The 'gastropub' revolution means that the expectation and customer profile of those eating at a pub, compared to a restaurant, is now very similar. There is no room to assume that customers will accept or expect anything other than the best quality food and desserts. The dark ages of thinking 'it will do' are long gone.
Historically, publicans have treated desserts as a lame excuse at the end of a menu, and one that often demeans their better savoury dishes. Buying cheaper, artificial and mass-produced versions of a classic dessert is good enough. All our customers have a brand they need to protect, which is why we develop and supply desserts that set them aside from their competitors.
A dessert is usually the last thing a customer will eat, and remember the establishment by - why not, as we like to say at the English Cheesecake Company, make it '100 per cent WOW'.
Where I think publicans miss a trick is upselling their offer. Our experience with successful restaurant groups is that there is no point waiting until the end of a meal to offer a dessert menu. As soon as the customer walks in, they should see the desserts specials listed on a board by the entrance. Even before ordering anything, they will have made a decision and have been tempted to buy a dessert.
Additionally, the reason why we take great care to give our desserts a sexy twist, both in concept and name, is to ensure that everyone is absolutely sold on it before seeing it - not only the customer, but also the staff. If they love it, they'll sell it.
Often you see just 'cheesecake' or 'chocolate brownie' written on a menu or a blackboard, which has a flat, unenthusiastic feel - it's dull, predictable and not particularly descriptive. But how about 'Sky High Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake Pie'? Desserts are impulsive and compulsive, so let's treat them that way!
Publicans have never had such a great opportunity to tap into the same product quality as more formal restaurants. Not only should they take advantage of it, they really can't afford not to. The pub dessert revolution is very much on.
Philip Weldon is joint managing director of the English Cheesecake Company. The company has just launched an innovative, new seasonal range of desserts using branded alcohol from Thomas Lowndes & Co. For more information call 020 8964 9556 or visit www.cheesecake.co.uk.