Menu Development: Page 4


  • Person in suit holds Qdoba queso
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    Courtesy of Qdoba
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    Qdoba looks to own National Queso Day on its way to national expansion

    New menu item Queso Apocalypto reflects the popularity of spicy foods and arrives as the chain ramps up marketing to Gen Z and adds locations.

    By Aaron Baar • Sept. 24, 2024
  • Castor River Habitat & Farm packaged rice
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    Permission granted by Castor River Habitat & Farm
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    Sponsored by Our Farms

    Just Salad sources regenerative rice

    It started with a simple vision: food that tastes great and doesn’t cost the planet. For Just Salad, that vision guides everything from pioneering carbon-labeled menus to their famous reusable bowls

    Sept. 23, 2024
  • A photograph of chefs in a kitchen. Explore the Trendline
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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
  • People enter a McDonald's restaurant that has posters on the windows advertising meal deals.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Why consumers, not restaurants, are dictating value

    Guests with tighter budgets are seeking out more affordable options, and restaurants — desperate for their dollars — are responding with a battle for the best value offer. 

    By Sept. 18, 2024
  • MOD Pizza
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    Permission granted by MOD Pizza
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    Mod Pizza changes its menu pricing strategy

    The brand abandoned its “one price fits all” approach, regardless of toppings. Cheese and one-topping pizzas now cost less than multi-topping pies.

    By Sept. 18, 2024
  • A pair of hands holding a burger over a table set with other burgers.
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    Courtesy of Smashburger
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    Smashburger remakes its menu and its brand

    The chain launched the menu changes, including eight new dishes, after successful regional market testing.

    By Sept. 17, 2024
  • Tacos and a burrito made by IHOP on plates against a red table cloth.
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    Courtesy of IHOP
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    IHOP’s new menu innovates beyond breakfast

    With sales soft in recent quarters, the pancake chain is looking to boost visits outside its brunch and breakfast core.

    By Sept. 17, 2024
  • An combined image with tacos, burgers and other fast food items offered as part of value offeirngs.
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    Courtesy of Carl's Jr. and Taco John's
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    QSRs made 2024 the summer of value

    Nearly a dozen major QSRs launched limited-time and permanent value offerings to woo guests.

    By Sept. 3, 2024
  • A photo of a red and yellow fuel canopy. A logo on the canopy says "Rutter's."
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    Jessica Loder/Restaurant Dive
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    Q&A

    How Rutter’s keeps innovating its menu

    Philip Santini, senior director of advertising and food service, breaks down how the c-store retailer keeps offerings exciting and competes with restaurants.

    By Jessica Loder • Aug. 29, 2024
  • An image of Subway's footlong cookies, pretzels and churros
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Q&A

    How Subway developed its latest snackable menu items

    The chain’s latest menu innovations, from Subway Sidekicks to spicy sandwiches, appeal to guest demands for bolder flavors, Chef Paul Fabre said.

    By Aug. 28, 2024
  • An exterior shot of a Red Robin restaurant, which is lit from inside, at night
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    The image by Cbraccialini is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Red Robin reports highest guest satisfaction in nearly a decade

    Improvements to its labor model, increased focus on food quality and decreased wait times have all boosted the guest experience, the chain said.

    By Aug. 23, 2024
  • The exterior of a Cava in Chicago
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    Permission granted by Cava
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    Cava’s traffic surges in Q2

    Customers are switching to the fast casual chain from across the restaurant industry thanks to its moderate approach to menu pricing.

    By Aug. 22, 2024
  • Taco Bell breakfast burritos
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell will let franchisees stop breakfast

    Ditching the morning meal gives franchisees the flexibility to focus on other dayparts, the brand said.

    By Aug. 22, 2024
  • An image of several cherry and almond pastries with a spoon drizzling icing on top.
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    Courtesy of Panera Bread
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    Panera bakes up new pastries, sweets

    Months after its biggest menu transformation to date, the chain added five baked goods and three croissant breakfast sandwiches to its lineup.

    By Aug. 21, 2024
  • Freebird World Burrito's brisket-based menu items.
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    Courtesy of Freebird World Burrito
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    Sun Holdings buys 64-unit Freebirds World Burrito

    The Texas-based burrito brand is Sun Holdings’ second purchase of a brand, and proof of its ability to grow as a brand owner, CEO Guillermo Perales said.

    By Aug. 20, 2024
  • Sherif Mityas has been promoted to Brix CEO.
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    Courtesy of Brix Holdings
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    Q&A

    Friendly’s plans a comeback after decades of decline

    The CEO of the chain’s parent company says a new menu, store renovations and social media savvy moves are breathing new life into the retro brand.

    By Aug. 19, 2024
  • An image of serveral food items from Taco Bell's Craving's Value Menu
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    C-stores are taking aim at QSRs in the value war. Will it pay off?

    C-stores are using value offerings to compete with QSRs as consumers look for cheaper options.

    By Christine Blank • Aug. 16, 2024
  • A Chili's Burger framed by fries and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Brinker
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    Chili’s sees sales, traffic surge

    By emphasizing price competitiveness with fast food, Brinker International’s flagship brand avoided the downturn that has plagued other full-service chains.

    By Aug. 15, 2024
  • Kentucky Fried Chicken's 2024 $5 value deals: A chicken nuggets combo, a famous bowl with mashed potatoes and nuggets, and a 2-piece combo.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC expands $5 meal deal

    As U.S. sales shrink, KFC’s new value meals and several digital exclusives could help the chain win back consumers.

    By Aug. 13, 2024
  • Impossible Quality Meats menu
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    Permission granted by Impossible Foods
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    Impossible Foods opens first brick and mortar concept

    CEO Peter McGuinness said Impossible Quality Meats is part of the company’s mission to prove its plant-based products are not like “a warm beer or a cold shower.”

    By Elizabeth Flood • Aug. 12, 2024
  • A photograph of a Potbelly sandwich shop sign.
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    Andrew Burton via Getty Images
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    Potbelly boosts value scores with $7.99 Skinny Combo

    The deal hits a sweet spot for consumers who feel like they’re getting a filling meal without having to break the bank, CEO Robert Wright said. 

    By Aug. 12, 2024
  • A photograph of a pink building with white polka dots with a sign that says "The Original Rainbow Cone."
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    Permission granted by The Original Rainbow Cone
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    Deep Dive

    Dessert concepts are seeing record growth. But are they just a fad?

    To stay relevant, chains like The Original Rainbow Cone and Dirty Dough are expanding their menus beyond their core offerings.

    By Aug. 12, 2024
  • An image of a Noodles & Company restaurant with outdoor seating
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    Courtesy of Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company to add 3 new menu items in October

    The ongoing transformation, which will include new and improved dishes, will impact two-thirds of its offerings and help drive guest transactions.

    By Aug. 8, 2024
  • Rendering of a store design.
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    Courtesy of Knuckies Hoagies
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    Walmart adds hoagies to in-store restaurant roster

    The retailer plans to open 14 in-store Knuckies Hoagies locations across six states just weeks after announcing partnerships with Crave’s Hot Dogs and Mr. Gatti’s Pizza. 

    By Catherine Douglas Moran • Aug. 8, 2024
  • An image of Papa Johns sign on a store
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Papa Johns wants to improve its value perception

    After posting a comparable sales decline of 3.6% in North America, the chain is working to highlight its value offerings instead of just its premium products.

    By Aug. 8, 2024
  • An image of various chicken cantina items offered by Taco Bell
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell’s menu innovations drive US same-store sales

    The chain’s premium Chicken Cantina menu shifted its sales mix towards chicken by 10 points and joined other LTOs and value deals in driving sales growth.

    By Aug. 6, 2024