Embracing Customisable Menus for a Personalised Dining Experience

Personalisation has become a defining trend in today’s foodservice industry. With increasingly diverse dietary needs and lifestyle choices to flavour preferences, today’s diners expect more than just a set menu – they want options tailored to them. From swapping ingredients to building meals from scratch, customisation is reshaping how we approach eating out.

For chefs and foodservice operators, this shift presents a golden opportunity. Customisable menus increase engagement, boost loyalty, and create space for creativity, all while upselling with optional add-ons. Thanks to our fantastic product portfolio – from flavour-packed sauces and marinades to fresh, seasonal ingredients – creating a personalised dining experience has never been easier or more cost-effective.

Build-your-own plates that still feel premium

The ‘build-your-own’ trend is a proven way to engage guests and increase satisfaction. Popular across fast-casual, café, and event catering formats, ‘build-your-own’ allows diners to start with a base (such as rice, greens, wedges, or noodles) and then select their choice of toppings, proteins, sauces, and extras.

This format lends itself well to a range of dishes, both sweet and savoury, from tempting pancake stacks to lunch-friendly Buddha bowls and noodle boxes, with each dish offering flexibility while showcasing your kitchen’s creativity.

This approach doesn’t mean compromising on culinary identity. With the right ingredients, you can maintain quality and consistency while offering guests the ability to personalise their meals. Customisation shouldn’t be labour intensive for establishments either. Pick products which work across multiple dishes, such as roast butternut squash which can be used in Buddha bowls, noodle boxes and salads. Bold sauces like piri piri or teriyaki can then bring cohesion to each savoury dish, tying together varied elements with a signature flavour profile.

665501	Santa Maria Piri Piri Sauce 950g
709777	Blenders Teriyaki Sauce 2.2lt
665505	Santa Maria Teriyaki Sauce 1.09kg

Top tip: Label components clearly on digital or printed menus, as this encourages confident customisation while helping diners with dietary needs make informed choices!

Custom desserts that feel handcrafted

Dessert personalisation is an emerging trend, especially among younger diners. Offering ‘build-your-own’ sundaes, deconstructed cheesecakes, or dessert pots gives customers a fun, hands-on way to end their meal. It also allows operators to stretch simple ingredients such as fruit compotes, biscuit crumbs, and cream toppings, into a diverse, dessert-friendly format.

A seasonal fruit compote such as mixed summer berries adds colour, acidity, and sweetness, and pairs well with oat-based desserts such as cheesecakes and crumbles, as well as ice cream. Mix in different textures, like crushed cookies, granola, or chocolate pieces, to give diners a dessert they can truly make their own.

715209	Chef’s Kitchen Vanilla Ice Cream 4lt
715210	Chef’s Kitchen Strawberry Ice Cream 4lt
715211	Chef’s Kitchen Chocolate Ice Cream 4lt
706189	Chef’s Kitchen Blackberry & Apple Compote 1.3kg

Top tip: Promote custom dessert boards or DIY sundaes for events, children’s menus, or special occasions—they’re interactive, cost-efficient, and are brilliantly ‘Instagrammable’ for customers to share on social media.

Chef-driven personalisation: How to keep it on-brand

Offering choice is powerful—but too much flexibility can blur your brand’s identity. The key to success lies in chef-driven personalisation: allowing customers to tailor dishes within a curated set of high-quality, brand-relevant options.

Stick to ingredients that suit your concept and target audience – whether that’s globally inspired, locally sourced, plant-based, or quick service. Make your sauces, toppings, and side options work harder by selecting a few that carry your flavour ethos. House-made condiments or finishing touches like flavoured oils or pickled vegetables can elevate any ‘build-your-own’ dish into a signature experience.

680965

Santa Maria Seoul Style Kimchi Spice Mix 315g

Top tip: Offer a few pre-set combinations or staff picks as inspiration—this streamlines choice and reinforces your menu identity, while still offering flexibility.

The business case for customisation: Increasing your margin

Letting diners personalise their meals doesn’t just enhance the guest experience—it makes good business sense. Customisable menus naturally encourage upselling: when customers are asked to choose, they often add extras they may not have considered otherwise. Want another sauce? Add €1. Fancy more protein? Make it €2 more. These small increases can significantly lift average transaction values.

Personalisation also builds loyalty. Guests with specific dietary needs—gluten-free, vegan, low-carb—are more likely to return to venues where they feel catered to. Even better, allowing people to build meals they know they’ll enjoy helps reduce food waste, since customers tend to leave less on the plate.

Top tip: Bundle popular extras (like dips or toppings) into combo deals or offer upgrades in your point-of-sale system to encourage add-ons at the moment of decision.

Customisable menus allow foodservice businesses to stay relevant, engaging, and profitable—while delivering a premium guest experience. The key is to design flexible options that reflect your brand’s identity and target audience, all while managing cost and maintaining consistency.

Our extensive product range gives chefs the tools they need to offer variety without complexity, whether you’re building bowls, enhancing desserts, or offering flavour-forward dips and sauces!

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