The Farm-To-Table Restaurant concept is such a wonderful idea in that it resonates a friendly family environment which allows patrons to support a local establishment and people and also feel they are eating locally-sourced foods and vegetables that are healthier than foods being imported in from afar via truck or plane.
Farm-to-table, or farm-to-fork, is more than just a specific type of restaurant or a catchphrase. It’s an established movement that’s gaining momentum with people becoming more conscious of where their food comes from, how it’s grown, and what goes into it.
For a farm-to-table restaurant, food costs are significantly driven by the local farmers from which the ingredients are sourced from. In general, restaurants that source their ingredients locally or from sustainable sources tend to have higher food costs than those that buy pre-packaged products from larger distributors. The cost of organic items can also be significantly higher than conventional ingredients.
Additionally, some restaurants may choose to prepare more dishes from scratch, which can also drive up food costs due to the time and labor involved in doing so. Ultimately, farm-to-table restaurants will have higher food costs than traditional restaurants due to the quality of their ingredients and the emphasis on using locally sourced goods whenever possible.
However, the additional cost associated with sourcing and preparing fresh ingredients is typically offset by higher margins on menu items and customer loyalty for supporting sustainable food production.