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With Protein Versatility, Small Menus Make Big Impact
Written by: Nation's Resturant News
Published: January 6, 2026
How Streamlining Purchasing Can Boost Profits
Sprawling menus that may have been lauded for their variety now feel more overwhelming than impressive. Today, many restaurants are discovering that less really can be more when it comes to menus. In fact, the National Restaurant Association cited smaller menus in its 2025 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast.
While a slimmed-down menu can help a restaurant signal its specialties to customers, it can also solve real operational challenges.
When diners see a carefully curated selection, they instinctively trust that each dish represents the kitchen's best work. This translates directly into perceived quality—customers assume a restaurant offering a few expertly crafted items will execute them better than one juggling a host of different preparations.
From an operational standpoint, smaller menus transform daily kitchen life. Staff can perfect techniques for a manageable number of recipes, helping contribute to faster prep times and more consistent execution, as cooks aren't frantically switching between dozens of different preparations when the breakfast, lunch or dinner rush hits.
That’s especially critical now when many restaurants are struggling to attract and retain employees. Operators may resort to working with a reduced crew or frequently find themselves onboarding new staff, a much more manageable task with fewer dishes to introduce.
Flexible ingredients can also help deliver financial benefits through simplified purchasing and reduced waste. Instead of ordering small amounts of dozens of specialty items, many of which may spoil before being used, operators can invest in higher-quality versions of their core ingredients—for example, relying on premium brands like Jimmy Dean® brand.
Jimmy Dean® brand can also help reduce the waste that erodes profit margins. Smaller menus built around multipurpose ingredients mean more predictable food costs and fewer items languishing, which translates to savings.
The key to a successful small menu is to make thoughtful decisions that reflect a careful strategy, rather than cutting indiscriminately. The right foundational ingredients can create an impressive variety of offerings, when you prioritize versatile proteins such as Jimmy Dean® bacon and sausage products that span dayparts and categories.
Consider how a premium bacon like Jimmy Dean® Fully Cooked Hickory Smoked Thin Bacon Slices can anchor a breakfast sandwich in the morning, elevate a lunch salad and add richness to an evening pasta dish—all while requiring just one inventory item and minimal preparation from staff.
“Technomic’s January 2025 Daypart Dynamics report shows that 35 percent of the operators who are offering all-day breakfast found their labor costs increased,” says Chef Brooks Cameron, Senior Executive Chef at Tyson Foods. “That underscores the importance of leaning into value-added products to help save time in the kitchen.”
“Multi-use products can create the perception of variety on a streamlined menu,” Cameron says. “Through the Jimmy Dean brand portfolio, we help contribute to operational simplicity with proven, versatile ingredients that delight consumers and perform consistently across multiple applications.”
For more on our valued-add products, visit the Jimmy Dean® brand page.
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