Breakfast continues to be an area of growth and point of focus for operators across segments. But it’s no longer just reserved for the morning hours. Millennials are more interested in breakfast for dinner than any other age group before them, and 48%of consumers overall enjoy eating breakfast foods at nontraditional times, according to Technomic’s MenuMonitor data.
And operators are listening. Au Bon Pain recently introduced items that range from baked goods to hot breakfast, all available from a breakfast bar through the dinner hours. Last year, McDonald’s started offering all-day breakfast, which has been a major factor in the burger chain’s turnaround.
Operators are giving consumers greater choices with innovative breakfast items to satisfy cravings all-day long—especially with the use of cheese. According to Technomic, 45.6%of operators offering breakfast menu items include cheese, and it’s easy to see why: Cheese can add craveability and indulgence to all-day breakfast items, and it can also give menu items premium positioning—and enable operators to charge a bit more.
Here’s a look at cheese offerings on all-day breakfast menus today:
- Au Bon Pain’s Good Egg Breakfast Sandwich features two eggs, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, avocado, spinach and lemon aioli, served on a rustic baguette.
- Denny’s Smoky Gouda Prime Rib & Broccoli Skillet includes prime rib, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and broccoli, served over whole grain rice and topped with Italian cheeses and Gouda cheese sauce.
- Jack in the Box’s Bacon and Egg Chicken Sandwich features a breaded and deep-fried all-white chicken breast topped with a fried egg, cheddar cheese, hickory-smoked bacon and bacon-mayonnaise sauce, served on a toasted English muffin.
This post is sponsored by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board