Playing off the never-waning popularity of comfort foods, restaurant chains are elevating a tried-and-true ingredient to Big Lure status this month: Cheese.
Not that the uses are routine. Denny’s, for instance, is currently touting mac & cheese, but as a sandwich topping, not a side or entrée. The result is the Mac ‘n Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt, a burger dressed not only with the comfort favorite, but also additional cheddar cheese and a mayonnaise-y sauce.
The limited-time selection, a cornerstone of the chain’s new Let’s Get Cheesy menu, is the latest in the chain’s tribute to cheesy excess. Last year it showcased the Fried Cheese Melt, essentially four fried mozzarella sticks inserted inside a more traditional grilled-cheese sandwich.
It packed nearly 900 calories. But that could’ve been a diet selection compared with the Big Daddy. Denny’s hasn’t posted the new sandwich’s calorie count, but a regular patty melt is listed as having 1,040 calories, and other authorities have estimated the count at just about 1,700 calories.
The Big Daddy is one of six new cheese selections. Most of the others consist of familiar items, like a country-fried steak with eggs, garnished with cheese. As part of the promotion, cheese can be added to any menu item for an extra charge of 69 cents.
Denny’s isn’t the only chain on a quest to keep cows at full employment. The Qdoba burrito chain is calling attention to one of its signature ingredients with the launch of the Queso Quest truck in Chicago. A comedian is driving the truck around the Windy City to get locals to try the chain’s three-cheese queso as a topping on popular local foods.
It wasn’t crystal clear, to me at least, how queso on a deep-dish pizza is going to drive more people to Qdoba, and I’m a fan of the chain.
Then there’s the sizzle surrounding The Melt, the grilled-cheese sandwich concept that hit the pan this week in San Francisco.
Intended to serve as a chain prototype, the new outlet probably would have gone unnoticed for some time if it hadn’t been for two things: It’s the brainchild of Jonathan Kaplan, the inventor of The Flip inexpensive video recorder; and it uses what may be the most technologically advanced system in the industry for ordering a sandwich.Patrons use their smart phones to select what cheese, bread and other elements they want in their sandwich. The order is translated into a QR code that’s read at the store, so the order is automatically channeled back to the kitchen.
Cheesy? The initial reports from citizen reviewers have been very positive.
But not all the recent news has been good for cheese lovers. It slipped past the business press, but the industry lost one of its gods last week, and one who owed his notoriety largely to cheese.
Yes, Joey Vento, a.k.a. the founder of south Philly’s Geno’s (cheese) Steaks, died at age 71. Pat’s might be better known, but Geno’s could go onion to onion with its arch-rival, which was situated virtually across the street.
All we can say is, “Whiz, with, Joey. Whiz with.”
Showing posts with label restaurant menus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant menus. Show all posts
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The $75,000 question
Never mind the fireworks. The boom that should’ve had restaurant executives covering their ears last week was the bombshell observation by the company that runs Olive Garden.
The comment slipped past almost unnoticed during a routine presentation to Wall Street analysts. That’s ironic, since the aside was a DefCon 4 alert for casual dining to reassess what market it serves.
Most of that sector stands in awe of Olive Garden, a concept whose middle American take on Italian fare generates $4.8 million in sales per restaurant, much of it from high-margin pasta choices. But lately, the bloom has been off the rosè.
Sales have uncharacteristically stagnated for the brand, while sister concepts like Red Lobster, LongHorn and Capital Grille have enjoyed the sort of same-store sales increases (3.8%, 6% and 7.9%, respectively) that make you suspect steroid use.
“It’s worth noting,” observed Darden president and COO Drew Madsen, “that we’re continuing to see a narrowing in the casual-dining user base.”
He explained that the percentage of customers from households with an annual income of at least $75,000 “has significantly increased their share of traffic, both during the recession and after.” Not coincidentally, patrons from homes with paychecks of $60,000 now account for an appreciably smaller part of Darden’s clientele.
Madsen didn’t specify if the rising share of traffic was the result of an increase in visits by the higher-income group, or of a drop-off by the lower-income crowd. Even when pressed by financial analysts participating in the call, he and other Darden officials would only talk in terms of “share of traffic,” not absolute changes in visits by either group.
They were more forthcoming about the implications of the shift. To appeal to both the higher-income customer and the one with less than $60,000 in annual income, Olive Garden will strive to deliver what the execs termed “price certainty,” or a clearer idea of what a customer will pay.
“Customers aren't looking for a discount,” explained Clarence Otis, Darden’s CEO. “But they want to kind of know a little bit more, with a little bit more precision, what they're going to spend when they choose to go out.”
The execs noted that a similar strategy has worked well for Red Lobster. They cited the example of the seafood chain’s current promotional deal, a four-course meal for $15 per person.
Madsen noted that Olive Garden will take a more tactical approach with its advertising in the near future, delivering more of a “short-term call to action” than “longer-term equity building.” Deals will also give a set price, rather than the “starting at” level of past promotions.
The comment slipped past almost unnoticed during a routine presentation to Wall Street analysts. That’s ironic, since the aside was a DefCon 4 alert for casual dining to reassess what market it serves.
Most of that sector stands in awe of Olive Garden, a concept whose middle American take on Italian fare generates $4.8 million in sales per restaurant, much of it from high-margin pasta choices. But lately, the bloom has been off the rosè.
Sales have uncharacteristically stagnated for the brand, while sister concepts like Red Lobster, LongHorn and Capital Grille have enjoyed the sort of same-store sales increases (3.8%, 6% and 7.9%, respectively) that make you suspect steroid use.
“It’s worth noting,” observed Darden president and COO Drew Madsen, “that we’re continuing to see a narrowing in the casual-dining user base.”
He explained that the percentage of customers from households with an annual income of at least $75,000 “has significantly increased their share of traffic, both during the recession and after.” Not coincidentally, patrons from homes with paychecks of $60,000 now account for an appreciably smaller part of Darden’s clientele.
Madsen didn’t specify if the rising share of traffic was the result of an increase in visits by the higher-income group, or of a drop-off by the lower-income crowd. Even when pressed by financial analysts participating in the call, he and other Darden officials would only talk in terms of “share of traffic,” not absolute changes in visits by either group.
They were more forthcoming about the implications of the shift. To appeal to both the higher-income customer and the one with less than $60,000 in annual income, Olive Garden will strive to deliver what the execs termed “price certainty,” or a clearer idea of what a customer will pay.
“Customers aren't looking for a discount,” explained Clarence Otis, Darden’s CEO. “But they want to kind of know a little bit more, with a little bit more precision, what they're going to spend when they choose to go out.”
The execs noted that a similar strategy has worked well for Red Lobster. They cited the example of the seafood chain’s current promotional deal, a four-course meal for $15 per person.
Madsen noted that Olive Garden will take a more tactical approach with its advertising in the near future, delivering more of a “short-term call to action” than “longer-term equity building.” Deals will also give a set price, rather than the “starting at” level of past promotions.
Friday, May 13, 2011
A kick to fast food's buns
The quest for better burgers isn’t leaving the bun behind.
The sandwich upgrades underway at several major fast-food brands focus as much on the bread as what’s between it. The perfect example: Wendy’s, whose buns are about to be buttered.
And toasted, stressed Roland Smith, CEO of the chain and its parent company, Wendy’s/Arby’s Restaurant Group. The chain’s new Dave’s Hot ‘n Juicy cheeseburger line will be served on a toasted, buttered bun, Smith explained to financial analysts during a conference call this week. That twist will make the burgers better than the ones sold by Five Guys and In N Out, he asserted.
Indeed, he made that boast at least three times to the investors participating in the call.
Because the chain will install toasters for the burgers, it can also use a buttered, toasted foundation for its new chicken sandwich line, or what Smith called the Gold line.
The sandwiches will also feature what he described as a better fillet, a better marinade, and better breading. Still, he stressed the importance of the new bun in setting the offering apart.
A better bun is also one of the selling points for McDonald’s new premium chicken sandwich. It features what the chain calls a honey wheat bakery-style roll, and is also toasted.
It’s the latest step in McDonald’s march toward better bread. Its premium Angus burger line is similarly served on a bakery-style roll.
Jack in the Box is similarly using what it calls a bakery-style roll for its sirloin burger.
Clearly the fast-food sector isn’t living by the patty alone.
The sandwich upgrades underway at several major fast-food brands focus as much on the bread as what’s between it. The perfect example: Wendy’s, whose buns are about to be buttered.
And toasted, stressed Roland Smith, CEO of the chain and its parent company, Wendy’s/Arby’s Restaurant Group. The chain’s new Dave’s Hot ‘n Juicy cheeseburger line will be served on a toasted, buttered bun, Smith explained to financial analysts during a conference call this week. That twist will make the burgers better than the ones sold by Five Guys and In N Out, he asserted.
Indeed, he made that boast at least three times to the investors participating in the call.
Because the chain will install toasters for the burgers, it can also use a buttered, toasted foundation for its new chicken sandwich line, or what Smith called the Gold line.
The sandwiches will also feature what he described as a better fillet, a better marinade, and better breading. Still, he stressed the importance of the new bun in setting the offering apart.
A better bun is also one of the selling points for McDonald’s new premium chicken sandwich. It features what the chain calls a honey wheat bakery-style roll, and is also toasted.
It’s the latest step in McDonald’s march toward better bread. Its premium Angus burger line is similarly served on a bakery-style roll.
Jack in the Box is similarly using what it calls a bakery-style roll for its sirloin burger.
Clearly the fast-food sector isn’t living by the patty alone.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The publicity event is alive, but not necessarily well
A pink ass seldom sells restaurant meals, or at least not outside of certain neighborhoods in New York and San Francisco. But that didn’t divert the marketing ploy from express-line entry into the Restaurant Publicity Stunts Hall of Fame, which might have to open a whole new wing after recent weeks.
Indeed, we may be in a Golden Age of restaurant stunts, a reflection of the need to offset shrinking (or non-existent) marketing budgets with outrageous actions. That factor is changing the very nature of stunts. No longer are they single events, over and done in a flash.
Consider, for instance, how a newcomer to the better-burger market tried to set itself apart from the spatula-wielding pack. Twenty-three-year-old Lakita Evans decided to call her Waco, Texas, outlet Fat Ho. Its specialties include a Sloppy Ho, a.k.a. a brisket sandwich, and a Supa Dupa Fly Ho.
Evans hit the mark. Papers across the nation have reported on her venture, invariably focusing on the name and her age rather than the quality of the food and service.
Many of the reports noted that she was opening a pimp’s walk away from the Gospel Café, a ploy practitioner in its own right.
Neither should (or would) be confused with Buns, a burger joint in Chapel Hill, N.C.
And don’t expect to find More Than a Mouthful Burgers, the signature line of Hooters, a pioneer of the suggestive-name approach.
But the all-time winner of the double-entendre approach has to be Pink Taco, which, some of Reality Check’s readers in stained raincoats have informed me, is slang for female genitalia.
But the gynecology-inspired concept didn’t stop there. Last week, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, the Los Angeles casual restaurant decided to post something decidedly Mexican outside its tony Century City location. It took a donkey, or what patrons of the Gospel Café might know from their bible readings to be known also as an ass, and painted it pink.
The animal was staked outside the mall restaurant, “Pink Taco” written on its flank in what looked like a finger-painting endeavor.
The restaurant got attention, for sure. But unfortunately some of it came from animal-rights advocates, who moved in like vice cops staking out Charlie Sheen’s house. The restaurant agreed never to use a live animal in its promotion again.
But take heart: There’s still a respect evident among restaurant stunt-pullers for the classics. KFC, for instance, used the timeless stunt setting of a skyscraper’s upper floors to call attention to its new $5 bundled lunch meals. At noon today, someone dressed as Col. Sanders will rappel down 38 floors of a Chicago building to deliver lunches to window washers dangling outside the 40th floor.
Reports that the chain considered a flag-pole sitting contest could not be confirmed.
Even more conventional is what Arby’s is doing to introduce its new Grilled Chicken & Pecan Salad Sandwich and wrap—ironically, like KFC’s new lunch deal, a product intended to draw customers away from Subway.
The chain will give away free sandwiches and wraps to customers who buy a 22-oz. soft drink anytime before May 23. Patrons are then invited to vote for which they like better, the Arby’s sandwich or Subway’s Orchard Chicken Salad sub.
There’s been no response from Subway. Maybe it’s thinking up its own stunt.
Indeed, we may be in a Golden Age of restaurant stunts, a reflection of the need to offset shrinking (or non-existent) marketing budgets with outrageous actions. That factor is changing the very nature of stunts. No longer are they single events, over and done in a flash.
Consider, for instance, how a newcomer to the better-burger market tried to set itself apart from the spatula-wielding pack. Twenty-three-year-old Lakita Evans decided to call her Waco, Texas, outlet Fat Ho. Its specialties include a Sloppy Ho, a.k.a. a brisket sandwich, and a Supa Dupa Fly Ho.
Evans hit the mark. Papers across the nation have reported on her venture, invariably focusing on the name and her age rather than the quality of the food and service.
Many of the reports noted that she was opening a pimp’s walk away from the Gospel Café, a ploy practitioner in its own right.
Neither should (or would) be confused with Buns, a burger joint in Chapel Hill, N.C.
And don’t expect to find More Than a Mouthful Burgers, the signature line of Hooters, a pioneer of the suggestive-name approach.
But the all-time winner of the double-entendre approach has to be Pink Taco, which, some of Reality Check’s readers in stained raincoats have informed me, is slang for female genitalia.
But the gynecology-inspired concept didn’t stop there. Last week, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, the Los Angeles casual restaurant decided to post something decidedly Mexican outside its tony Century City location. It took a donkey, or what patrons of the Gospel Café might know from their bible readings to be known also as an ass, and painted it pink.
The animal was staked outside the mall restaurant, “Pink Taco” written on its flank in what looked like a finger-painting endeavor.
The restaurant got attention, for sure. But unfortunately some of it came from animal-rights advocates, who moved in like vice cops staking out Charlie Sheen’s house. The restaurant agreed never to use a live animal in its promotion again.
But take heart: There’s still a respect evident among restaurant stunt-pullers for the classics. KFC, for instance, used the timeless stunt setting of a skyscraper’s upper floors to call attention to its new $5 bundled lunch meals. At noon today, someone dressed as Col. Sanders will rappel down 38 floors of a Chicago building to deliver lunches to window washers dangling outside the 40th floor.
Reports that the chain considered a flag-pole sitting contest could not be confirmed.
Even more conventional is what Arby’s is doing to introduce its new Grilled Chicken & Pecan Salad Sandwich and wrap—ironically, like KFC’s new lunch deal, a product intended to draw customers away from Subway.
The chain will give away free sandwiches and wraps to customers who buy a 22-oz. soft drink anytime before May 23. Patrons are then invited to vote for which they like better, the Arby’s sandwich or Subway’s Orchard Chicken Salad sub.
There’s been no response from Subway. Maybe it’s thinking up its own stunt.
Monday, April 25, 2011
McDonald's quietly adopts handhelds
The proliferation of iPad-based menus and wine lists is generating buzz, but far more interesting is the quiet adoption of hand-held ordering devices by several quick-service giants.
McDonald’s revealed to investors last week that one advantage of its new POS system is adaptability to handhelds, “which we're beginning to implement more and more [in] the restaurants,” commented president Don Thompson. He also noted that the new POS system is compatible with dual drive-thrus.
mcDonald's is updating its sales technology in large part because the next generation requires less user input. Franchisees say an order can be input with fewer keystrokes and screens, speeding up service during crunch periods.
The operators have groused a little about the cost, which they have to absorb after investing in equipment to produce coffees, frappes and other high-ticket beverages.
Meanwhile, I can attest firsthand that Chipowithin using handhelds at some stores, including the one near Restaurant Business' headquartersb in the Wall Street area of New York. A staffer was using one recently to take orders from the queue of 35 or so people. You placed your order and payed. Then, when you got to the serving area, less info had to be provided, and the line did move faster.
The revelation about McDonald's use of handhelds came during a conference call on Friday with financial analysts. During the call executives also offered these news nuggets:
--The January offer of a 20-piece serving size of Chicken McNuggets led to a double-digit increase in sales of the product.
--McDonald's sales of hot coffee rose 17% year-over-year during the just-concluded winter.
--A frozen strawberry lemonade will be introduced in May, a part of the chain's efforts to match new drinks with the season. Thompson noted that a new smoothie flavor is also in the works.
McDonald’s revealed to investors last week that one advantage of its new POS system is adaptability to handhelds, “which we're beginning to implement more and more [in] the restaurants,” commented president Don Thompson. He also noted that the new POS system is compatible with dual drive-thrus.
mcDonald's is updating its sales technology in large part because the next generation requires less user input. Franchisees say an order can be input with fewer keystrokes and screens, speeding up service during crunch periods.
The operators have groused a little about the cost, which they have to absorb after investing in equipment to produce coffees, frappes and other high-ticket beverages.
Meanwhile, I can attest firsthand that Chipowithin using handhelds at some stores, including the one near Restaurant Business' headquartersb in the Wall Street area of New York. A staffer was using one recently to take orders from the queue of 35 or so people. You placed your order and payed. Then, when you got to the serving area, less info had to be provided, and the line did move faster.
The revelation about McDonald's use of handhelds came during a conference call on Friday with financial analysts. During the call executives also offered these news nuggets:
--The January offer of a 20-piece serving size of Chicken McNuggets led to a double-digit increase in sales of the product.
--McDonald's sales of hot coffee rose 17% year-over-year during the just-concluded winter.
--A frozen strawberry lemonade will be introduced in May, a part of the chain's efforts to match new drinks with the season. Thompson noted that a new smoothie flavor is also in the works.
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