is really attracting new customers at lunch times. The traditional dishes and price point are just right to get people through the door.
"Once inside we find that some then order from the main menu but Table Top is certainly popular - it has definitely attracted more OAPs at lunchtimes.
"We're now doing an average of 20 to 30 covers every day."
It has also enabled Gareth to take some of the pressure off Julie in the kitchen. He adds: "I can't cook but the spec guidelines provided with the set dishes mean I can cover the kitchen on a Wednesday and give my wife the night off."
