Operators have increasingly turned to limited time offers in recent years to entice customers and spur sales. In fact, Technomic research indicates that LTO launches among the biggest 500 chain restaurant and retail operations grew 64% from 2014 to 2019.1
Topics: Merchandising, Promotions, Independents, Family Restaurant, Takeout, Quick Service Restaurant, Casual Dining Restaurant, Delivery, National, Custards/Cheesecakes, Cookies/Bars/Snacks, Ice Cream Desserts, Main Dishes, Dessert, Chocolate, CHIPS AHOY!, OREO, Cookies, Dessert Ingredients, Grab-and-Go, Convenience, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Creative Inspiration, Customer Experience, Consumer, Flavors & Ingredients, Menu Strategy, Food & Beverage, Packaging, Sales & Profitability, Drive-Thru, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Curbside Pickup, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Branded Ingredients, Flavor Profiles, Consumer Behavior, Indulgence, Limited Time Offers (LTOs), Dips/Spreads/Sauces, Sandwiches/Burgers, Prepackaged, Nostalgia
Snacking has become increasingly popular in recent years—and shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2018, 80% of consumers snacked at least once a day.1 Two years later, 88% of adults surveyed for Mondelēz International’s 2020 State of Snacking™ report said they were noshing between meals just as much as—or more than—they did in 2019.2
Topics: Millennials, Trends, Promotions, Marketing & Communications, Side Dishes, Quick Service Restaurant, Appetizers/Snacks, Snack, Gen Z, Gen X, Baby Boomers, Gum & Candy, Single-Serve, OREO, Dessert Ingredients, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Consumer, Demographic, Flavors & Ingredients, Menu Strategy, Retail, Operations, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Branded Ingredients, Mashups, Flavor Profiles, Personalization, Consumer Behavior, Value, Indulgence, Customization, Limited Time Offers (LTOs)
COVID-19 certainly took a steep toll in 2020, but it was also the year chicken sandwiches soared to new heights of popularity. After Popeyes achieved sky-high sales with the launch of its fried chicken sandwich in August 2019, prompting Rival Chick-fil-A to start a social media war over whose sandwich is better, the chicken scratch was on the wall: There's big money to be made with chicken sandwiches.
Topics: Trends, Quick Service Restaurant, Flavors & Ingredients, Menu Strategy, Recipes, Food & Beverage, Sales & Profitability, Operations, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Sandwiches
The bigger they are, the harder for all seems to be a painful truth about the state of the foodservice industry as even the mightiest of major chains in traditionally strong markets struggles to persevere during the pandemic.
Topics: Trends, Quick Service Restaurant, Foodservice Industry, Sales & Profitability, Operations, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Fast-Casual Restaurant
Curbside pickup may have seemed like a pitstop on the road to a post-pandemic return to normal, but it continues to gain ground as a viable off-premises channel. Popular for its safety and convenience (allowing consumers to leave their homes and consume their food in the safe haven of their homes or cars), curbside pickup is becoming an entrenched pattern of behavior that's likely to continue after the outbreak subsides.
According to the market research firm Technomic, 40% of consumers surveyed have used curbside pickup during the pandemic, and 66% expect to continue using it once dine-in service returns.1 “While curbside pickup may have been introduced as a temporary solution during the pandemic, there is demand for this service long term as consumers become accustomed to it,” Technomic reports.2 As a result, curbside pickup is an area of opportunity for foodservice establishments. “Operators can consider whether or not they plan to offer curbside and, if so, invest in the service.”2
Topics: Trends, Takeout, Quick Service Restaurant, Foodservice Industry, Sales & Profitability, Operations, Coronavirus, Curbside Pickup
See how you can leverage 2020’s top trends to help tailor your menu for today’s evolving tastes.
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