A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM

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1 APRIL 2014 BALLPARK BUZZ THE NEW FACE OF STADIUM MENUS A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM

2 ARPIL 2014 NOTABLE TRENDS These are a few of the trends you ll find on multiple ballpark park menus this year: PREMIUM BURGERS Sushi has been on the menu at New York s Yankee Stadium for over 5 years, and now you can find it at many ballparks across the country. GLUTEN-FREE BURRITOS BACON CRAFT BEER WINE BRISKET PASTRAMI SHORT RIB TEXAS TOAST FLAVORED MAYO PRETZEL BUNS MEAT+APPLES EGG TOPPERS WAFFLE CARRIERS BELGIAN FRITES DINERS FARMERS MARKETS TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME BUY ME SOME CRAFT BEER AND KOREAN TACOS If you haven t been to a baseball stadium lately, you may be surprised by the menu. You ll still find hot dogs, peanuts, and nachos, of course, but at today s stadiums that s just the beginning of the expansive selection available, with something for every taste and diet. In fact, each ballpark offers up a small slice of the trends taking over menus across the industry you ll find gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian options, lighter kid s menus, local craft beers and better burgers, outrageous stunt foods to grab some attention, decadent menu items like red velvet cake and bread pudding at highend club restaurants, and street foods and food truck fare at concession stands. Many parks are partnering with local operators and celebrity chefs to offer up regional favorites and tap into the operator s local network of farms and producers. Now you may be able to buy a piece of fresh produce directly from a small farm cart within the park (possibly in partnership with a local farmers market) or select locally-grown fresh vegetables to add to your meal at a chopped salad or wrap stand. But ballparks are still places to splurge a little (or a lot), and now almost every park has a menu item designed to gain attention and press five-pound burgers, two-foot hot dogs, etc. In the pages ahead you ll find many dishes topped with potato chips or Doritos, burgers that dare you to finish them, and even a BBQ parfait that has its own Twitter account. In this month s edition of, your free monthly TrendSpotting Report from Datassential, we bring you an in-depth look at ballpark menus, including the wide range of new items added to stadium menus for the 2014 season. Play ball! Cover Photo: Garlic fries at the Seattle Mariners Safeco Field 2

3 TWISTS ON CLASSICS ARPIL 2014 Although classic ballpark franks and bags of peanuts aren t going anywhere soon, ballparks have followed the rest of the industry by updating these traditional favorites to make them more interesting, often with unique or premium toppings. Brunch Burger BURGERS The "better burger" trend has made its way to the ballpark; now you can find local, grass-fed, or handformed patties -- or all three -- topped with unusual toppings. Denver s Coors Field partnered with the local "craft casual" operator CHUBurger to serve "all-natural, grass-fed burgers" with fresh cut fries, while both Boston s Fenway and Philadelphia s Citizens Bank Park have a burger topped with a fried egg -- the latter with pepper jelly and oven-roasted tomato. You'll also find a fried egg, drenched in sharp cheddar cheese, on the Brunch Burger at Pittsburgh s PNC Park, topping a patty that is 60% beef and 40% bacon, served between two doughnuts. Chicago s U.S. Cellular Field tops a cheeseburger with a scoop of bacon macaroni and cheese, while Cincinnati s Great American Ballpark features a 1900 Burger made from house-ground short rib, top round, and bacon. Poutine Dog HOT DOGS Detroit's Comerica Park has a new Poutine Dog on the menu, topping a natural casing frank with French fries, cheese curds, and beef gravy, which joins a Pork & Beans Dog, Late Night Dog (fried egg, bacon, and cheddar), and Slaw Dog. Citizen's Bank Park added a Philly Cheese Steak Dog, served at a hot dog and beer pairing stand called the Philly Frank and Stein, while Arizona s Chase Field serves a Venom Dog, topping a foot-long habanero sausage with beans, guacamole, and sour cream. As part of their 100th anniversary celebration, Chicago s Wrigley Field is offering up a hot dog inspired by every decade the park has been open, from the 1950s TV Dinner Dog (with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn) to the 1990s Bagel Dog. The park was also the first in the country to offer permanent concessions, though today the old stands limit the types of modern kitchen equipment that can be installed. Tatchos Brisket Grilled Cheese NACHOS Nachos aren't just for tortilla chips anymore. PNC Park added Tatchos to the menu -- fried sea saltseasoned tater tots smothered in chili, spicy nacho cheese, green onions, and sour cream. Aramark's park GM, Steve Musciano, told QSR that the dish has been so successful they will be rolling out to more locations. Atlanta s Turner Field added the Circle Changeup Nacho, topping corn chips with chorizo and queso blanco, and Cutter Nachos, topping white corn tortilla strips with tequila marinated steak; both are topped with jalapeno peppers, fresh avocado cut in front of the guest, green onions, iceberg lettuce, black olives, black beans, and pico de gallo. Toronto s Rogers Centre added 12 Signature Nachos topped with home-cooked kettle chips with warm cheddar cheese, charred corn and roasted pineapple salsa, peameal bacon (a local favorite made with cornmeal), salsa verde, diced tomatoes, shredded pickles, and a jalapeno-infused island sauce. GRILLED CHEESE Today's grilled cheese sandwiches go well beyond cheddar and American. At Citizen's Bank Park, the Brisket Grilled Cheese features house-braised and smoked brisket with pepper jack cheese on griddled Texas toast. PNC Park features The Closer, with a whopping nine different types of cheese (provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, gouda, cheddar, pepperjack, Swiss, bleu, and feta) between four thick-cut slices of sourdough, garnished with candied bacon, leeks, and a granny smith apple compote. At Cardinals Nation, an entertainment district developed by the St. Louis Cardinals, the two-story restaurant offers plenty of updated comfort food favorites on the menu, including the World Champion Grilled Cheese featuring fontina, white cheddar, monterey jack, and provolone on toasted sourdough (though the park notes the deviled eggs have been the top seller, so far). 3

4 ARPIL 2014 The Seattle Mariners offer gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options at The Natural stand and local Ballard Bee Co. honey topping local Beecher s cheese curds as a new concession item. HEALTHY & FRESH Today every park offers healthier fare, including wraps, sushi, salad stands, fish tacos, and more, and most cater to special diets, including gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan fans over 25 ballparks offer veggie hot dogs. And this year Sodexo announced they have joined the Partnership for a Healthier America, with plans to offer a healthier kids meal in 40% of their cultural destination accounts by next year, including ballparks. GLUTEN-FREE/VEGAN PNC Park has a new Just4U Station, with gluten-free salad options featuring local, seasonal fruit and veggies. At Washington D.C. s Nationals Park an exclusively vegetarian stand Field of Greens will open featuring veggie cheesesteaks, a Greek salad, and a grilled portobello burger. Chase Field features the Bisbee Tamale, a vegan tamale stuffed with soy chorizo, potatoes, and pinto beans topped with salsa roja and guacamole. At Fenway, the gluten-free hot dog cart offers Fenway franks, brownies, cookies, muffins, and chips. SALADS/FRESH PRODUCE New York s Citi Field will provide fresh vegetables and herbs for use in the Delta Sky360 and Acela Clubs from the new rooftop Flushing Farm. The park also features fresh seasonal salads, fruit parfaits, and a fresh whole fruit cart at the World Fare Market. Green Fork, at Houston s Minute Maid Park, offers three $8 salad options made-to-order. Fresh cucumbers show up at a number of parks, including cucumber mint lemonade (with optional vodka) at Minneapolis Target Field and the Summer Dog (brought back from a few seasons ago) at Citizen s Bank Park topped with cool cucumbers, pickled onion salsa, and ancho chile sauce. LOCAL TASTES Many stadiums partner with nearby operators and well-known chefs to include specialties and local favorites on the ballpark menu, while regional dishes, ingredients, and produce can be found in everything from the beer to burgers. LOCAL BEER Cincinnati s Great American Ballpark features a new Reds Brewery District, an 85-foot-long bar with 60 taps, 23 of which are dedicated to craft beers, with a dozen local options on a regular rotation. The park also offers two new Moerlein Lager House Craft Beer stands, with several of the local brewer s beers on tap. Seattle s Safeco Field, which is well-known for its beer selection, is offering new Cask Conditioned Ales from local breweries, made with unfiltered, unpasteurized beer that finishes fermenting in the cask from which it is served. FRESH SEAFOOD At coastal stadiums seafood is a must-have. Nationals Park features crab in a wide variety of options. In 2012 the park added the crab pretzel (a toasted pretzel split open and stuffed with cheese and crab) and this season they added a Chesapeake Crab Co. stand serving crab nachos, crab balls, and crab grilled cheese. At Citizen s Bank Park, Prince Edward Island Mussels are cooked with shallots, bacon, and a craft beer ale sauce, served with a grilled baguette. San Francisco s AT&T Park offers a Big Bridge Sandwich with Bay shrimp and fresh Dungeness crab on authentic San Francisco sourdough bread. And Safeco Field, in Seattle, has freshly shucked oysters and both a salmon chowder and salmon sandwich courtesy of local chef Ethan Stowell. 4

5 OUT-OF-THE-BOX Like many QSRs that have attempted to cut through the noise and create a much talked-about food sensation (see last month s issue of Creative Concepts for more on this topic), ballparks have added a number of over-the-top dishes to the stadium menu for fans looking to indulge. Most parks offer a bacon-wrapped hot dog, and now you ll find bacon ground into burgers, bacon slab sandwiches, and bacon-on-a-stick. Some stadiums have taken inspiration from Taco Bell and added Doritos to an item. And you ll find a number of massive creations that are often marketed with a contest finish the meal and win tickets or a t-shirt, for example. ARPIL 2014 Frozen Beer FROZEN TREATS At U.S. Cellular Field, the Banana Split Sundae Helmet is a three-pound banana split with four scoops of ice cream topped with caramel, strawberry, and chocolate sauces topped with whipped cream and cherries, served in a plastic batter s helmet. The Texas Rangers have Frozen Beer on the menu, a cup of beer with a head of frozen beer swirled on top (you can also order beerbattered fries at the park). BACON The Bacon, a new sandwich at the Cincinnati Reds Great American Ballpark, features a one-pound slab of bacon topped with shredded lettuce, tomato and black pepper mayo on an artisan roll, served with chips, a pickle, and potato salad. Fans can also take on The Bacon Challenge eat four sandwiches, plus the sides, in one inning. Both U.S. Cellular Field and the Texas Rangers added bacon on a stick to the menu; the Ranger s version features Hungarian bacon dipped in maple syrup. HOT DOGS & CORN DOGS Last year, in addition to a 24-inch-long shaved steak sandwich, 24- inch quesadilla, and 1-pound burger, the Texas Rangers introduced the Totally Rossome Boomstick, which piles brisket and Doritos on top of a 2-foot hot dog. Chase Field added an 18-inch corn dog, the D-Bat, stuffed with bacon, cheese, and peppers for $18. A representative for the park said they sold 300 on opening day and plan on adding more carnival-style food in the future. D-Bat Bacon on a Stick BURGERS The Tampa Bay Rays have a 4-pound Fan vs. Food Burger at Tropicana Field, served with a pound of fries. Fans who successfully eat the 5 pound meal receive tickets to a future game. Kent Hrbek s Pub, inside Target Field, serves up a bloody mary garnished with an entire cheeseburger on a stick. Pulled Pork Parfait BRISKET & PULLED PORK Brisket and Doritos are also featured in the Brisket Dorito Bag, a take on a walking taco topped with cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, and chives at Miller Park in Milwaukee. And the Pulled Pork Parfait, introduced at the Brewers Miller Park last year, is layered with pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and pork gravy. The menu item caused such a sensation that a fan even created a Twitter account just for the dish. 5 Fan vs. Food Burger

6 MINOR LEAGUES, MAJOR EATS Minor League teams are known for their outlandish stunts, and their concessions are no exception. Akron, Ohio s Canal Park has an entire Extreme Foods menu, which was expanded this year to include items like the Pineapple TeriyAKRON Bowl, filling a hollowed pineapple bowl with teriyaki rice, and a beer float that tops vanilla ice cream with Irish stout, chocolate sauce, and sprinkles. Last year the league held a contest for the best ballpark concession. The top prize went to a 5-scoop sundae from the Toledo Mud Hens, but nominees included: The Homewrecker: Three half-pound hot dogs, 1 ½ pounds of French fries, two pounds of chili, ¾ pound of cheese, diced onions, and bacon. Clawlossal: A foot-long chili cheese dog with pub chips, an 8 oz. burger, a pulled pork sandwich, a corn dog, five onion rings, two jalapeno poppers, and two pickle spears, with fans who eat the entire meal winning the cost of the meal and a t-shirt. The Moby Dick: Five quarter-pound fish filets, 8 slices of cheese, 6 oz. of clam strips, 1/3 lb. of French fries, a cup of cole slaw, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, tartar sauce, on a hoagie roll. Bats and Balls: Rocky Mountain oysters (bull testicles), peeled, pounded flat, coated in flour, salted and peppered, deep-fried and served on a bed of French fries Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Brat: A traditional bratwurst between a Voodoo Doughnut bacon maple bar. Other options included a hot dog wrapped in a funnel cake, deep fried chicken bog balls, fried asparagus, a Surf and Turf Burger topped with a whole soft shell crab, and Fried Moon Pies (part of Fried Day at Knight s Stadium). The West Michigan Whitecaps Auger Dogger, a fried hot dog wrapped in spiral potato chips. The Choomongous is a 24-foot-long Korean barbecue sandwich at Globe Life Park. ARPIL 2014 GLOBAL TASTES The extraordinary variety of ethnic eats found at ballparks reflect both the more adventurous palates of fans and the demographics of each individual ballpark. Now many parks have global concession areas featuring everything from sushi to bao, elote to tongue tacos. LATIN Latin-inspired dishes can be found at many parks, with new menu items featuring more adventurous, and often authentic, flavors. At Safeco Field fans can enjoy the returning Lengua (Tongue) Tacos, while Citi Field features on-trend El Verano Taqueria Elote on the menu. At Comerica Park the Street Tacos offer a choice of slowroasted chicken, pork, or beef barbacoa on corn or flour tortillas topped with pico de gallo, cheddar and cotija cheeses, onion, cilantro, lime, and taco chili sauce. Chilies can also be found in the Adobe Mango Chicken Sausage at U.S. Cellular Field, which mixes all-natural chicken with mango and adobe chilies made by local meat purveyor Bobak s. ETHNIC MASH-UPS Korean tacos, the food truck staple, have found their way to many ballpark menus, and now Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas has a two-foot long Korean barbecue sandwich called the Choomongous. The sandwich, which is topped with a spicy slaw and sriracha mayo, is sold in its own case for $26. Minnesota s Target Field also has a mashup on their menu with the Porketta Slugger, which fills an egg roll with porchetta and cream cheese served with a house-made red sauce. The park also partnered with a number of local operators featured in last year s Dine Around: Minneapolis/St. Paul, including Butcher & Boar and Izzy s Ice Cream. PIEROGIS Pierogis are becoming a more common concession at ballparks, even as a topping. Three years ago the Pittsburgh Pirates (who also feature a pierogi mascot race during the game) introduced the Pulled Pork and Pierogi Stacker sandwich on a pretzel roll, and this year they top a Hebrew National foot long hot dog with mini potato pierogis, coleslaw, and homemade onion straws. 6

7 ARPIL 2014 HUNGRY FOR MORE? This is just a small taste of the research and data we have collected in order to make accurate, data-backed trend identifications. Now let Datassential take you deeper into the implications of these trends and what they mean for your company. We can take you behind the data that shows how restaurant menus are shrinking and morphing, show you an in-depth look at the surprising demographic data on consumers (including Millennials) that informed these trends, and show you real-world examples of every trend covered. And it s all backed by the industry s most accurate and trusted menu database, MenuTrends, and the industry s largest operator research panel, OPERA. To start putting these trends to work for you, contact Datassential today: info@datassential.com 7

8 ARPIL 2014 A MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS SAY THEIR TASTES ARE SHAPED BY THEIR RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES What s happening on the menu today can be a leading indicator of tomorrow s food trends. Datassential MenuTrends tracks 7,000 distinct US restaurants and over one 1 million menu items. Because the database is designed to mirror the US restaurant census by segment, region, and menu type, MenuTrends is the only system that offers true projectable data. All segments and cuisine types are tracked extensively from food trucks to fine dining. MenuTrends INSIDER is also updated every month with Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and other new menu activity, with product photos that bring the listings to life. And with thousands of ready-to-use reports and simple trend detection tools, you can jump right into the database, identifying, measuring, and predicting the food and flavor trends that matter to your business. Call us today to begin using the food industry s authoritative resource for flavor trends. Call Jack Li at or jack@datassential.com. 8

9 ARPIL 2014 TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH S TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS ON THE MENU In the March issue of On the Menu, we traveled to Italy to check out gelato, negronis, and sea beans; discovered the vibrant taste of Japanese spice blends togarishi and furikake; and looked at the healthy ingredients broccolini and fresh-squeezed juice. And in our coverage of new menu items and LTOs at top chains, we looked at fish tacos spicing up lent menus as well as curries, sriracha, bananas, hybrid desserts, and so much more. UPCOMING: We cover Kewpie mayo, nut milks, scotch eggs, picklebacks, brie, and cranberry. DINE AROUND: HONOLULU In last month s Dine Around we covered the exceptional seafood and vibrant tropical produce in Honolulu, from favorites like macadamia nuts, shave ice, and kalua pork to new tastes that would be brand new to many mainlanders lilikoi, malasadas, crack seed, and li hing mui powder, just to name a few. UPCOMING: We check out Nashville s trendy food scene, including local favorites like Nashville hot chicken and fish, red-eye gravy, and the meat and three. CREATIVE CONCEPTS: LIMITED TIME OFFERS In Creative Concepts, we took an in-depth look at the operators who are trying to create the next viral food sensation with long lines, limited amounts of food, and extreme LTOs to create buzz, demand, and craveability, with extensive data on the foods consumers are willing to wait for and what makes a dish a must-try. UPCOMING: We ve got the password to get you into the New Speakeasy, which updates the prohibition-era bar with innovative cocktails and creative bar snacks. LAUNCHED THIS MONTH! INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS Datassential s newest TrendSpotting Report covers chain activity from a single country or region every month, with each issue covering chain operators within the country, brands that are moving into the U.S. market, and/or how well-known operators are adapting their menu for the local market. Contact Maeve Webster at maeve@datassential.com or to request a free trial subscription! 9

10 SPECIAL REPORT SERIES SYSCO US FOODS MERGER This upcoming special report series from Datassential and The Hale Group brings you a comprehensive analysis of how the merger will impact operators purchase decisions. Who do they buy from? What do they buy? And why do they buy? For more information, contact Brian Darr at brian@datassential.com or ARPIL 2014 SUBSCRIBE TO DATASSENTIAL S TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS TODAY AND NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND CHOOSE YOUR PUBLICATIONS: ORDER FORM TRENDSPOTTER PACKAGE RECEIVE ALL PUBLICATIONS FOR A SPECIAL PRICE OF $17,000 ON THE MENU 12 ISSUES/YR $1,600 TIPS 4 ISSUES/YR $12,000 CREATIVE CONCEPTS 12 ISSUES/YR $1,600 DINE AROUND 12 ISSUES/YR $1,600 WORLD BITES 6 ISSUES/YR $4,500 INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS 12 ISSUES/YR $1,600 CALL TO LEARN ABOUT SPECIAL OPERATOR SUBSCRIPTION RATES CALL OR Have a question? Ready to order? Call Maeve Webster at or maeve@datassential.com. MAIL OR FAX: CONTACT INFORMATION: NAME TITLE COMPANY PHONE ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP 156 N. Jefferson St. Suite 407 Chicago, IL Fax: