With COVID-19 vaccinations increasing, the NPD Group predicts that restaurants will reach 91 percent of pre-COVID traffic levels this spring, which may warrant sighs of relief from operators after what was a challenging year for the entire industry. It is, no doubt, an exciting prospect for diners too, who have been looking forward to eating out for more than a year. However, the dining out experience will likely look different post-COVID.
During quarantine, commuting patterns and daily routines were disrupted, which gave diners more flexibility to eat at non-traditional times of the day and caused a shift in eating habits. While other dayparts saw a decline in 2020, the P.M. snack daypart gained share of occasion last year, with established QSR chains leading the growth.
The top menu items for the P.M. snack occasion include convenient and portable options like burgers, fries, and chicken (wings, sandwiches, and nuggets). Fortunately for operators who may still be serving limited menus in an effort to increase kitchen efficiencies and cost savings, these same items can act as the foundation for LTOs to add variety to a menu. One way to efficiently and cost-effectively experiment with trending flavors is with the use of bold sauces. Sauces can completely change the flavor profile of a menu item and, when prepared with versatile ingredients, don’t have to require a larger inventory or increased costs.
Golden Award® Buttery Flavored Oil from Bunge Loders Croklaan has a rich buttery taste and authentic buttery appearance, and it works great as the foundation for a variety of flavorful sauces, including cowboy butter and hollandaise. Golden Award is shelf-stable, costs less than butter, and can also be used for sauteing and pan frying, grilling, and baking to add further efficiencies to your kitchen. Visit our website for a rebate offer.
This post is sponsored by Bunge Loders Croklaan