Redefining Fast Food Meals Getting More-For-Less

When consumer eating habits evolve chain restaurants face a daunting task; evolve with the customer or lose customers according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™.   Wendy’s Right Size Right Price promotion was aiming in the right direction but missed the size, price, and portion part.

Popeyes Marketing Guru and CEO Cheryl Bachelder stated: "What we're seeing is the definition of meals is changing.” She said Popeyes' new menu items are developed to work as snacks and be easy to eat on the go, such as its "Rip'n" chicken, which is shaped so pieces can be torn off easily.  In layman’s terms snacks equates to smaller size smaller price.  

Convenience stores have been utilizing mix and match meal bundling for years and have been not only getting it right they have been Looking A Customer Ahead and garnering new customers according to our own Grocerant Guru™.

Fast food chain restaurant are today moving from super-sizing everything to a new formula of size to price and price to drive frequency. During times of seeming economic upheaval, with a whipsaw stock market that is creating uncertainty and disillusionment consumer want more for less according to our team at Foodservice Solutions®.

Taco Bell’s new "Dare Devil Loaded Grillers," which are smaller burritos for about a buck have created quite a stir filling the bill of more for less. Consumers are getting more in numbers of burritos for a valued price point $1.00. 

Arby's introduced a lineup of sliders, with the miniature versions of its regular sandwiches costing less than $2 each. Earlier this year, Sonic introduced "Lil Doggies" and "Lil Chickies,"or petite hot dogs and chicken sandwiches, for around the same price. Each was so popular the Sonic is bringing them back.

The Whopper may be King at Burger King but recently Burger King said “the return of its chicken fries is helping push up sales, with many people stopping in to get French fry-shaped fried chicken as a snack.”  Dunkin' Donuts CEO Nigel Travis has said the chain's new sandwiches are meant to be snacks - not lunch - to fit with the changing way people are eating. In layman’s terms consumers want more for less.  

Arby's Chief Marketing Officer Rob Lynch stated “Fast-food chains are losing out to convenience store chains such as Wawa Inc. because c-stores do a better job with smaller, cheaper products.  What Lynch is missing is the fact that Wawa, Sheetz, Casey’s General Stores, and Rutter’s Farm Stores leverages mix and match meal bundling options better than Arby’s, Wendy’s, McDonald’s and Burger King.  

At the intersection of smaller and smaller family size, time constraints, and a whipsaw stock market creating uncertainty;  chain restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery store deli’s must focus on Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food, new bundled meal component options and a platform void of brand protectionism.  

www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a brand leveraging integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche since 1991 Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us