Grilled Pork Chops with caramelized onions. Four cheese cheesy Macaroni. Mom’s Meatloaf. Freshly baked Cinnamon Rolls drizzled with cream cheese icing. Grilled to perfection. Dry-aged beef. Almond encrusted Salmon. Ice-cold beer. Three Alarm Chili. Classic Reuben, piled high. Hungry????
Menu developers have one goal in mind when they are scripting a menu: to entice “ALL” your senses. 
Who can read “freshly baked cinnamon rolls drizzled with cream cheese icing” and not instantly be transported to another place and time? Mom’s kitchen, a friend’s house at a sleepover…after ice skating or playing in the snow…watching the rolls rise in the oven…smelling the cinnamon, spreading the icing…every sense is engaged and remembered. Hours, days, months and sometimes years are spent developing a menu. Every detail, every word, the placement on the actual menu, the font and the price point are scrutinized, mulled over and revamped. Everything researched, field-tested and then approved. How unbelievable that all this preparation can be undone, one customer at a time, by serving improperly prepared food or serving room temperature plates, soups, and salads.
Can you imagine the disappointment of the customer who has been prodded by the server to “try the three-alarm chili”, “it’s not for sissy’s”, “are you sure you can handle it”, “it’s really, really spicy…” and then the moment of truth arrives, your customer is ready to dig in and be lit up and….oh my gosh, the chili is lukewarm, not even steaming? Game over. To top it off, as your customer is waiting for his Chili to be reheated (he’s thinking the chili is being microwaved) you comp a beer for him and his $6.00 draft beer is served in a hot pint glass. The game really over.
The temperature really is the key ingredient.
Temperature is the single most important factor in anyone’s dining experience. Food is meant to be enjoyed at a certain, perfect temperature. In a busy restaurant or foodservice situation, the temperature is subconsciously the number one thing on everyone’s mind. Servers are worried about it and returned plates are an expediter’s worst nightmare. Food served at an improper temperature will bring any food service situation to a grinding halt. You may be firing on all cylinders, but one returned tray, one table of cold food and your flow of service and indeed your whole plan gets upended.
Dine knows how to help in synchronizing your temperature time table. Often times, after having a discussion with a client, we are able to pinpoint the problem and SOLVE IT. 
Sometimes it can be as simple as….”Is your line stirring the product before they serve it?”, “Are your heat strips sufficient for your line, do they cover every plate?” “Are your plate covers insulated?” “Is your hot hold box functioning properly…do you know how to use it?” Other solutions require exploring the right equipment that is unique to your menu. Dine Company-The Restaurant Store is ready to help you serve THE BEST PLATES IN TOWN! Contact us or visit our store to learn more about why we believe Temperature really is the key ingredient!
