Steve Martin Was Right (and the Grocerant Guru® Approves) — on Fancy Comfort Food, Nostalgia, and Why Packaging Still Sells the Story

 

Steve Martin recently posted a cheeky photo of an ultra-fancy grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup remix and quipped, “I feel sorry for today’s kids.” It was the kind of internet moment that hits perfectly between a laugh and a life lesson — equal parts stand-up and stand-off against the over-gourmetization of comfort food.

But here’s the twist: Steve wasn’t wrong. Behind that viral joke lies a real, data-driven story about how comfort food has evolved — from mom’s kitchen to the upscale deli case — and why packaging, nostalgia, and retail psychology now matter more than ever.

Welcome to the age of the Grocerant (where grocery meets restaurant) — and where every “fancy grilled cheese” is secretly a marketing masterclass.

 

Quick Reality Check: The Joke Has Data Behind It

1. Prepared meals are booming — and strategic.
The global ready-meal market is now worth over $180 billion and climbing fast, according to Fortune Business Insights. Consumers still want quick dinners, but they’re no longer settling for bland or frozen. The modern mantra? “If I’m eating alone, I still want to eat well.”

2. Comfort food is trending… again (and again).
Datassential calls “elevated comfort” a top 2024–2025 menu driver. Think truffle mac, heritage bacon grilled cheese, and bisques with charred tomato bases. Nostalgia is officially a flavor — and chefs know it.

3. Grocerants are mainstreaming.
RetailWire reports that grocery stores now see in-store dining and ready-to-eat meals as essential profit centers. Shoppers want restaurant-quality food at grocery prices — no tip required.

4. Packaging still drives the craving.
McKinsey and NielsenIQ confirm that packaging remains one of the top three purchase triggers. Consumers equate well-designed packaging with freshness, safety, and taste — long before the first bite.

 

How Comfort Food Got Fancy — Four Fast (and Fun) Food Facts

From basic to bougie: “Grilled cheese” used to mean Kraft singles and Wonder Bread. Today, it’s got marketing copy: “aged white cheddar, caramelized shallots, sourdough crust.” According to Upper Lakes Foods, “elevated comfort” is now a top-10 menu term, driving up both menu prices and Instagram engagement.

More home meals, but higher standards:
The International Fresh Produce Association reports that grocery shoppers want “restaurant-at-home” convenience — premium freshness, chef-like recipes, and zero prep. Hence the rise of “heat-and-eat” craft comfort.

Grocerants = value + flavor fusion:
As Investopedia points out, grocers who don’t invest in prepared foods are leaving millions on the table. Consumers happily pay a few dollars more for “house-made, hot, and ready” — especially when the packaging looks like something out of a café.

Snackification nation:
Perdue Foodservice data shows that nearly 40% of comfort-food purchases now happen outside of mealtime. Late-night mac-and-cheese cups, single-serve soups, and grab-and-go grilled cheese bites? That’s nostalgia resized for the modern attention span.

 

Three Grocerant Guru® Packaging Power Plays

(Because even nostalgia needs a good box.)

1. Make comfort visible — in five seconds flat.
Consumers eat with their eyes. Transparent windows, vented films, or even “melty reveal” cutouts let the ooze and crispiness shine through. Add quick, sensory-rich descriptors like “Buttery Sourdough • Triple Melt Cheddar • Brown Butter Crust.” That’s how you turn deli cases into desire showcases.

2. Match the format to the moment.
Microwave for solo comfort. Oven-ready for families. Air-fryer friendly for Millennials who’ve retired their toasters. Include reheat icons and exact times — because nothing kills cozy faster than soggy bread. Mintel says predictable convenience is the new trust currency.

3. Tell a tiny story (and make sustainability part of the brag).
Use a one-line provenance note (“Cheddar from a fourth-generation Oregon creamery”) and a QR that links to a 20-second clip of the chef making it. Pair it with recyclable packaging and you’ve got emotional and ethical buy-in. McKinsey calls that “dual-purpose storytelling,” and it boosts repeat sales by double digits.

 

 Think About This

Steve Martin’s quip landed because everyone gets it. We miss the grilled cheese that stuck to our fingers — not the one that came with a foam reduction. But the truth is, the food world isn’t killing comfort — it’s rebranding it.

From grocerant counters to meal-kit boxes, the new comfort economy is all about giving nostalgia a modern wrapper. The Grocerant Guru® verdict?

“Don’t apologize for making comfort fancy — just make it feel familiar. Package the memory. Sell the story. And make reheating idiot-proof.”

Because at the end of a long workday, no one’s really sorry for today’s kids.
They’ve got hot, melty, triple-cheddar comfort waiting in compostable packaging — and that’s worth smiling about.

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With deep experience in restaurant operations, brand positioning, and strategic consulting, Steven provides valuable takeaways that inspire and drive results.

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Love's Comfort Food is More than Chicken

 

Differentiation does not mean different it means familiar but with a twist.  At Love’s Travel Shops that twist is comfort food fresh fast and priced with a homestyle value according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

A new homestyle chicken lineup at Love’s Travel Shops is unique for the highway, as many items are baked and low in carbs while also flavorful, antibiotic-free and made fresh daily, the company said.

Love’s Whitman Harson, senior manager of category management and deli, stated, "We always listen to the customer, and they've been looking for flavorful chicken options that they can purchase to get back on the road quickly," … "This new lineup is unique to the highway with skip-the-line items that are tasty, nutritious and well-priced."

Filling up and filling out the menu, the chicken is included in new sandwiches, including a grilled chicken sandwich, a spicy breaded chicken sandwich, a chicken waffle sandwich and a chicken biscuit. All are available for under $4. It also comes as homestyle chicken tenders and spicy drumsticks that can be dipped in ranch, honey mustard and barbecue sauces.

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores' network comprises more than 550 locations in 41 states. It also has more than 400 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love's Truck Care locations. How are you brining fresh fast food with flavor into your menu?  Comfort food has evolved has your menu?

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook

Time Starved Consumers want Grocerant niche Fresh Prepared Food

Success does leave clues and Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® continues to find that research firm after research firm continues to follow his lead edifying how, why, and when consumers migrate from legacy channels of fresh food distribution into or add grocerant food to their line-up customer follow.

Most recently Beth Brickel, senior research director on the Insights and Innovation Team at EnsembleIQ edified Johnson’s findings with a new study that found “while 42 percent of shoppers prioritize "quick and easy" when the goal is to satisfy hunger, other factors have more influence than simply convenience; 31 percent prioritize quality and 25 percent prioritize selection and variety.

While Foodservice Solutions® recent Grocerant Scorecards continue to find the top two reasons to purchase grocerant niche prepared meals are 76.2% of consumers are time starved, 69.3 % lack the cooking skill-set to prepared flavor profiled meal.

Here are some of Brickel’s study's other key takeaways that you might find interesting they include:

Increasing satisfaction with heavy c-store shoppers must remain a focus. And while beverages and snacks should not be ignored, meal occasions are most at risk for the c-store shopper.

A majority of all shoppers consider themselves health-conscious. But what does that really mean? The No. 1 indicator of "healthy" in their eyes is freshness.

Think household. Nearly half of shoppers' purchase decisions (49 percent) are influenced by a partner, while 41 percent are influenced by children.

Influence on where to purchase is led by word-of-mouth. Digital resources are not far behind, particularly for millennials.

Most frictionless services, although underrepresented across convenience, perform better elsewhere than at grocery or fast food. Frictionless services can include mobile ordering, delivery services and more.

Concerns about food freshness and quality are the top reasons preventing grocery and fast-food shoppers from purchasing at c-stores. Their perceptions of freshness are affected by store and merchandising cues that go beyond the actual food, such as store cleanliness and an uncluttered interior.

Both grocery and fast-food shoppers would be motivated by a selection that offers more better-for-you options. Increasing this type of offering could prompt higher purchase frequency.

Better variety is the most requested change by c-store shoppers. Nearly two-thirds of study participants (32 percent) listed selection/variety as their response to an open-ended question on what they'd like to change about c-stores. 

Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit Facebook.com/Steven Johnson, www.Linkedin.com/in/grocerant/  or www.twitter.com/grocerant