Every year it seems like there’s a new diet or new trend sweeping the nation. One year it’s fruity, caffeinated beverages. The next, it’s protein powder. Established brands will attempt to follow these trends, and new brands will spawn in to feed the craze. The problem is, a few years (or even months!) down the line, the demand will subside, and business will have to adapt or close, and franchisees are often the ones left holding the bag.
Instead of trying to ride popular waves, Taziki’s has focused on finding its own identity and sticking to it. Even when that goes against trends. For example, customization has been a huge trend as of late. Brands like Chipotle and CAVA have ensnared the affections of young consumers by allowing them to mix and match whatever combination suits their fancy.
But according to a study done in 2022, some scholars believe “food customization may bring some negative effects.”* One of these effects includes something called decision difficulty. Essentially, there’s less friction when ordering something curated than when having to deploy one’s thought processes to order a customized dish.
The primary area of this study was around food customization and expertise. They found that consumers with higher food expertise were more likely to prefer customized food.
Since Mediterranean is a growing cuisine in many parts of the country, it takes time for guests to figure out what they enjoy in the Mediterranean diet. Then, when they do, they are able to adjust and affect their meals to their newly experienced palate’s delight.
So instead of starting blind with a customized bowl (full of ingredients they’ve never heard of), Taziki’s gives our guests the opportunity to try hand-crafted dishes for them as a starting point, where they can learn about the delicious tastes of the Mediterranean. They use this as a starting point while they refine their palate, until they’re ready to mix and match on the Taziki’s menu.
There’s a reason the Mediterranean diet has been around for thousands of years. The taste and health benefits are truly extraordinary. The Mediterranean is home to two of five places in the world where people live to be over 100, dubbed “Blue Zones.”
That’s 40% of these rare places with extraordinary lifespans. Diet and cuisine play a large role in the longevity of these “blue zones.” There are many other factors, like regular exercise and a raison d’être, but cuisine is certainly an important factor in sustainable living.
Instead of leaning into short-term fads and here-now trends, Taziki’s leans into long-term, sustainable practices that we believe help a community flourish. Whenever we open a store, we encourage our partners to choose a charity of their choice to support financially. We also emphasize our dine-in guests, making Taziki’s a place where people can gather and share a meal together.
Healthy eating, strong community, and giving back are all reasons to pick Taziki’s.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9407251/#sec1-foods-11-02459
