are doing different promotions, but even on the full-service side … So what do you do if you’re a restau- rant? How do you then excite your consumers? Restaurants are trying to appeal to customers by bringing out the LTOs.” According to Technomic, limit- ed-time offers are up 46%, which is where most of the menu innovation is happening since the core menu at many restaurants has not changed much. Beverages are a particularly hot category for innovation, partic- ularly in the wake of non-alcoholic beverage chains growing in popular- ity, in categories like boba and dirty soda. “There’s a lot of trial and error go- ing on, and it’s typically all happen- ing on the LTO side,” Henkes said. “I increasingly believe that beverage is one of the battlefields for restaurant innovation right now. If you look at what McDonald’s did with CosMc’s, and H-Tea-O, Swig, 7Brew, creative beverage concepts and drive-thru beverages are having [a moment].” During Technomic’s second ses- sion at CREATE, Henkes and his col- league, Robert Byrne, director of consumer and industry insights at Technomic, noted that more than half of consumers say that the avail- ability of LTOs is important when de- ciding to eat at a restaurant. Non-al- coholic beverages and cocktails unsurprisingly make the list of the most popular LTOs of 2023, though that list also includes popular com- fort foods like ice cream and pizza. When it comes to successful LTOs, two factors seem to be import- ant for consumers: craveability and uniqueness: “That slight twist is the way to go,” Byrne said. For example, the top craveable LTOs of 2023 were variations on classic categories like steak and cake, and many included cheese as a primary ingredient. Many operators are leaning into menu innovation as a way to lure customers back without needing to discount — more than 85% of op- erators have changed their menus over the last year — with winning flavors including the sweet and sa - vory flavor combination and sauces and condiments as traffic-drivers, especially when they’re spicy, chile- based sauces or ones that derive from global flavors, like gochujang and hot honey.
RESTAURANTS 2030 Technomic’s David Henkes examines the state of the restaurant industry and provides insights into the issues keeping operators up at night.
TOP TRENDS SHAPING FOODSERVICE
Powered by Technomic’s menu and consumer data, this session delves into important top-of-mind macro trends impacting menus and consumers to help you plan for the future.
CREATE 2024 31
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