Certain foods and beverages just seem to go perfectly together. After all, beverage sales (alcoholic, non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic) account for up to 80% of gross profit for a restaurant. The demand for specialty beverages is rising, according to Technomic, driven by boba tea, frozen beverages, and coffee specialty drinks. The global boba tea market is expected to reach $3.6 billion by 2028. In addition, consider that 44% of consumers say they always add a beverage when dining in, according to Technomic data. The right combination can enhance and complement the flavors of both the food and the drink.
Food and Beverage pairings is a topic which the Botrista team knows all too well. Our leading Beverage experts and team of mixologists work together to deliver a custom beverage menu for each restaurant location that best complement the food offering. Our mixologists examine our puree ingredient compositions - balancing acidity, sweetness and freshness in each recipe - ahead of making the recommendation of what drinks are best to serve.
While each menu is uniquely tailored to the customer, here are our top observations of best-selling drinks and foods that pair best with each:
Hamburgers: Lemonades and Smoothies
Botrista’s DrinkBot machine is seen largely in back-of-house in fast casual restaurant spaces, with the majority serving American style cuisine. Our fruity smoothies and refreshing lemonades pair excellently with savory cheeseburgers and crispy, salty french fries.
Top recommendations:
Strawberry Mint Lemonade
Passion Fruit Lemonade
Mango Smoothie
Sushi: Green Teas and Milk Teas
Another popular cuisine type of many of our customers is Asian Fusion. The clean and delicate flavors of sushi are often balanced by the subtle bitterness of green tea and the creaminess of our milk teas.
Top recommendations:
Thai Milk Tea
Taro Milk Tea
Mango Green Tea
Peach Green Tea
Seafood: Citrus
The zesty flavors of citrus enhance the taste of fish dishes. The acidity of lemon and lime cuts through the richness of fish, balancing out the oils and allowing the subtle flavors of fish to shine. Citrus teas cleanse the palate and results in a light, refreshing meal that lets the savory fish and bright citrus play off each other nicely.
Top recommendations:
Dragon Fruit Citrus Black Tea
Mango Citrus Black Tea
Chocolate: Coffee
The ultimate duo – satisfying both your sweet tooth and your caffeine craving in one indulgent treat. The bitterness of coffee enhances the sweetness of chocolate, creating a delightful contrast.
Top recommendations:
Iced Coffee
Iced Vanilla Latte
Coffee Frappe
Our beverage experts can help your team craft a beverage menu to complement any cuisine you serve. Give us a call today to start serving your customers the perfect pairings.
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