Scoop School: Plating your menu like a Pro

 Down seasons are the best times to revamp your shop's menu. This could mean adding more vibrant pictures to your menu board, more signage in the dining room, or another batch freezer in the kitchen. 

If you're currently experiencing down time, Scoop School suggests some way to make changes to your shop that can enhance the experience for your customers. Plating is a major component in the ice cream universe. Its essentially how your product is being presented to the world. Many ice cream shops take the traditional route and use commercial plastic cups to display and serve their products. There are other ways to serve your product that can make it look like a million-dollar dessert. Learn how to plate ice cream below.

Mr. C of Scoop School suggests speaking with a cup supplier. This way you can get familiar with different types of containers and lids to really showcase your product. You may find some cups accent your product more than others. For example, you may find dome lids with smaller holes work better for your light milkshakes. Or you might find some cups make your product sit too low, too high, or cause leakage. These are all things to consider when it comes to properly plating.

The goal in plating is to make your product look as good as its supposed to taste. You want to make every product visually appeasing so when that customer walks out the door the next one coming in will think, "man that looked good, I want to try that!". 

Whether you're plating soft serve, ice cream, frozen custard, or Gelato-- first impressions are everything! Make your product look as appetizing as possible, and watch your customers start "buying with their eyes".

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