Menu Development

  • An image of serveral food items from Taco Bell's Craving's Value Menu
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Why quality may trump price in 2025’s restaurant value battle

    The mixed success of recently launched value menus highlights the importance of focusing on more than just affordability, experts said.

    By • Jan. 17, 2025
  • Panera Bread storefront
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    Permission granted by Panera Bread
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    Panera hires marketing, culinary executives

    Robin Seward joins the chain as senior vice president, brand and innovation, while Scott Uehlein was hired as vice president of culinary.

    By • Jan. 14, 2025
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    sam edwards via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Menu development

    Restaurants big and small are experimenting with their menus to align with the preferences of on-the-go diners and mitigate the impact of rising food costs, supply chain disruption and shrinking consumer discretionary funds. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A photo of the upgraded coffee service in a 7-Eleven in Laurel, MD.
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    Jessica Loder/C-Store Dive/Restaurant Dive
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    Column

    3 Big Numbers: C-stores zero in on coffee consumers

    Wawa, Casey’s and 7-Eleven all are either updating their coffee programs or employing promotions to draw in more caffeine aficionados.

    By Jessica Loder • Jan. 14, 2025
  • A exterior shot of the blue and yellow building with CosMc's signage
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    Permission granted by CosMc's
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    McDonald’s to shutter 3 CosMc’s, open 2 more

    The chain said its beverage-centric concept works better in smaller locations and will close larger restaurants that were converted from McDonald’s units.

    By • Jan. 10, 2025
  • An image of burritos and other items from virtual brand Man vs Fries
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    Permission granted by Virtual Dining Concepts
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    CPK adds virtual brand to menu

    The pizza chain plans to fulfill digital orders for Man Vs Fries at 118 locations, with a secret menu for dine-in guests.

    By • Jan. 9, 2025
  • Taco Bell's $5, $7 and $9 luxe boxes. Each combo meal contains several items, a side and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell adds $5 and $9 meal combos

    A year after launching its $7 Luxe Cravings Boxes, Taco Bell is building out its value combo offerings with a cheaper choice and a more premium option.

    By • Jan. 7, 2025
  • John Cena in a McDonald's ad
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s value menu launch gets inspirational boost from John Cena

    The actor-wrestler appears in new ads that turn into a oddball spiel about the transformational power of the McValue platform. 

    By Peter Adams • Jan. 7, 2025
  • A Subway six inch sandwich, drink and chips
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Subway launches sub of the day deal

    After the early end of its $6.99 meal, Subway is stepping back into the value wars with a meal deal for every day of the week.

    By • Jan. 6, 2025
  • A Starbucks worker pours a beverage into a cup meant to represent a customer's personal drinkware.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks’ turnaround plan will be ‘no quick fix,’ analysts say

    The chain wants to improve customer experience by making its stores more welcoming and speeding up service. But will the changes come fast enough?

    By Michael Brady • Jan. 6, 2025
  • Three fast food drinks with blueberry dragonfruit poppers.
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    Courtesy of Del Taco
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    Del Taco adds new burritos and value bundles

    The chain’s same-store sales shrank considerably last quarter, though its value messaging may be starting to work, company leadership said.

    By • Jan. 3, 2025
  • An image of a pink sign that says "Saucy"
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    Permission granted by Saucy by KFC
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    Inside KFC’s tech-centric concept

    Opening Monday in Orlando, Florida, Saucy focuses on chicken tenders and will use order-ahead pickup technology to boost speed and efficiency.

    By • Dec. 19, 2024
  • A person holding an order of Taco Bell chicken nuggets, nacho fries and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell adds chicken nuggets to menu

    The nationwide rollout, which will happen Thursday, follows successful regional market tests in Minneapolis and Houston.

    By • Dec. 18, 2024
  • A white building with windows on the front with a large sign that says Cava
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    Courtesy of Cava
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    The restaurant industry’s top 3 winners and losers of 2024

    Sales and traffic fell for many brands, like Starbucks and McDonald’s, but fast casuals like Chipotle and Cava had a good year.

    By , • Dec. 17, 2024
  • Love's
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    Retrieved from Naf Naf.
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    How c-stores pushed the envelope on foodservice in 2024

    From creating new restaurant concepts to expanding menus and bringing in QSRs, retailers keep seeking new ways to enhance this key category.

    By Jessica Loder • Dec. 13, 2024
  • A Papa Johns' employee cuts pizza after preparing it.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Why Todd Penegor wants Papa Johns to make more pizzas

    Menu innovation may drive customer trial, but that doesn’t strengthen the brand’s core appeal, the chain’s CEO said during an investor event.

    By • Dec. 12, 2024
  • An image of several specialty drinks from Taco Bell's Live Mas Cafe lined up on a white counter top.
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell/Diversified Restaurant Group
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    An inside look at Taco Bell’s beverage concept

    Live Más Café offers drinks that appeal to Gen Z consumers like chillers, agua frescas and specialty coffee drinks.

    By • Dec. 10, 2024
  • A photo of various drinks from Jollibee
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    Courtesy of Jollibee
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    Jollibee courts Gen Z with new premium drinks

    The Signature Sips menu offers 16-ounce quenchers, freezes and iced tea starting at $3.99.

    By • Dec. 6, 2024
  • A customer in a green shirt and jeans watches workers complete a food order in a Chipotle restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Chipotle raises menu prices by 2%

    This is the chain’s first nationwide price increase since 2023 and will help offset low single-digit food cost inflation.

    By • Updated Dec. 5, 2024
  • An image of a white building with Keke's logo
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    Permission granted by Keke's Breakfast Cafe/Photo by Seth Parker with Parker Studios
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    Keke’s Breakfast Cafe on path to reach 200 locations

    Two years after Denny’s acquired the breakfast chain, it has signed commitments for over 140 units and is in the early stages of remodeling more than 50 locations.

    By • Dec. 4, 2024
  • A stock image of a bowl of bi bim bap.
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    4kodiak via Getty Images
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    NRA predicts a big year for Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino flavors

    The NRA also found that cold brew, sweet and spicy ingredients, and a focus on sustainability are trends to watch for 2025.

    By • Dec. 2, 2024
  • A family holds up glasses in cheer while eating at a Thanskgiving meal.
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    ozgurcankaya via Getty Images
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    Over a third of consumers plan to order takeout, delivery for Thanksgiving

    Of the consumers planning to order out, a majority said it was easier and a third said it’s cheaper or equal to the cost of buying groceries and cooking, according to Popmenu.

    By • Nov. 26, 2024
  • A promotional image for Chipotle's smoked brisket menu item. Text on the image reads, "Limited time only Smoked Brisket Chipotle"The image shows a burrito bowl with rice, beans, meat and peppers on the left. On the right is sliced beef with a cup of dipping sauce and sliced peppers.
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    Permission granted by Chipotle
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    ‘Not just the beef’: How Chipotle’s supply chain helped bring back smoked brisket

    The return of the popular menu item required what CEO Scott Boatwright called “a huge cross-muscle effort.”

    By Philip Neuffer • Nov. 26, 2024
  • An image of various items from McDonald's included in its McValue meal.
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    Permission granted by McDonald's
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    McDonald’s to launch value platform in January

    The platform will include the $5 Meal Deal, exclusive in-app offers, local food and drink deals and Buy One, Add One for $1.

    By • Nov. 22, 2024
  • An image of a veal parmesan chop with marinara sauce and mozzarella on a dark table.
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    Permission granted by Maggiano's
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    Maggiano’s is just getting started with menu updates, remodels

    In his first months as the chain’s VP of innovation and growth, Anthony Amoroso helped create new menu items like Rigatoni al la Vodka and updated the Caesar salad, both of which are already driving sales.

    By • Nov. 21, 2024
  • Individuals holding Peet's Coffee seasonal drinks
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    Courtesy of Peet's Coffee
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    Deep Dive

    How do coffee chains design, market and analyze their seasonal LTOs?

    While flexibility is important, many brands plan coffee LTOs more than a year in advance, meaning next year’s holiday drinks are already in the works at places like Peet’s and Dutch Bros.

    By • Nov. 19, 2024