What Goes Around Comes Around: Why “Back to Basics” Is Winning the Modern Plate

 

In foodservice, trends rarely disappear. They cycle, evolve, and return with sharper relevance. In 2026, one of the most telling examples is the resurgence of traditional cooking fats such as butter, lard, and beef tallow. This shift is not driven by nostalgia alone. It is supported by clear, data-backed consumer demand, particularly among younger diners.

A new national survey conducted in February 2026 among 1,005 U.S. consumers highlights a meaningful change in behavior:

·       Fifty-two percent of consumers ages 18 to 34 say cooking fat influences where they choose to eat

·       Thirty-three percent of consumers age 55 and older say the same

·       When choosing between two identical restaurants, thirty-one percent of younger diners select the one using beef tallow, compared to nineteen percent of older diners

·       Overall preference shows twenty-four point seven percent favor animal fats such as butter and tallow, while fifteen point six percent prefer seed oils

This represents a significant preference gap and, more importantly, a shift in how consumers evaluate food quality.

The Strategic Insight

Cooking fat is no longer just a back-of-house operational choice. It has become a front-of-house marketing advantage.

 

Three Chains Going Back to Basics to Win Customers

1. Steak 'n Shake: Using Tallow to Drive Traffic

Steak ’n Shake has leaned into beef tallow fries as a way to reconnect with its heritage. The messaging focuses on original cooking methods and authentic flavor.

This approach resonates with younger consumers who are actively seeking transparency and simplicity in ingredients. By returning to traditional frying methods, the brand reinforces both indulgence and value.

The result is a clear product differentiation that also generates conversation, particularly across digital and social platforms.

 

2. Shake Shack: Simplicity and Ingredient Integrity

Shake Shack continues to succeed by focusing on fundamentals. Its approach includes butter-toasted buns, a streamlined ingredient list, and a clear sourcing story.

While the brand does not center its messaging on beef tallow, it aligns with the same broader trend. Consumers are gravitating toward food that feels less processed and more traditional.

Industry data from 2024 through 2026 shows that brands emphasizing ingredient clarity consistently perform better with Gen Z consumers.

 

3. Buffalo Wild Wings: Returning to Flavor Fundamentals

Buffalo Wild Wings is reinforcing its focus on craveable, traditional wing preparation. The emphasis is on classic frying techniques and delivering a consistent, high-quality texture and flavor.

This pivot reflects a broader move away from overly engineered food and toward authenticity. For products like wings, where texture is critical, traditional fats and cooking methods play a key role in perceived quality.

 

Macro Food Marketing Data Points from 2024 to 2026

·       Whole Foods Market’s 2026 trend forecast identifies beef tallow as an emerging ingredient gaining visibility

·       Datassential reports that ingredient transparency is one of the top drivers of restaurant choice among Gen Z

·       Technomic data from 2025 shows a double-digit increase in menu claims tied to back-to-basics cooking methods

·       Social media engagement for content featuring traditional cooking techniques significantly outperforms content focused on highly processed foods

 

What This Means for the Industry

This shift is not simply about cooking fat. It is about trust, flavor, and authenticity.

Younger consumers are paying closer attention to how food is prepared. They are asking more questions and connecting preparation methods directly to value. In this environment, value is no longer defined by price alone. It is defined by the quality and transparency of the process behind the food.

 

Grocerant Guru® Insights

1.       Back-of-house decisions are now front-of-house opportunities
Restaurants must communicate how food is prepared, not just what is served. Transparency builds trust and drives traffic.

2.       Flavor leads when it is framed as authentic
Consumers are not avoiding indulgence. They are choosing indulgence that feels real and rooted in traditional methods.

3.       Heritage cooking methods are a growth strategy
Brands that reconnect with proven techniques and explain their relevance to today’s consumer will be better positioned for long-term success.

Think About This 
What goes around does come around. In today’s foodservice landscape, it returns with clearer data, stronger consumer intent, and measurable impact on where and how people choose to dine.

Tap into the Foodservice Solutions® team for greater understanding of New Electricity or for a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

McDonald’s Elevating Consumer Touchpoints

 

Un-Masking Consumer Touchpoints from the Eyes of Steven Johnson the Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

McDonald’s, the global fast-food titan, has long been at the forefront of consumer convenience, affordability, and brand consistency. Yet, in a dynamic foodservice landscape increasingly shaped by grocerant trends — that hybrid space between grocery and restaurant — McDonald’s has stumbled more than once. From digital confusion to misaligned brand experiments, the Golden Arches have faced crucial missteps over the past decade.

Drawing insights from the seasoned lens of the Grocerant Guru® — an advocate for frictionless, consumer-focused foodservice experiences — this article unpacks six major blunders, offers five repositioning strategies, and outlines four vital consumer touchpoints that could elevate McDonald’s into its next era of success.

 

Six McDonald’s Missteps Over the Past Decade

1.       Failure to Fully Embrace Fresh
While competitors like Wendy’s leaned hard into "fresh, never frozen," McDonald’s lagged in making fresh beef standard — and did so slowly, confusing customers.

2.       McWrap Debacle
The introduction and eventual discontinuation of McWraps highlighted McDonald’s failure to understand fast-casual health-focused appeal — they didn’t support it operationally or message it effectively.

3.       Menu Creep and Confusion
The menu ballooned with too many items, which overwhelmed both consumers and kitchens, leading to slower service and inconsistent product quality.

4.       Overlooking All-Day Breakfast’s Brand Value
McDonald’s pulled back on All-Day Breakfast during the pandemic and has been slow to bring it back fully — despite its widespread consumer popularity.

5.       Inconsistent Experience Across Digital Platforms
The mobile app and self-service kiosks often deliver varying promotions, availability, and user experiences, eroding trust in digital ordering as a reliable tool.

6.       Lagging in Plant-Based Innovation
The half-hearted McPlant rollout was eclipsed by competitors who fully embraced flexitarian trends with scalable, taste-first options.

 

Five Repositionings to Reclaim Relevance

1.       Reignite the All-Day Breakfast with a Grocerant Flair
Add “grab-n-go” breakfast snack packs or breakfast bowls available all day, merging the convenience of a grocerant-style meal kit with the familiarity of McDonald’s flavors.

2.       Shrink and Smarten the Menu
Trim redundant SKUs while layering in regional favorites via seasonal LTOs — creating both operational clarity and customer excitement.

3.       Digital Experience Unification
A seamless, uniform app and kiosk experience that rewards repeat usage and adapts to local preferences could rebuild digital trust and re-engage mobile-first consumers.

4.       Plant-Based That Sells (and Tastes)
Collaborate with a trusted plant-based brand (e.g., Beyond Meat 2.0 or NotCo) and fully commit to rollout with flavor-forward advertising — focus on taste, not tech.

5.       The “McMarket” Concept Store
Pilot hybrid stores with a curated menu of pre-packed meals, branded grocery staples (like McD sauces), and order-ahead tech — the next evolution of QSR meets grocerant.

In a Battle for Share of Stomach

 

Four Consumer Touchpoints for Future Success

1.       Frictionless Pickup Portals
Drive-thru lanes for mobile-only orders and smart lockers inside for app-based pickups — blending speed and tech for busy consumers.

2.       Meal Bundles That Mimic Home Kits
Family bundles styled like a meal kit — mix & match mains, sides, and drinks, available for both immediate consumption and reheating at home.

3.       Sustainability Storytelling at the Point of Sale
Incorporate QR codes on packaging linking to transparent sourcing stories, sustainability efforts, and local initiatives — building emotional brand loyalty.

4.       Grocerant Partnerships in Retail Aisles
Launch co-branded retail items (think McNugget Dipping Sauce variety packs or Egg McMuffin DIY kits at Walmart or Target), creating omnichannel presence and expanding brand reach.

 

Think About The Grocerant Guru’s Final Bite

The evolution of consumer touchpoints is no longer optional — it’s foundational. McDonald’s must pivot from a static fast-food framework to a flexible, grocerant-informed platform. Elevating the consumer experience across all touchpoints, from app to aisle, will be the defining challenge and opportunity for McDonald’s in the next decade.

Because in the grocerant era, it’s not just about what's on the tray — it’s about where, how, and why the consumer chooses you at every turn.

Drive Sales. Boost Profits. Stay a Step Ahead.

The Foodservice Solutions® team is dedicated to helping you grow your top-line sales and bottom-line profits.

Are you looking a customer ahead? We have the strategies to get you there.

🌎 Visit GrocerantGuru.com
📩 Contact us: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us

Chick-fil-A Ready-2-Eat Grocerant Niche Salad Dressing on Sale

 

You have to like the fact that Chick-fil-A is continuing its tradition of expanding it brand with grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food elevating its customer focus to the dinner table according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

When Chick-fil-A announced it began selling four of its most popular salad dressings at retail locations in the greater Cincinnati area and across Tennessee. You know what was next. Yes, Chick-fil-A plans to expand availability of its salad dressings nationwide in the Spring of 2023.  

Michael Garrison, senior director of innovation and new ventures at Chick-fil-A, stated, “We love that our guests are enjoying our salad dressings in our restaurants and can now share them more easily with family and friends at home,” … "We saw excitement from customers around the launch of our Bottled Sauces in 2020, and we are thrilled to add more retail offerings for our fans while introducing the brand to new customers in our pilot markets."

Do you want to Build A 

Larger Share of Stomach

So, starting this month, customers in Cincinnati and Tennessee will be able to purchase 12 fluid ounce bottles of the following salad dressings at participating Walmart, Kroger and Meijer stores.  

Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing 

A twist on the original Ranch, the Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing is our most popular salad dressing. This southwest style dressing includes creamy avocado, spices and lime and livens up any salad or wrap. 

Garden Herb Ranch Dressing 

The classic Garden Herb Ranch Dressing, with its traditional, creamy taste, is a savory mix of garlic, onion and herb flavors.  

Creamy Salsa Dressing 

The Creamy Salsa Dressing was originally developed by Chick-fil-A’s culinary team to pair with the Spicy Southwest Salad and blends southwest flavors of cumin, hot peppers, tomatoes and garlic.  

Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing 

The lightest of the four offerings, this vinaigrette is made with apple cider vinegar, fruit juices, spices and honey for a robust yet sweet flavor.  

"We’ve worked hard with our supplier and retail partners to help bring these Chick-fil-A flavors into people’s homes for their own salads, marinades and other recipes,” says Garrison. “We’re grateful that guests are so passionate about our salad dressings and sauces." 

How are you expanding your brands top of mind awareness?

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

OtaJoy Foods Meal Kits Expand Flavorful Fresh Foods into your Home

Success does leave clues and at OtaJoy (Otafuku Foods, Inc.) success comes from listening to consumers and focusing on consumer touchpoints according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. I recently cooked at home a new grocerant niche fresh prepared meal kit from OtaJoy and I must say that it elevated my cooking skill-set at home much to the delight of my family.

Food manufacturing today is about selling food to consumers that they want.  Consumers are dynamic not static and OtaJoy is expanding its brand’s reach, impowering consumers to cook fresh food fast, utilizing flavors they have come to like but do not have the skill-set to prepare at home.

OtaJoy says they goal is to share the foods we know and love in a way that's good for our customers. That's why we're constantly educating ourselves on the latest advancements in food science and manufacturing. Our Research and Development team works to source ingredients responsibly and eliminate filler ingredients from our recipes, while our production team strives to operate in the most environmentally-friendly way possible and their new meal kits do just that.

Consider this, Otafuku Foods, Inc. goes back to 1922 when Sasaki Shoten opened for business as a sake and soy sauce wholesale/retail store in Hiroshima, Japan. The rice vinegar brewery started operations in 1938, and the company lost everything when the atomic bomb hit the city of Hiroshima. Vinegar production had to be restarted from scratch after the war.

So, during WWII, a savory "pancake" with readily-available ingredients became popular due to a widespread shortage of rice. In 1950, "Otafuku Worcestershire Sauce" was introduced as the dish became even more popular, followed by "Otafuku Okonomi Sauce" in 1952. A lot of arduous research and development went on behind the scenes, but soon Otafuku had one of Japan's best-loved sauces. As Japan's passion for okonomiyaki grew, so did Otafuku Sauce Co., and they quickly expanded their line of sauces to include yakisoba, tonkatsu and takoyaki. Today, Otafuku is continuing to expand its reach testing grocerant niche fresh meal kits!  I for one think that they taste great, are simple to prepare and will help drive Otafuku to the next level.

When times hand you a lemon, or the tide is turning on your product line are you focusing on the consumers, the past, or not at all. Customers are dynamic not static.  Do you need help expanding? Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call our Grocerant Guru® at: 253-759-7869.

Better for You Mix & Match Meal Bundling Drives C-store Sales

Success does leave clues and convenience stores ability to expand menu / meal options with salty foods that are ‘better-for-you’ is a key driver driving top-line sales and bottom-line profits according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

According to market research firm Packaged Facts, U.S. demand for salty snacks at the manufacturer level is forecast to grow 3% annually from 2017 to 2022. The simple fact is consumers like salty snacks and consider them great additions to a meal particularly when they have the ‘halo’ of ‘better-for-you’ around them.

Cara Brosius, research analyst of consumer and commercial goods, MarketResearch.com, said demand for salty snacks is growing because of the “snackification” of American diets. …“Most consumers snack multiple times each day, and a growing number are replacing entire meals with snacks or eating snacks with main meals,” 

Johnson stated that most Americans grew up visiting fast food outlets that offered bundled meals that included salty french fries.  Johnson continued consumers like salt and salty foods, that is one of the reasons that 82.3% of all restaurant meals sold in the US are sold at fast food outlets.  

Mix & match meal bundling are hallmarks driving growth within the grocerant niche within every sector of retail food sale’s according to Johnson.  

Once again Johnson reiterated as regular readers know Gen Z and millennials are especially driving growth within the grocerant niche, as they have fast-paced, on-the-go lifestyles that demand portable and ready-to-eat foods and it is how they grew up eating.

In order to appeal to young consumers, it is important to edify your relationship with both Gen Z and Millennials so offering more snacks that provide health benefits, such as added protein and plant-based ingredients that are salty is a sure way to win.

Transparency is important, for example, Kettle Brand potato chips introduced a “Tater Tracker” feature on its website that allows consumers to input the product code on their bag of chips to track the farmer who sourced the potatoes used in that particular bag.

C-stores have the advantage in adding more CPG options from the ‘better-for-you’ category over chain restaurants elevating consumer choice within mix & match meal component bunding options.  Products that are sustainable, local, bold in flavor that reflect the neighborhood around you store are key to garnering incremental customers according to Johnson.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869