MAJOR. FoodBytes OUTLANDISH, HOT DOG PIZZA! PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BURGERS! DO CONSUMERS REALLY WANT TO TRY THE

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1 AUGUST 2015 HOT DOG PIZZA! PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BURGERS! DO CONSUMERS REALLY WANT TO TRY THE OUTLANDISH, ATTENTION-GETTING MENU ITEMS INTRODUCED BY MAJOR RESTAURANT CHAINS? AND DOES IT MATTER?

2 AUGUST 2015 PIZZA HUT HOT DOG BITES PIZZA 63% (100 th percentile) 34% (26 th percentile) STANDING OUT Major chains are unveiling unusual, over-the-top, in-yourface menu items and LTOs to cut through the noise but what do consumers think? When it was first introduced, Nation s Restaurant News said it was being described as the mythical creation of some dorm room junk-food-crazed daydream. It s either an abomination or a stroke of genius, wrote Grubstreet. Of course, three years later, Taco Bell s Doritos Locos Taco is a bonafide hit and part of restaurant history, with over a billion sold, according to the brand. It s not easy to introduce a truly revolutionary, attention-getting new product or dish these days everyone is trying to cut through the noise, hoping that Millennials discover their product and paste it all over social media. And with the trend cycle moving ever-faster, major brands have to move quickly, embracing new flavors or on-trend ingredients earlier and earlier. Look for Uniqueness ( How new and different is this item? ) and unbranded Purchase Intent ( If it were available, how likely would you be to order/buy this item? ) scores throughout this issue, plus some of the dishes that scored highest on Uniqueness in specific menu categories in the past year. But what do consumers really think about these new menu items and LTOs? Every month, Datassential tests these products hundreds of them with consumers using SCORES, the world s largest continuous concept test. We want to know what consumers think about the newest items hitting menus do they want to purchase them, how unique do they consider each item, would they visit a restaurant just to try that item? In this month s we look at the menu items, LTOs, and test items introduced in the past year that consumers rated the most unique to compare them to purchase intent whether consumers really want to order that item. Of course, sales or purchase intent may not even be the most important factor for many chains lots of press, social media mentions (the release of a new, over-the-top item often inspires a number of We tried this reaction videos online), and associating a brand with edgy products and innovative ideas may be just as important. While many of these dishes may not score well with consumers overall, they may resonate with particular demographics especially Millennials. If understanding what consumers think matters to you, ask us about subscribing to SCORES nearly 5,700 menu items already tested with consumers, and hundreds more added every month. Contact Dave Jenkins at or dave@datassential.com. 2

3 AUGUST % 30% HUNGRY HOWIE S BBQ CHIP FLAVORED CRUST (99 th percentile) (14 th percentile) INNOVATIVE PIZZAS Pizza may be the ultimate innovation platform you can top it with nearly anything imaginable, switch out the crust, or use pizza toppings on other foods to create pizza versions of the originals. Last spring Domino s unveiled its Specialty Chicken, which topped twelve breaded chicken bites with pizza toppings like sauce, cheese, vegetables, and more meat. And in April Carl s Jr. started testing Pepperoni Pizza Fries natural, skin-on fries topped with pepperoni, pizza sauce, and mozzarella. Pizza Hut earned substantial press for its Hot Dog Bites Pizza released in June (the chain tweeted It s real. to confirm that the outlandish creation wasn t a stunt) a pizza with 28 mini hot dogs wrapped in the crust. The chain had tested similar pizzas in the U.K. and Canada previously (to stay on top of international chain menu trends, be sure to subscribe to Datassential s International Concepts). And Little Caesar s had its own meaty crust creation Bacon Wrapped Crust Deep! Deep! Dish Pizza, wrapped in 3 ½ feet of bacon (plus pepperoni and bacon sprinkled on top). While Pizza Hut s menu revamp allows you to add flavor to the crust (with options like honey sriracha and salted pretzel), Hungry Howie s has long called itself the Home of the Original Flavored Crust Pizza. This summer the chain introduced a sriracha-flavored crust LTO, and for the previous two summers it has offered a BBQ Chip Flavored Crust, which Serious Eats called off-the-wall and potentially controversial compared to traditional flavors like oregano and garlic. At Papa John s, another snack chip provided the basis for a Frito Chili Pizza, released last fall. The pie featured ground beef, chili sauce, Roma tomatoes, onions, cheddar, and mozzarella, all topped with Fritos corn chips. Old Chicago also added its own chili-topped pizza, but with a global flare the chain s Thai Pie features Thai chili sauce in addition to roasted chicken, mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli, green onions, teriyaki, sesame seeds, mozzarella, and cheddar. Fifty-three percent of consumers said the pizza was unique, and it scored much higher with Gen X and Boomers (compared to Millennials) on purchase intent. CARL S JR. PEPPERONI PIZZA FRIES 61% (100 th percentile) (65 th percentile) LITTLE CAESAR S BACON-WRAPPED PIZZA 55% (99 th percentile) PAPA JOHN S FRITO CHILI PIZZA 53% 44% 50% (86 th percentile) 21% (98 th percentile) (2 nd percentile) 3

4 AUGUST 2015 POPEYE S RIP N CHICK N 52% 63% 37% (61 st percentile) 52% (91 st percentile) CRACKER BARREL CAMPFIRE CHICKEN (97 th percentile) (100 th percentile) OFF THE PLATE It s not just on-trend flavors that can infuse a little innovation into a dish some operators are using unusual serving methods to add a creative touch to the dining experience. Bonefish Grill s IN + ON Bar Menu features small plates with an interactive theme On the Bun Dim Sum Style Sliders which consumers stuff themselves, or In the Dough Doughnuts, served with miniature squeeze bottles of sea salt caramel and chocolate sauce which guests inject into the donuts. BONEFISH GRILL IN THE DOUGH DOUGHNUTS 59% 43% (100 th percentile) (61 tst percentile) At Popeye s, the Rip n Chick n earns press nearly every time the LTO is brought back due to its unique hand shape (often with a marketing campaign that explains how to rip and dip the product). Cracker Barrel has taken inspiration from a camping classic with their Campfire LTOs, which they have periodically re-introduced over the years full meals cooked and served in foil corn, carrots, potatoes, and more. And brands like Hard Rock and Bonefish have used tableside presses to infuse cocktails with fruits and other flavors. Hard Rock s beverage director told FSR magazine that consumer research showed that the serving vessel was just as important to consumers as the cocktail itself. PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY Peanut butter and jelly has been showing up in some unusual places lately. At Ram Restaurant & Brewery, the PBB & J Burger scored in the 100 th percentile on uniqueness in SCORES a brioche bun, seasoned grilled beef patty, jalapenos, cheddar-jack cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and peanut butter. Though the LTO was certainly polarizing with consumers overall, it scored far higher with Millennials in purchase intent 33% of Millennials said they would be interested in ordering the burger, versus 18% of Gen X consumers and 9% of Boomers. TGI Friday s PB&J Wings also rated highly for uniqueness, but the brand chose more well-known savory flavors to represent the peanut butter (a spicy-sweet Thai peanut sauce) and jelly (Habanero jelly), flavors that resonated more with both Millennials (35% would purchase) and Gen X (33%). Of course, peanut butter has always been a popular dessert/sweet flavor, but some chains continue to find novel ways to update this classic. Fifty-one percent of consumers said the Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate (made with Reese s peanut butter) at Sheetz was unique (the 97 th percentile), and 32% said they were interested in purchasing it. And 64% of consumers said the Peanut Butter Lasagna, offered as part of a special wine dinner at Carino s Italian Grill, was unique (the 100 th percentile) in fact, consumers rated it the most unique menu item offered at major chains in the past year, according to SCORES. The dessert features layers of homemade peanut butter cookies, fresh whipped cream, vanilla custard, and peanut butter cups topped with creamy peanut butter sauce and chocolate. 4

5 COFFEE CHAINS FOLLOW THE BUZZ Starbucks almost single-handedly introduced the flat white to many U.S. consumers earlier this year, prompting headlines like Starbucks is introducing a new drink that you ve probably never heard of (ABC News) and Starbucks to serve a coffee Americans know little about (CNN). RED ROBIN DIVALICIOUS RED WINE SHAKE AUGUST % 33% (99 th percentile) (23 rd percentile) So why add it to the menu? In fact, when we tested it with consumers in November 2014, before the introduction, 1 in 10 had already tried it, and 16% wanted to. As consumers become more trend-aware, the trend cycle is moving faster, and now chains are adding more adventurous options and global flavors to menus even earlier. In fact, we tested the flat white again for last month s issue of Creative Concepts: Third Wave Coffee, and today 48% of consumers want to try the drink. This summer major coffee chains were getting behind another coffee trend cold brew iced coffee, which appeared at chains like Peet s, Le Pain Quotidien, and Starbuck s, while Caribou already had three cold press options on the menu last summer. Peet s even took inspiration from Vietnamese and New Orleans iced coffees for its Black Tie, which combines the cold brew coffee with sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half, and housemade chicory simple syrup. The drink scored in the 90 th percentile on uniqueness with consumers, with higher purchase interest from female, Millennial, Hispanic, and Asian consumers. JAMBA JUICE CUCUMBER ORANGE COOLER 61% 44% (100 th percentile) (64 th percentile) UNIQUE DRINKS Of the nearly 1,000 different alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages major chains have introduced in the past year, two were ranked the highest as the most unique new offerings by consumers the Divalicious Red Wine Shake at Red Robin and the Cucumber Orange Cooler from Jamba Juice. The Divalicious Red Wine Shake, introduced last winter at Red Robin, featured Black Dress Divalicious red wine, Pinnacle whipped vodka, raspberry puree, and vanilla soft serve (and included a free wine charm). The drink scored particularly highly with Millennials, female consumers, and consumers in the West. Jamba Juice asks consumers to trust us on this one with their Cucumber Orange Cooler, introduced in June. The drink combines fresh-squeezed orange juice with cucumber, apple, and lemon juices, all served over ice. While male and female consumers were more evenly split in their purchase intent, Millennials and Hispanic consumers expressed far more interest in the beverage compared to other demographics. A few chains added apple pie-flavored drinks in the past year. The Gotta Try Apple Pie Beer at Ram Restaurant & Brewery is a brown ale with notes of pie crust, apple cider, and cinnamon, while the American Pie cocktail at Original Roadhouse Grill features American Born apple-pie flavored moonshine, peach schnapps, lemon-lime soda, and cranberry juice. Nearly half of Millennials were interested in trying the cocktail. Starbucks Flat White And Moe s Southwest Grill teamed up with Coca-Cola for a drink guests can t get anywhere else in the world. Named after the Atlanta street and location of the first Moe s, the Vanilla at Peachtree is a Sprite-based beverage with vanilla and peach flavors only available at Moe s locations with a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. Female consumers and Millennials were particularly interested in trying the drink. 5

6 UNUSUAL BURGERS Like pizza, burgers are endlessly adaptable, and chains are swapping out toppings, buns, and meats for unusual flavors. AUGUST 2015 Last summer Carl s Jr. began testing a series of Masher Burgers, beef or chicken burgers topped with garlic mashed potatoes, truffle gravy, and crispy onion strings. Bison burgers are a perennial LTO two or three chains have introduced one each year since This summer Fuddrucker s introduced a Bison Chipotle Burger, while Kona Grill introduced a Bison Burger with Danish bleu cheese in January. And Rock Bottom s Bison Prairie Burger, offered twice as an LTO in 2014, features a perfectly-griddled bison patty smash-griddled to guests liking topped with poblano peppers, mushrooms, pepper jack, pico de gallo, and chipotle mayonnaise. The burger scored in the 85 th percentile with male consumers, and in the 57 th percentile overall. Rock Bottom also introduced a BBQ Brisket Stuffed Burger last November, filling a beef patty with shredded BBQ beef brisket, served on a buttery grilled onion bun with smoked gouda, lettuce, and tomato. Again the burger scored high with male consumers (91 st percentile), as well as Millennials and Boomers. At the Green Turtle Sports Bar & Grille, The Comeback Burger brings breakfast flavors to the lunch and dinner menu. The LTO features an Angus burger topped with bacon, cheddar, American cheese, and a fried egg drizzled in maple syrup, all served between two Belgian waffles with a side of homemade cheddar and scallion-stuffed tater tots. HARD ROCK BURGER WORLD TOUR GREEN TURTLE COMEBACK BURGER (100 th percentile) CARL S JR. (29 th percentile) BURGER MASHER 59% (100 th percentile) 39% (44 h percentile) 61% 35% 60% 50% 58% (100 th percentile) 38% (40 th percentile) HAGGIS BURGER From Edinburgh, Scotland. With an Angus beef patty, savory haggis, monterey jack, turnip frazzles, and whisky maple glaze. (96 th percentile) 31% (18 th percentile) LANCASHIRE HOT POT BURGER From Manchester, UK. Half-pound lamb patty, caramelized onions, carrot frazzles, lettuce, tomato, and mint mayo. (99 th percentile) 29% (13 th percentile) DATE BURGER From the U.A.E. Enhanced by a rich date chutney, diced fresh dates, and softened cream cheese, with lettuce and tomato. 6

7 SOMETHING FISHY Crab and salmon aren t going anywhere anytime soon, but a number of chains have started experimenting with less common seafood varieties, sometimes as a reaction to the high cost of more well-known varieties or as part of sustainable seafood menus. Because these varieties are brand new to many consumers, they are often accompanied by marketing campaigns and menu descriptions that describe the fish s taste and texture. Bonefish Grill has been particularly adventurous in adding new varieties to the menu. In May the chain added Dynamite- Style Opah, or moonfish, so-named because this deep ocean dweller comes to feed at night by the twilight of the moon, according to the Bonefish menu. The firm, mild fish is grilled and topped with lump crabmeat, sautéed spinach, and a creamy aioli. Fifty percent of consumers said the dish was unique. The chain s Passion Fruit Kissed Sweet Lips a sweet, firm fish, full of flavor and similar to snapper is glazed with passion fruit, herbs, and a hint of chili. And the Oscar Turbot, part of the limited time Fire + Ice menu, featured Greenland Turbot the sister in the species with a decadent, mild flavor similar to halibut sautéed piccata-style, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, asparagus, and lemon caper butter sauce. At Landry s, the Golden Tilefish is pan seared with roasted Japanese eggplant, gremolata, and citrus gingersnap vinaigrette. The LTO, introduced in January, was the winning dish in Landry s Pour & Pair competition, which tests the skill, speed, and ingenuity of local celebrity chefs in wine and food pairing competitions. And in March Joe s Crab Shack kicked off a campaign to introduce consumers to Jumbo Bairdi Crab, capitalizing on a strong catch this year. Jumbo Bairdi Crab is a rare catch, executive chef Barry Lofton said, noting the meat is sweeter and the legs are larger than our classic Queen and Snow Crabs. Forty-seven percent of consumers overall were interested in trying the dish, while 90% of Joe s customers were interested in ordering it. LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN KELP NOODLE SALAD EARLY ADOPTER Le Pain Quotidien is the only major chain to add kelp to the menu. 48% (93 rd percentile) CALIFORNIA TORTILLA RAMEN BURRITO 54% (99 th percentile) 18% (0 percentile) EARLY ADOPTER California Tortilla is getting in on the ramen mash-up trend early. 28% (11 th percentile) BASKIN-ROBBINS CAMOUFLAGE ICE CREAM MOST UNIQUE Tied for most unique dessert with Which Wich s Bacon Milkshake. 62% 50% (100 th percentile) (87 th percentile) COSI GUAVA CHIA SHOT MOST UNIQUE Tied with Taco Bell s Chicken Biscuit Taco for most unique breakfast dish. 56% (99 th percentile) GETGO THE GENERAL 62% 33% (23 rd percentile) MOST UNIQUE Consumers most unique sandwich, with General Tso chicken fingers and egg rolls. 33% (100 th percentile) (24 th percentile) RED ROBIN CHOCOLATE FRUFFLES MOST UNIQUE Consumers most unique dessert at a full-service restaurant. 60% 42% (100 th percentile) (58 th percentile) 7

8 Bac n QuikShake at QuikTrip SWEET BACON Bacon in dessert may not be the outlandish idea it once AUGUST 2015 was, but consumers still rate sweet and savory bacon dishes as unique options. 61% (100 h percentile) 62% (100 th percentile) Beam n- Bacon Boozy Shake at Red Robin 21% (2 nd percentile) Bacon Milkshake at Which Wich 17% (0 percentile) The Beam-n-Bacon Boozy Shake was considered unique by 53% of consumers (98 th percentile), with its Jim Beam Maple Bourbon, bacon bits, caramel and vanilla soft served stirred with a crispy strip of candied bacon. At Which Wich, any milkshake can become a Bacon Milkshake with four strips of bacon and a bacon straw for $1 more, while QuikTrip s made-to-order Bac n QuikShake features strips of freshly cooked bacon and maple syrup. Last year IHOP tested a new item waffle pastries, including a version with warm toasted marshmallow filling topped with hickory smoked bacon and donut glaze. The pastries scored in the 98 th percentile for uniqueness with consumers. At Max & Erma s, the Cola BBQ Bacon burger LTO introduced in June features cheddar, caramelized cherry cola onions, smoky bacon, crisp onion rings, and a drizzle of cherry cola BBQ sauce, all served on a toasted brioche bun. Fifty-eight percent of consumers said the dish was unique (99 th percentile), and it scored particularly high with male consumers (63 rd percentile, vs. 29 th for female). Last summer Ram Restaurant & Brewery s Schaumburg, IL location featured a special Bacon Bites & Brews Tasting Menu, with five bacon infused appetizer bites paired with a beer. In addition to options like a BLT and Smokey Bacon Poppers, the Bacon and Eggs appetizer featured a deviled egg infused with smoky, sweet bacon jam the dish scored particularly high with male and Hispanic consumers. Maggiano s featured sweet bacon in its own appetizer LTO earlier this year, in the Candied Bacon and Ricotta Bruschetta, featuring smoked Nueske bacon, balsamic fig glaze, and arugula. The dish rated highly in purchase intent with Millennials 57% said they were interested in ordering the item. TGI FRIDAYS APPLEWOOD BACON- CRUSTED RIBS After the Rock Bottom Brewery s RB Ale Chicken (finished with an ale demi glace), consumers rated the Applewood Bacon- Crusted Ribs at TGI Friday s as the most unique meat entrée in the past year. Part of a build-your-own Rib Flight Trio, the ribs start with a spicy-sweet chipotle & onion relish and are covered in an avalanche of applewood-smoked bacon. 53% 20% 49% 46% (98 th percentile) (1 st percentile) (95 th percentile) (73 rd percentile) 8

9 AUGUST 2015 TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH S TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS ON THE MENU In our July issue of On the Menu, we took a look at a rich, buttery, yet controversial fish escolar; discovered international favorites like Thai iced tea, truffles, and gnocchi; and checked out the innovative ways operators are using ingredients like pistachios and marshmallows. And in our coverage of new menu items and LTOs at top chains, we saw how operators are testing new ingredients and restaurant concepts. UPCOMING: In September, we cover rooibos, savory jam, tea smoking, churros, kohlrabi, and horseradish. DINE AROUND: HOUSTON In our trendspotting trip to Houston, we discovered how the largest city in Texas is combining traditional favorites (Texas barbecue, steakhouses, Tex-Mex) with a few surprises Vietnamese- Cajun cuisine, anyone? Every issue of Dine Around is packed with data, interviews with local food bloggers on the city s trends, and tons of operator profiles and menu examples. UPCOMING: In September we check out the dining scene and trends in Milwaukee, WI. INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: ITALY In International Concepts, we discovered a chain restaurant culture that few international chains have ventured into. Packed with profiles of operators that few in the U.S. have experienced, this issue is sure to inspire both product and concept ideation, with plenty of the Italian favorites that U.S. consumers love pizza, pasta, cheese, and more (complete with consumer data). UPCOMING: We check out the chain restaurant scene in the UAE. CREATIVE CONCEPTS: THIRD-WAVE COFFEE In Creative Concepts, we took you to the third-wave coffee shops that are redefining coffee in America, from innovative roasts to specialty drinks to baked goods and coffeehouse menus. This issue was PACKED with consumer data which drinks and concepts are consumers MOST interested in? And we also covered the upand-coming teahouse concepts across the U.S. UPCOMING: We check out community supported restaurants. NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND! Contact Maeve Webster at to subscribe to Datassential s entire TrendSpotting Report series. 9

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11 STAY IN-THE-KNOW ON THE LATEST TRENDS WITH REPORTS FROM Datassential s TrendSpotting Reports combine the art of spotting food trends with the science of market research, so you are always up-to-date on the trends that matter to your business, from ideation to marketing to competitive analysis. And, by subscribing to the full TrendSpotting package, you ll put it all into context by understanding the overall trend landscape, from sauces to spices, carriers to proteins, beverages to desserts. ON THE MENU analyzes flavor and ingredient trends from across the trend cycle, from consumer awareness and interest to menu examples that put trends into context. Plus, we gather and examine important LTOs and new menu items from chains across the country. INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS, our newest TrendSpotting Report, highlights chain activity around the world these are the indemand, up-and-coming flavors, concepts, and trends that are often adapted for the U.S. market. DINE AROUND takes you on a TrendSpotting tour of a city or neighborhood, so you are always inthe-know on local food trends and how they fit into the overall food landscape, all combined with Datassential s industry-leading market research tools, including MenuTrends and Firefly. WORLD BITES brings you authentic dishes and ingredients from around the globe, each one packed with consumer survey data and U.S. menu examples a must for product ideation, menu development, and marketing. CREATIVE CONCEPTS makes it easy to understand how hot flavors, ingredients, and concepts fit into overall industry trends. Each month takes you across the country and into the establishments that are defining the industry. To begin your TrendSpotting subscription, contact Datassential Senior Director Maeve Webster at or maeve@datassential.com. datassential.com

12 : SOMETHING FOR EVERY IDEATION AND MARKETING NEED.

13 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 is the industry s largest menu data set with the longest historic trend record, plus the ability to search millions of dishes from over 100,000 menus. 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 Jana Mann at or jana.mann@datassential.com.