And What It Means for Your Brand
1. The New Value at Play
Chain operators are restructuring menus around perceived value – not just cheaper items.
From major multi-units rolling out new value menus and bundles, to operators finding creative ways to menu smaller portions, the emphasis is on reframing value.
What to do about it:
Help operators understand how they can reframe value on their menus by using your products in different ways.
Showcase seasonal LTOs, improved off-premise options, and variety. Think flights, sample-to-menu options, customizations, and ways to scale menu items to smaller and even bite-sized portions.
Beware, though, of encouraging menu experiments that might cause end customer backlash against “innovations” that simply prioritize operational efficiency over experience, or are seen as an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of paying customers. (Panera Example)
2. DIY Delivers
Chains are getting ahead of customization requests with modular, build-your-own menus.
Presenting configurable options versus static lists, operators are redesigning menus to give their customers more control over how they eat and more reason to return for more.
What to do about it:
Rather than selling products, educate on how your products can enable menu solutions.
Drive home the versatility message but do it through the lens of the menu. Give them a daypart view of how one or more of your products can support cross-menu bundling. One product, ten formats. Help them design modular systems that can flex into regional preferences and cultural nuances. Show them what can be evergreen, versus what can be considered for seasonal LTOs.
Show operators how you can help them increase both new and return traffic, through the product portfolio and partnership solutions. Prepare case studies, custom analysis, and usable consumer trend insights – and compile everything into a menu-solutions POV. You’ll need to go deeper than the traditional POS, cutting, and reasons-to-believe types of marketing materials.
3. Multipurpose Performers
Operators are simplifying their menus in an effort to streamline costs.
They’re seeking products that can be used for many combinations and have enough shelf-life to stretch usage safely.
What to do about it:
Provide cost analysis tools in addition to creative-meets-practical menu ideas.
Rather than restating the same diluted features and benefits, get underneath the business matters, with margin and yield calculators, plate costs vs. menu price scenarios, and demonstrations of cost savings – be they related to waste, labor, or otherwise. Educate operators on how far your products can go to span kitchen usage, from packaging function to optimizing pantry / refrigerator / freezer space.
4. Digitized Experiences
Chains are rendering the menu contextual to the customer experience.
It’s one brand with multiple menus, differing by channel (app, delivery, drive-thru, on-premise). It’s all digital-first.
With this contextual shift in menu engineering, operators can take advantage of things like upselling via app algorithms, dynamic pricing per delivery mode, more bundling nuances, and combinations offered based on when customers are coming through the drive thru.
What to do about it:
Prove out a multi-menu, inclusive use case for your products, showing operators how one item can be used across ordering platforms and occasions.
Specifically, how can your products be used for variation in an app vs. delivery vs. drive-thru vs. in-store/on-premise?
In short, dial up your marketing efforts to communicate a message of value-meets-premium. And not just in breadth of offering, but new menu-applicable ways.
One item, ten formats!
