Menu rock stars can be made as well as born with the help of marketing efforts that build buzz and nurture demand and sales, as the dishes in the Marketing a Win category prove.
In addition to photos to promote its sandwiches, Even Stevens commissions local artists to create food illustrations for each product. Art prints are made available as takeaways in an effort to encourage a sticky guest experience, says COO Michael McHenry. It’s also a way to begin a dialogue with the communities surrounding the chain’s locations, he adds. Its top-selling Mihami Vice is Even Stevens’ nod to the Floridian cubano—with a tongue-in-cheek name that makes people want to try it.