Christmas Shopping save time take the Kids to McDonald’s It’s OK

McDonald’s continues to evolve with customer relevance. After listening to customer feedback and evaluating new consumer focused research  they rolled out more healthy changes to its  it kids’ meal according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Parents can be reassured that McDonald’s new platform of choices that include bottled water and low-fat yogurt free of artificial ingredients are better-for-your-kids than previous platforms. McDonalds has removed artificial preservatives from the meal’s low-fat strawberry Yoplait Go-Gurt and has added a 16.9-fluid ounce bottle of Dasani water as a beverage option at no extra cost.

These tweaks come after McDonald’s outlined in February a nutritional overhaul of the Happy Meal that included making cheeseburgers a request-only item, reducing the size of the French fries, cutting sodium in the chicken McNuggets and reformulating the chocolate milk’s sugar content.

They have also removed artificial preservatives from the chicken McNuggets; while pledging that every meal combination offered on its Happy Meal menu boards in the U.S. will have 600 calories or fewer. So if your out shopping and need to save time go ahead and treat the kids to a Happy Meal.

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

At Tijuana Flats Differentiation Means Familiar

Success does leave clues and regular readers of this blog know that Steven Johnson our Grocerant Guru® regularly states that “in food retail differentiation does not mean different it means familiar’. Tijuana Flats has picked up the right clue as it rolled out a summer Limited Time Offer (LTO).  The new menu item is Dos Cheeseburger Tacos, which includes two tacos with seasoned fries, for just $7.89.

Yes, Tijuana Flats is bringing together the best of both tacos and burgers this summer for one epic mash-up of deliciousness with the Cheeseburger Taco. The LTO  is available at all Tijuana Flats locations from July 30–September 9.

As you can see from the picture and the description differentiation does not mean different.  The Cheeseburger Taco is a tasty concoction consisting of a tortilla filled with seasoned ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Instead of chips, Flats fans that order the Cheeseburger Taco will receive a side of seasoned fries and queso.

Throughout the summer, Flats guests can order Dos Cheeseburger Tacos, which includes two tacos with seasoned fries, for just $7.89. Fry lovers (and who isn’t a fry lover?) can get a side of fries for $2.99, an order of fries and queso for $5.29 or upgrade Flats chips to fries on any Flats dish for just $0.99.

Rick Van Warner, CEO. “We know Flatheads love a good twist on a classic dish, and we can’t wait for our guests to dig into the best of both tacos and burgers at Tijuana Flats.” How is your brand edifying it’s relationship with consumers? 

Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way?  Where is your new electricity coming from?  Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us 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:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.

Sonic Drive-In is Evolving Menu Relevance

Restaurant labor cost continue to rise, utilities continues to rise, rents are leveling off, but food cost are not, and consumers continue to migrate from traditional restaurant and grocery formats to new non-traditional points of fresh food distribution seeking new fresh food experiences according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Fast food restaurants are in an intensifying battle for share-of-stomach and if chain restaurants are not evolving with or faster than consumers they are most likely capitulating market share.  Sonic Drive-In is one company that does not plan lag behind.

In an effort to garner incremental Gen Z and Millennial customers Sonic is rolling out a ‘blended burger’ line system-wide to offer a 350 calorie cheeseburger with a halo of ‘better-for-you’ or as they say with” health and sustainability halo for $1.99.

Scott Uehlein, VP of product innovation and development for Sonic stated “The new Signature Slinger burgers are a blend of beef and diced mushrooms. …. the combination provides a juiciness and amped-up beef flavor. Signature slinger burgers “makes you feel like you’re getting away with something,”

According to Uehlein Sonic is the first national quick-service chain to offer a blended burger system-wide.  The new sandwich consists of a blended patty topped with melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, diced onion, a crinkle-cut pickle chip and mayonnaise, all served on a brioche-style bun.

Sonic has found its new electricity to drive top line sales and bottom line profits it could be according to Johnson in a blended ‘better-for-you burger.  Sonic’s partnership with the mushroom council is on supply and innovation is the platform for the new electricity, according to Johnson; partnerships specifically strategic partnerships are driving retail success today. 

Johnson stated that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, grocerant consultants, urban farming (produce, seafood, etc.), autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, cash-less payments, digital hand held marketing.

Retailers the ilk of Sonic to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different in some form.  That’s exactly what Sonic did here. That will require brands to embrace new fresh food partnerships more now than ever before according to Johnson.

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.