menu trends

Topics

Help drive sales of plant-based menu items with potatoes

As more consumers continue to reduce their consumption of animal-based foods and adopt flexitarian diets, restaurant operators can help drive sales of plant-based menu items by incorporating familiar ingredients that appeal to a broader audience, such as potatoes and fries.

Food

Children’s menus now must meet stricter requirements for National Restaurant Association certification

After 10 years, the Association updated its Kids LiveWell program to conform with current nutrition science.

With current supply chain and labor shortages, along with other post-pandemic challenges, it may be time for operators to rethink the way they develop and promote limited-time offers.

The industry recovery will continue, but the limitations will have a big influence on the menu in the coming year.

Winter is in the air in some parts of the country and restaurants are already gearing up with hot, meaty sandwiches, comforting soups, seasonal cocktails and other items to beat the chill.

A dip that originated in the Middle East has gone mainstream on fast-casual and school-lunch menus. Now new variations are coming out of those roots.

Beef supply challenges and high demand have pushed brisket prices up to levels not seen before, forcing some operators to re-strategize.

Three globally flavored bowls join the fast casual’s salad and sandwich lineup, all boasting the “Mendo twist” and primed to build dinner business.

Plant-based dishes, cocktails, mac and cheese and hearty hot sandwiches are all trending, while several operators scare up spooky LTOs for Halloween.

Chick-fil-A does an autumn milkshake; broccoli stars at Sonic; Condado Tacos turns to pears; and Tim Horton’s and Snooze A.M. Eatery stick with pumpkin.

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