Driven by a need for nourishment, distraction and other factors,1 in recent years, snacking has become somewhat of a national pastime.
Bite to Treat: Building the Best Between-Meal Snack Menu
Topics: Snacking, Noncommercial, Promotions, Salads, Side Dishes, Beverage, Business & Industry, Commercial, Cookies/Bars/Snacks, Beverages, Appetizers/Snacks, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Snack, Better-for-You, Bars, Single-Serve, Grab-and-Go, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Consumer, Menu Strategy, Sustainability, Food & Beverage, Packaging, Sales & Profitability, Brownies, Drive-Thru, Dessert Pizza, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Branded Ingredients, Consumer Behavior, Value, Indulgence, Limited Time Offers (LTOs), Dips/Spreads/Sauces, Sandwiches/Burgers, Prepackaged, Design, Functional, Healthful, Sweet, Breads/Muffins/Pastries, Fresh
Under Wraps: What’s Next for Off-Premises Packaging?
Off-premises dining now comprises a larger portion of overall sales than it did pre-pandemic in all six major restaurant segments (family dining, casual dining, fine dining, quick service, fast casual, and coffee and snack).1 No doubt, the demand for takeout will remain strong in the coming months as summer temperatures and higher vaccination rates prompt consumers to seek a convenient way to dine outside—and take leftovers home.
Topics: Noncommercial, Promotions, Marketing & Communications, Family Restaurant, Takeout, Regional, Business & Industry, Commercial, Quick Service Restaurant, Casual Dining Restaurant, Fine Dining, Delivery, National, Local, Beverages, Main Dishes, Lunch, Dinner, Single-Serve, Family, Freshness, Grab-and-Go, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Customer Experience, Consumer, Menu Strategy, Product Quality & Safety, Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Packaging, Sales & Profitability, Delivery App, Drive-Thru, Consumers, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Curbside Pickup, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Off-Premises, Consumer Behavior, Sandwiches/Burgers, Design, Digital/Online Ordering, Third-Party Delivery (3PD), Safety & Sanitation, Mobile App, Outdoor Dining, Waste Reduction, Touchless, On-Premises
Turning the Tables: Restaurant Operations Prep to Reopen (Part 1)
Bygone days of dine-in bliss may not be back just yet, but there’s no doubt about consumers’ hunger for their return. As government restrictions ease and restaurants start to reopen, foodservice operators need to be ready.
Topics: Takeout, Quick Service Restaurant, Delivery, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Customer Experience, Menu Strategy, Social Responsibility, Operations, Drive-Thru, COVID-19, Coronavirus
A Downturn’s Upside: Coronavirus Crisis Causes Outbreak of Good News and Goodwill at Foodservice Operations
COVID-19 (a.k.a. the coronavirus) may be an astonishing outbreak, but foodservice is far from broken. Though the dark clouds of coronavirus continue to gather, there have been bright spots that show the industry's resiliency and resolve.
Topics: Restaurant Operations, Trends, Independents, Family Restaurant, Regional, Commercial, Quick Service Restaurant, Casual Dining Restaurant, Meal Kits, National, Local, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Restaurant, Social Responsibility, Sales & Profitability, COVID-19, Coronavirus
Millennial Snack Trends Take a Bite Out Of Mealtime Business
As the grab-and-go foodservice trend continues to take hold of busy millennials, the definition of snacking seems to shift further from between-meal treat to convenient meal replacement. Recent survey results show that 92% of millennials eat snacks as meals at least once a week, 50% four times a week and 26% a minimum of seven times a week.1
With close to 40% of millennial survey participants saying a sit-down meal is too time-consuming and 17% “can’t be bothered to cook a meal,” speed and convenience are key reasons for the snack-as-meal-substitute phenomenon.1 Snacks present a low-cost, smaller portioned food solution that fits their active lifestyles. Nearly half rank convenience as the most important factor in choosing a snack.2
Topics: Millennials, Appetizers/Snacks, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Better-for-You, Menu