Compared to some of its casual-dining peers, Ruby Tuesday has been a bit quiet in the menu innovation department. But late last month, the Maryville, Tennessee-based chain introduced 14 limited-time offers, expanding menu choices across appetizers, entrées, burgers, cocktails, and desserts.
“We typically do six LTOs a year, but we took this as an opportunity to do something bigger, look at different ways we can start to attract new customers or introduce new tastes,” said Kevin FitzPatrick, chief marketing officer for Ruby Tuesday. “It’s giving us a chance to further optimize and explore what our guests want.”
What they seem to want are bigger portions and the biggest trends, delivered in an approachable, value-packed format.
A menu that tells a story
“We wanted to align a lot of the stories we’re telling with this new menu,” FitzPatrick said. That storytelling starts with summer.
Since people are looking for lighter fare in summer, the launch includes three lighter but protein-packed bowls. The Ahi Tuna Bowl is a riff on poke, while the Hot Honey Chicken Bowl taps into the still-hot hot honey trend. These bowls fill a gap at lunch and are geared to attract a younger, more female audience, he noted, but there’s also a Garlic Steak Bowl that’s more “masculine.” All are packed with protein — another trend Ruby Tuesday is capitalizing on.
Several of the new entrées also play up protein by offering bigger portions for big appetites.
“We started testing a bigger-size chicken breast, and then made sure we really filled the plate,” said FitzPatrick. “Looking around the industry, we noticed everyone cutting corners, but we are a value brand and wanted to deliver value in a different way. People walk away full, feeling like they got what they paid for.”
A larger 8-ounce chicken breast and a full rack of ribs define "big" in Ruby Tuesday's Big Chicken and Ribs Feast.
Ruby Tuesday now sources 8-ounce chicken breasts, which go into the indulgent Big Chicken and Ribs Feast and Big Country Fried Chicken Platter, as well as the Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich and Big Smokehouse BBQ Chicken Sandwich. All deliberately use “big” in the menu item name to attract guests with big appetites — Ruby Tuesday’s core customer.
“The Big Smokehouse BBQ Chicken Sandwich has that 8-ounce chicken breast, bacon, onion rings, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles, and comes in around $15,” said FitzPatrick. “Big on the plate and big on value.”
Ruby Tuesday’s steak kebab has long been a best seller, so the new Big Steak Kabobs entrée doubles the portion to a pound of meat. “We’re loading the plate for about $17,” said FitzPatrick. Same with the Big Shrimpin’ Platter, which offers a pound of shrimp. And for the Big Chicken and Ribs Feast, which sells for around $27, “we’re plus sizing” the protein with a full rack of ribs, a half-pound of chicken, and fries.
Smart supply chain management allows the brand to make margins on a dish that features a pricier protein.
“When the right product comes across at the right price, we’ll make a move on it and fit it into the menu,” FitzPatrick said.
Grilled chicken and other proteins are new add-ons at the Garden Bar.
The casual-dining chain has also enhanced its Garden Bar, a brand signature. The endless salad bar now offers protein add-ons including steak, shrimp, chicken, and salmon; what FitzPatrick is calling “Garden Bar 2.0.” Other upgrades include more lettuce options, fresh spinach, blue cheese crumbles, crispy jalapeños, and more seeds and nuts. Attached to an entrée, the salad bar is about $6; on its own, it’s approximately $15. Refills are unlimited.
Garden Bar 2.0 has already rolled out to about half the locations and will continue expanding to all 177 units in the next few weeks.
Playing with flavor
FitzPatrick admits that Ruby Tuesday is not the first mover when it comes to new tastes.
“Our guests are more traditional in nature, so a lot of time, we wait and see what happens in the marketplace and then introduce these flavors,” he said.
By now, Mike’s Hot Honey has been drizzled onto a lot of chain menus, and consumers are familiar with the product. Ruby Tuesday was ready to take the plunge and introduced a new Hot Honey Chicken Bowl. Same with the Dubai chocolate trend, which has been incorporated into the Dubai Chocolate Brownie Sundae, one of the new desserts in the 14-item limited-time launch.
The Ahi Tuna Bowl is targeted to more adventurous guests and those new to the brand.
Ahi tuna is another leap forward in terms of trendiness. Since Ruby Tuesday’s Hickory Bourbon Salmon has been one of the best performing items on the menu, the team felt ahi tuna would appeal to a similar customer. The Ahi Tuna Bowl also includes mango, cucumber, carrots, scallions, and rice, finished with Hawaiian barbecue sauce and crispy wontons.
The chain also expanded on the smashed burger trend, adding a boldly flavored Jalapeño Smashed Burger. The build includes seared jalapeños, melted cheese, and warm cheddar queso layered with two burger patties. It’s a flavor profile that speaks to a younger audience, FitzPatrick believes.
“All these foods and flavors overlap with our existing audience but allow us to go out to market and introduce new people to the brand with flavors they wouldn’t expect from Ruby Tuesday,” he said. “We’re known for burgers, ribs, and the garden bar, but we’re not known for ahi tuna.”
He likens the summer menu launch to a Venn diagram, where innovation intersects a bit with Ruby Tuesday’s core customers but can be marketed to new diners and build traffic.
What’s next?
The 14-item menu launch was in the works for a while — the dishes were developed, tested, and tasted internally for nearly two years.
“We actually tested six other burgers [along with the jalapeño version] that didn’t make the cut now, but may come to the menu later,” said FitzPatrick. “We’re always trying to innovate within the same categories and use new products to drive trial.”
On the beverage side, the chain tends to play it safe but is starting to get a little more adventurous, he added.
“We know what works best for us and what our customers like. Margaritas are our top sellers, as is our Ruby Relaxer.” The latter is a mix of Absolut vodka, Cruzan coconut rum, peach schnapps, and pineapple and cranberry juices.
The two Crafted Summer Sips introduced in June conform to that same fruity, colorful profile. The Blue Crush is made with Malibu Coconut Rum and blue raspberry, lime, and pineapple, while the Strawberry Sunset features Ruffino Pinot Grigio and strawberries.
On the nonalcoholic front, the chain is trying out the Remix Soda, which is similar to a dirty soda. There’s a Cherry vanilla Remix and a Peachy Cream Sprite, and guests are invited to add a shot of liquor if they like. These are doing well so far.
On the new food menu, the bigger plates also seem to be resonating with existing guests and burgers are on deck for fall. “But as we bring in new people with the new products we’re introducing this summer, that’s going to give us more freedom and permission to go down more innovative paths to reformulate what’s next,” said FitzPatrick.