Quick Bite: Burger King’s version of the McRib will sold nationally starting Tuesday, May 21.

Burger King on Thursday will unveil its 2013 summer menu plans, highlighted by a new, limited-time BK Rib Sandwich, which is boneless like McRib — has a tangy sauce and comes with sweet bread and butter pickles. It will be sold nationally beginning May 21.

BK’s other summer roll-outs include a return of Memphis Pulled Pork sandwiches, a line of Carolina BBQ sandwiches and sweet potato fries. It also will introduce a new BBQ Chicken Salad and line of Oreo-infused desserts. All of the products, including the rib sandwich, will be available only though the summer.

Read more from the source: usatoday.com

Quick Bite: Taco Bell puts a new spin on “breakfast tacos.”

Taco Bell is testing a “waffle taco” in at least one Southern California location as it prepares to amp up its rollout of breakfast.

Company officials declined to reveal details about the potential product, saying it’s not ready for a market-wide test yet, but that it is another example of ongoing menu innovation.

Read more from the source: nrn.com

No, you didn’t eat the bones. Like newspapers ditching the printed page for digital, QSRs are betting on new boneless chicken menu items to attract younger customers.

“No mess. No fuss. No bones about it.” That is the new mantra going around at KFC according to the chicken-focused QSR’s CMO, Jason Marker. And unlike Colonel Sanders’ original recipe of 11 herbs and spices, KFC is making it no secret that boneless chicken is the future of their business.  “We joke a lot that young people today barely know that chicken has bones in it because of all the forms and formats that we eat it in,” Marker joked with Time Magazine.

In short, KFC is using new boneless offerings to appeal to Millennials, the generation that grew up with the McNugget.

“This is the biggest new product introduction for KFC in modern times,” KFC CEO John Cywinski told USA Today. The national roll-out of Original Recipe Boneless began in mid-April and is the focus of the largest media campaign in KFC’s history. And while the shift to boneless offerings may be shocking to some, it makes sense given that 80 percent of all fried chicken is now served off the bone in the form of nuggets, strips and filets.

So why are boneless chicken options becoming a popular item, especially with younger consumers? Many are suggesting that today’s young adults are more comfortable eating processed foods than older generations because they grew with them. “Younger people don’t tend to be fans of bones — they’ve grown up with nuggets,” according to KFC spokesman Rick Maynard.

KFC isn’t the only QSR to change its menu because of this insight: With the introduction of its (boneless) Chicken and Bacon, Chicken and Ranch, and Chicken and Sweet Chili wraps in early April, McDonald’s is aiming their sights directly at the roughly 59 million US Millennials as well. “McWrap offers us the perfect food offering to address the needs of this very important customer to McDonald’s,” according to a McDonald’s memo.

Boneless options have become a major growth driver among chicken wing outlets as well, regardless of the fact that the meat found boneless chicken wings doesn’t come from the wing at all. Boneless wings generally are breaded and fried pieces of whole breast meat. According to a 2012 study from GuestMetrics, a hospitality research firm, total chicken wing sales were up 10.7% last year. Boneless wings were responsible for 81% of that growth. We expect this trend to continue.

photo credit: Marufish via photopin cc

Quick Bite: 80 million Americans expected to dine out this Sunday for Mother’s Day

“Restaurants continue to play an important role in holiday celebrations, and Mother’s Day remains the most popular holiday on which to dine out,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “Restaurant takeout and delivery is also becoming an increasingly popular option for holiday meals, as it also is for many Americans’ every-day meal choices. Eight in 10 consumers say going to restaurants is a better use of leisure time than cooking and cleaning up, and that is especially true on special occasions.”

Read more from the source: fastcasual.com

Quick Bite: Dairy Queen first QSR to offer light smoothies

For any brand–quick service or not–being a pioneer is often the ultimate dream. And this week, Dairy Queen is making this dream a reality as it becomes the first quick-service restaurant in the industry to offer light smoothies.

The new product line comes as part of the national rollout of Orange Julius Premium Fruit Smoothies to the brand’s 4,000 Dairy Queen units across the U.S. and Canada. It features eight flavors: Orange, Strawberry, Strawberry Banana, Tripleberry, Mango Pineapple, Berry-Pom, OrangeBerry, and Piña Colada.

To promote the Light and Premium Fruit Smoothies, the company has launched the first national television campaign in Orange Julius’s 87-year history, as well as print, digital, social marketing campaigns.

Read more from the source: qsrmagazine.com

This blog post by Jeff Fromm originally appeared on FastCasual.com.

Pizza might be one of the most versatile ways to grab a quick bite to eat. It comes in takeout, delivery, dine-in, frozen and take-and-bake. Pizza is a staple during college, and research shows that Millennials form habits during that time that stick with them throughout their lives. Four in 10 Americans say they eat pizza at least once a week, according to research by Technomic. This is up from one in four Americans just a few years ago. So, it’s safe to say that pizza’s popularity is rising.

Here are 5 reasons Millennials love pizza.

1.  Quick and easy — usually
Millennials are known for their busy schedules. A typical Millennial may go to a workout class at 6 a.m., go to work from 8 to 5, and then a community event afterward. According to an NPD report, “Reaching the Millennial Generation,” Millennials report they spend half their food budget on takeout. So, whether they have a pizza delivered to their apartment or grab a frozen pizza at the grocery store, it’s a quick and easy option to add to their busy lives.

2. Customizable
Millennials are known for being active co-creators. This means they want to interact with brands, but they also want to interact with their food. They want to make it their own. That’s a reason pizza works so well for them. Pie Five Pizza Co., a Texas-based company, touts its “interactive pizza experience.” Customers can create their own personal pizzas and choose their crust, sauce, meat and veggies.

3. Never gets old
With unique combinations and customizable pies, pizza is a meal that never gets old. One night it’s classic cheese and marinara, and the next is a Greek-inspired creation with humus. With unlimited possibilities, pizza can adapt to Millennials ever changing palette desires. Restaurants have tapped into this desire for new pizza creations, most recent being Chili’s. Chili’s has added a variety of pizza offerings to its menu, one of which is a taco pizza that includes four cheeses, seasoned ground beef and pico de gallo.

4. Good value
Millennials are a cash-strapped generation, and they like a good deal. Pizza can be a cheap meal when having friends over to watch the big game or can be a quick bite to eat with leftovers for lunch the next day. Blaze Pizza, a California fast casual that plans to expand to 15 cities by the end of the year, is capitalizing on Millennials wanting a good deal.

5. Shareable with my friends
Millennials like brands that are shareworthy, according to research by Barkley, Boston Consulting Group and SMG. While this normally means that Millennials want to talk about brands online through social media, it doesn’t discount the desire to share with their friends. Pizza has always been a food that you buy to share with a crowd. So, whether you’re ordering delivery before the big game or going out to eat, pizza allows Millennials to mix, match and share.

photo credit: Adam Kuban via photopin cc

Beef, chicken and pork consumption in the United States has been declining for the past 20 years, and one QSR in particular is responding to the trend.

This week, Burger King unveiled its new spring 2013 menu. Two of the items include non-traditional burgers: turkey and veggie.

According to the Huffington Post, BK is serving a “fire-grilled” turkey burger and MorningStar veggie burgers.

Though, not all of Burger King’s 2013 additions are geared toward consumers who are trying to be healthier. Burger King has also included the Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger, a slew of chipotle items including a Chipotle Whopper, Chipotle Jr. Whopper and a Chipotle Tendercrisp Chicken sandwich, which can also be a wrap.

With these new, seasonal additions to the menu, Burger King can expect a reaction from new and loyal fans alike. It seems that a traditional QSR like BK is finally in line with current food trends.

Burger King has set a new precedent with the turkey and veggie Burgers. The partnership with MorningStar Farms is especially great PR for the brand and now aligning itself with other healthy QSR’s such as Subway. In past years Burger King has featured a Veggie Burger on the menu in select markets, but the MorningStar Farms burger patty is a first.

It will be interesting to see if other fast food giants follow Burger King’s seasonal shift toward alternative burgers rather than the same old salad and iced tea.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Restaurant chains are constantly developing new menu items and the Lent season has become a key period for menu innovation in the last two years.  For many Christians, Lent (the 40-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday) means abstaining from eating meat on Fridays.

What could mean lower traffic for restaurants has instead inspired new innovative Lenten seafood offerings, moving past the typical and expected fish sandwich.

McDonald’s introduced Fish McBites this year, an item that is available on both the regular menu and Dollar Menu. McDonald’s has also improved its Filet-O-Fish sandwich, and announced in January that Marine Stewardship Council certifies the fish as 100 percent sustainable.

Marie Callender’s restaurants is promoting several seafood options this season, Salmon & Jumbo Shrimp, Grilled Mahi Mahi Cabo Tacos and Crispy Jumbo Shrimp Dinner as alternative options during Lent.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brought back its Butterfly Shrimp for the season. Served in Popeyes’ original Seafood Tackle Box: shrimp, Cajun fries and buttermilk biscuit.

Quiznos brought back its Lobster and Seafood Salad sandwich as well, offering an alternative to sandwich lovers and a healthy under 500-calorie option.

Wendy’s has introduced its Premium Cod Fillet Sandwich, which includes a 3.4-ounce hand-cut fillet of 100 percent North Pacific Cod with panko crumb coating.

These are just a few examples of how restaurants are accommodating consumers who observe Lent and showing they are listening to what their customers want. This can help encourage brand favorability and increase positive brand perception.

Giving customers a way to stay loyal to their Lenten obligations and still enjoy your brand is a great way to show customers you support them.

Plus, some restaurants have found that menu items developed specifically for the Lent season have performed so well that they were added to the menu full time.

David Kincheloe, president of National Restaurant Consultants in Golden, Colorado, told QSR Magazine that “one of his clients started offering lobster bisque on Fridays during Lent and sold out almost immediately. Now the restaurant is looking at adding the item to the year-round menu.”

Photo credit: Flickr.com/roslynyoungrosalia

This year, health and healthy are expected to continue to be top of mind for consumers, and menu innovation from main dishes to beverages will drive the CPG category. A recent article from QSR Magazine discusses predictions for the top food trends in 2013:

1. Going Local – Customers increasingly view “local” as a positive attribute. Local sourcing is a “macro trend that will maintain its momentum,” this year, says Joy Dubost, a registered dietician and director of nutrition and healthy living for the National Restaurant Association.
2. Healthy kids’ meals – Healthy and creative kids’ meals will continue to make an impression on the industry. These efforts aren’t just appealing to parents—kids are becoming more comfortable with healthier food choices as well. Suggestions include substituting grilling for frying and introducing options that kids can relate to.
3. Economic struggles – Although quick-service restaurants have been climbing out of the recession, operators will have to continue to work to overcome barriers, says Bonnie Riggs, restaurant industry analyst for market research from NPD Group. Chicken is predicted to have an increased presence on the menus because its price is projected to remain stable.
4. Snacks as meals – Around-the -clock eating is becoming more common and customers are demanding smaller and flexible portions to accommodate these habits. Many QSRs have already moved toward snack options, e.g. McDonald’s Spicy Chicken McBites LTO, KFC’s Chicken Little sandwiches, and Sonic’s Cheesecake Bites.
5. More fruits and veggies – QSRs are moving past potatoes for french fries or tomatoes and lettuce on a burger with fruits and veggies taking on a starring role. Options like spinach, broccoli, edamame, mushrooms are available at salad chains like Freshii and Tossed, and are likely to show up on a wider range of menus this year.
6. Gluten-free options – Thirty percent of all adults say they are cutting back and trying to avoid gluten and these people are looking for more dining out options. It doesn’t appear to be a trend, but more of a long-standing desire and it will be wise for restaurants to adapt their offerings.
7. Trickle-up trends – Traditionally food trends start in fine dining and end up in quick service, but now that trend is reversing. “Fast casual will be the way of the world this year,” says Andrew Freeman, founder of Andrew Freeman & Co. He believes limited-service brands will be leaders in new menu items during 2013.
8. Ethnic foods – Exploration beyond Chinese food has led to a desire for Thai and Vietnamese, just as those who favor Mexican have moved toward the flavors of South America. As the customers’ palates continues to broaden, restaurants will need to expand menu offerings that play on these flavor desires.
9. Innovative beverages – Fruit and vegetable juices are showing strength. Fun, new drinks are worth looking into, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Starbucks has expanded its Evolution Fresh bottled juices beyond West Coast markets, and they intend to add standalone Evolution Fresh stores that offer made-to-order juices.
10. Evolving around health care – The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will take full effect in 2014, which means operators will have additional paperwork and higher costs associated with day-to-day operations. This year, the industry will likely face more consumer and legislative pressure to make changes to the size of beverages and add calorie counts on menu boards.

What is your take on these trend predictions? Do you see any other emerging trends that are worth noting in 2013?

Photo credit: Arvind Grover

If it weren’t for an 18th century English nobleman who requested his lunch meat be placed between two slices of bread so his hands wouldn’t get greasy while playing cards, we wouldn’t have the beloved sandwich.

Today, sandwiches are a go-to meal option with hundreds of varieties and combinations. They are enjoyed worldwide and have become considerably more sophisticated than the average bologna sandwich.

National Sandwich Day is celebrated in many different ways each November 3rd, but each way pays respect to this worldwide favorite!

This year, Subway celebrated the quirky holiday by showcasing their global sandwich flavors across their worldwide footprint. The popular sandwich maker is known for adapting menu items to local customs, religious traditions and food preferences. According to The Daily Meal, in Japan Subway featured a duck pastrami sandwich with sweet orange sauce, and in Sweden they served Skagenröra, a mix of shrimp, mayonnaise, lemon, herbs and spices.

Sonic Drive-In used the holiday to unveil their limited-time Asiago Caesar Chicken Sandwich and improved Classic Chicken Sandwich. The drive-in franchise took it a step further and created a YouTube video that shows how these two sandwiches were developed and prepared, allowing their customers to see behind the scenes lends to further engagement with the brand.

Some restaurants celebrated National Sandwich Day with a friendly face-off to decide who makes the best sandwich. In Boston, three restaurants, Chez Henri, Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese, and All Star Sandwich Bar, went head-to-head to compete for the best sandwich title.  They competed in a three-course meal; each entrée was a unique sandwich with sophisticated flavor profiles.

It’s important for QSRs to take advantage of the smaller holidays that pay respect to items your customers are already enjoying. Whether it’s National Sandwich Day, National Hoagie Day (May 5), or National Cheese Lover’s Day (January 20), customers enjoy celebrating—so help give them a reason to visit your restaurant to do it!

Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture