Menu Development: Page 11

  • An image of CosMc's Berry Hibiscus Sour-Ade beverage
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    Permission granted by McDonald's
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    CosMc’s service model, pricing unlikely to hurt Starbucks, analysts say

    The concept’s drinks and snacks are similar to Starbucks and Dutch Bros’ offerings, but CosMc’s comparative discount may not make up for a “lack of human interaction,” per a William Blair report.

    By • Dec. 12, 2023
  • A sign for McDonald's new CosMc restaurant concept is in the foreground, with blue sky in the background
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    McDonald’s CosMc’s chain is coming for Starbucks customers

    The beverage-forward concept is targeting the “3 p.m. slump” — a daypart Starbucks is also working to improve — with highly customizable caffeinated beverages and select food items, CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors Wednesday. 

    By • Dec. 7, 2023
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    sam edwards via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Menu development

    Restaurants big and small are experimenting with their menus to align with the preferences of on-the-go diners and mitigate the impact of rising food costs, supply chain disruption and shrinking consumer discretionary funds. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • Red Robin menu items, including shrimp, fries and rigs atop white plates.
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    Permission granted by Red Robin
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    How 6 casual chains revamped their menus in 2023

    IHOP, Denny’s, Red Robin and TGI Fridays emphasized menu updates this year in a bid to boost traffic and sales.

    By • Dec. 6, 2023
  • A photo of Wawa pizza in a box.
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    Jessica Loder/C-Store Dive/Restaurant Dive
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    Column

    Fueling Up: People hate Wawa’s pizza. Here’s what the company can do about it.

    Critics and consumers have harshly judged the retailer’s pies since they debuted this summer. If sales are also poor, it may need to pull pizza from its menus, one expert says.

    By Brett Dworski • Dec. 5, 2023
  • A promotional image of Subway's footlong chocolate chip cookies.
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Subway will bring footlong cookie to permanent menu

    When the sandwich chain debuted the oblong dessert at a Miami “Cookieway” pop-up last year, supply ran out in less than two hours.

    By • Nov. 29, 2023
  • An image of a waitress serving three people at a table.
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    Hispanolistic via Getty Images
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    3 ways restaurants can drive traffic in 2024

    Operators are reaching a price hike ceiling as diners worry about their spending, but deep discounts can hurt margins, making it tricky to offer meaningful value, Deutsche Bank analyst Lauren Silberman said at RFDC.

    By • Nov. 28, 2023
  • A photo of meatloaf from Travel Center's of America's dinner menu.
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    Permission granted by TravelCenters of America
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    Can c-stores become dinner destinations?

    While the industry is better known for beverages and snacks, a growing emphasis on meals can open big opportunities for retailers with the right offers.

    By Jessica Loder • Nov. 28, 2023
  • Four Starbucks cold coffees topped with holiday themed cold foams.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks adds 4 holiday cold foam flavors

    Starbucks’ new holiday cold foam could help drive year-round consumption of cold coffee, even as customization strains store-level labor.

    By • Updated Nov. 29, 2023
  • An image of Popeyes' five wings flavors on an orange background
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    Courtesy of Popeyes
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    Popeyes adds wings lineup to core menu

    The menu expansion follows the chain's successful Ghost Pepper Wings LTO, which contributed to a 5.6% increase in same-store sales during Q3.

    By • Nov. 22, 2023
  • A Pizza Hut pie made with Beyond Meat pepperoni in the U.S.
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    Courtesy of Pizza Hut
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    Beyond Meat makes another push into restaurants with Pizza Hut pepperoni in the UK

    The LTO topping will be available starting in January. The plant-based pioneer has struggled to gain traction with similar partnerships in the U.S. 

    By Christopher Doering • Nov. 21, 2023
  • A photograph of IHOP's Eggs Benedicts
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    Courtesy of IHOP
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    IHOP, Applebee’s lean into menu development to drive sales

    IHOP rolled out its biggest menu update in its history this year, which led to an uptick in sales, and Applebee’s is testing 200 items as part of its own update.

    By • Nov. 16, 2023
  • Unrecognizable black father carrying Thanksgiving turkey while serving it for his family in dining room.
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    skynesher via Getty Images
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    Report: 64% of diners to order holiday items from restaurants

    Thirty-seven percent of consumers say they would rather order their entire holiday meal from a restaurant, according to a HungerRush survey. 

    By • Nov. 14, 2023
  • An image of Strawberry French Toast on a plate.
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    Courtesy of Denny's
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    Denny’s adds 9 items to permanent menu

    The chain also simplified its menu layout with fewer customizations and build-your-own categories in favor of highlighting breakfast items and value. 

    By • Updated Nov. 10, 2023
  • An in-store pizza shop at a grocery store.
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    Permission granted by Giant Food
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    Order up! How grocers are replicating the restaurant experience in retail

    As the gap widens between grocery and restaurant prices, food retailers see an opportunity to turn up the heat on their made-to-order meals to lure cost-conscious consumers.

    By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 9, 2023
  • A tech-driven salad bar in a grocery store.
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    Permission granted by Schnuck Markets
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    Deep Dive

    Foodservice ‘renaissance’: How grocers are spicing up their deli and premade meals

    As supermarkets increasingly replace restaurant meals, they’re looking to offer better prices alongside flavor innovation, deals and new shopping experiences.

    By Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 7, 2023
  • Starbucks all-day breakfast items, like sous vide egg bites, drive nearly half the chain's food sales in North America.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks to expand snacks, baked goods as food sales near $6B

    About half of those sales are driven by the company’s all-day breakfast items, including sous vide egg bites, breakfast sandwiches and breakfast wraps.

    By • Nov. 3, 2023
  • Melissa Jernigan, Founder and CEO of Piece of Cake with Scott Deviney, President and CEO of Chicken Salad Chick
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    Courtesy of Chicken Salad Chick
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    Chicken Salad Chick buys Piece of Cake to expand dessert menu

    The acquisition of the Georgia-based cake chain will likely help Chicken Salad Chick compete with the broader menus of fast casual rivals.

    By • Nov. 2, 2023
  • A promotional image for Wendy's 2-for-$3 breakfast bundles.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s breakfast discounts, late-night traffic buoy sales

    The chain has maintained strong profitability on morning daypart promotions, said CFO Gunther Plosch, and late-night sales have increased by double digits year over year. 

    By • Nov. 2, 2023
  • Twice Daily
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    Permission granted by Tri Star Energy
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    Twice Daily brings made-to-order foodservice to all locations

    After testing the concept at select locations earlier this summer and seeing positive results, the convenience retailer broadened the program.

    By Brett Dworski • Oct. 25, 2023
  • A promotional image for Marco's Pizza Pizzolis.
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    Courtesy of Marco's Pizza
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    Marco’s Pizza adds Pizzolis to check handheld pizzas at rival chains

    The menu item, described as a cross between pizza and a stromboli, comes as Marco’s aims to unseat Papa Johns as the nation’s fourth largest pizza brand. 

    By • Oct. 25, 2023
  • An image of three protein bowls from Sweetgreen
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    Permission granted by Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen heats up menu expansion with protein plates

    The addition of Miso Glazed Salmon, Southwest Chicken Fajita and Hot Honey Chicken plates are part of the chain’s plan to offer guests more dinner options.

    By • Oct. 24, 2023
  • A table with various menu items and new beverages from TGI Fridays
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    Permission granted by TGI Fridays
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    TGI Fridays extends menu shakeup with new appetizers, salads

    The casual chain’s latest upgrade follows the addition of its Grilled & Sauced menu and the expansion of its partnership with C3 to add more virtual brands.  

    By • Oct. 24, 2023
  • A photo of Rutter's loaded potato pizza.
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    Permission granted by Rutter's
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    Limited-time offers have come roaring back to life. Here’s how c-stores are capitalizing.

    LTOs are gaining steam and have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels as retailers and restaurants look to spur traffic with exciting new dishes.

    By Christine Blank • Oct. 23, 2023
  • Some of the new menu items offered by TGi Fridays in partnership with C3 and Happy Dad Hard Seltzer
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    Courtesy of TGI Fridays
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    TGI Fridays offers C3 virtual brand at 140 stores

    The Krispy Rice menu could yield $68.5 million in revenue at these locations, Fridays claims, and the chain plans to extend the virtual brand to over 300 units in 2024. 

    By • Updated Oct. 18, 2023
  • Girls having fun together outdoors in restaurant while taking selfie with smartphone
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    Adobe Stock/Vane Nunes

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    Sponsored by Mars Foodservices

    How to create menus that attract Gen Z customers

    What does Gen Z want? While there isn’t one answer, there are a few ways to entice this demographic.

    Oct. 16, 2023