Side dishes are optional; they’re a choice

The classic three-part dish – meat or fish, vegetables and a side – just isn’t popular with many guests anymore. They want to put together their own meal and choose which, if any, dishes to have with their main course. As a result, more and more restaurants are embracing the modular principle. Side dishes, or ‘sides,’ come at an extra cost with rump steak or salmon. This includes chips, fried potatoes or grilled vegetables. Main courses can include a side dish, but don’t require one. Guests can also choose to have just side dishes and skip the main course.

Choosing side dishes freely and independently

The changes to the menu show that the days of simply eating what’s on the table are long gone. ‘What, when, how and where we eat, as well as how much or how little, is an important part of who we are. Ultimately, this also includes the freedom to choose the components of a main course’, explains Dr Barbara Kaiser, head of the Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE).

A look across the borders shows that this principle has a long tradition in the USA, Canada and Australia. Other countries, like France, largely do without side dishes. The main course is the focus, and any side dishes are intended more as a garnish. Side dishes are also uncommon in Italy. Meals traditionally consist of several courses, starting with antipasti, followed by pasta, risotto or vegetables. After that, simple fish or meat dishes are served. The focus is always on one main component.

Minimising waste with extra side dishes

The freedom to choose side dishes not only promotes self-determination but also helps minimise waste. In July 2024, the Federal Statistical Office reported that around 11 million tonnes of food waste were generated in Germany in 2021, with 1.9 million tonnes coming from out-of-home dining. This accounts for 17% of total food waste. ‘That’s another reason why I welcome restaurants and other establishments that offer optional side dishes. It means that every guest can order what they want, and leftovers are reduced’, says Dr Barbara Kaiser. ‘Another step in this direction is allowing guests to choose from different portion sizes’, says the head of the BZfE.

Restaurants aren’t the only ones who need to tackle food waste. METRO has also committed to reducing waste by endorsing the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Resolution on Food Waste. The aim is to reduce food waste in operations per square metre of sales and delivery space by 50% by 2025, using the 2017/18 financial year as a baseline. To this end, METRO is taking several steps to achieve this, including collaborating with food bank organisations in 19 countries, partnering with the company Too Good To Go in two countries, developing special technical solutions, and enhancing data quality and collection processes.

It’s the contribution margin that counts, not the side dishes

If guests explicitly order their side dishes, the restaurateur only prepares the dishes that the guest actually wants to eat. This leads to less food waste and reduced costs. ‘The one-size-fits-all principle doesn’t apply to food and drink. Flexible meal combinations in restaurants and other out-of-home establishments allow guests to cater to their own needs’, says Dr Barbara Kaiser. To address these needs, restaurateurs need to revise their menus. ‘The contribution margin should be central to every calculation’, says Götz Braake, HoReCa pro and Director of METRO Gastro Consulting.

Focus on main courses; side dishes are secondary

In the past, costing was based on the cost of goods sold, today it is staff, energy and rent, explains Götz Braake. ‘To reduce costs, it’s essential to analyse the current situation. It’s not enough to just focus on the best-selling dishes. Instead, the focus should be on the dishes that generate the highest contribution margin for the business. And that’s not the side dishes; it’s the main courses,’ emphasises Braake. With the modular system, the contribution margin per main course can increase by up to two euros, adding up to a mid five-figure total over the year. Braake recommends highlighting main courses on the menu and focusing on the dish rather than the price. This way, guests only pay for the components they choose.

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