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APRIL 2015
FoodBytes
APPETIZERS
LATEST TRENDS AND RESEARCH
A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM
:
APRIL 2015
FoodBytes
TGI FRIDAY’S | Carrolton, TX (HQ)
TGI Friday’s caused national buzz last summer when it announced its Endless Apps promotion.
The “wildly successful” all-you-can-eat appetizer deal is back this year as Endless Choice, offering
diners an endless array of appetizers such as mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings for $12.
BON APETIT!
Dig into the latest trends and consumer insights on the almighty appetizer
Just how popular are appetizers? In a word, very. Whether it’s a platter of fresh oysters, a basket of french fries, or a
tower of onion rings, appetizers are served at 85% of all restaurants. Though appetizers have a strong showing at
restaurants across segments, full-service restaurants are more likely to include starters – 97% of all casual and fine
dining restaurants include appetizers on the menu.
In this month’s edition of FoodBytes, we give you a sneak peek at our recently released MenuTrends Keynote Report
on appetizers. In the next pages, we’ll explore the top trends from each stage in our Menu Adoption Cycle (MAC) as
they appear on appetizer menus throughout the country. The latest Appetizer Keynote Report combines the power of
MenuTrends data with consumer and operator survey insights – providing you with a complete picture of the current
appetizer landscape. While we found that consumers still favor traditional finger foods like chicken wings and nachos,
trends like shared plates and communal appetizers, such as charcuterie boards, are also moving through the Menu
Adoption Cycle and gaining consumer interest.
As a good appetizer should, this appetizer-themed FoodBytes is just a small taste of what our comprehensive
MenuTrends Keynote Report has to offer. So go ahead and awaken your appetite – the MenuTrends Keynote
Appetizer report is an invaluable resource to help you understand the complete appetizer landscape away-from-home
and at-home, detailing consumers' behavior, motivations and preferences.
Pictured on cover: Towering Onion Rings at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews.
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APRIL 2015
FoodBytes
RECENTLY RELEASED
MENUTRENDS
APPETIZERS KEYNOTE
Appetizers can serve as check booster for operators
• Details on the current
appetizer landscape
• Appetizer drivers and
barriers
• Deep dive into
appetizer megatrends
• Extensive menu detail
• Item deep dives
• Operator usage detail
• Retail opportunities
To order, contact
Brian Darr at
312-655-0594.
Released this month, Datassential’s new
MenuTrends Keynote Report on
appetizers details what appetizers
consumers are already eating, what
they’re interested in trying, and how that
compares to what operators are including
on the menu. Not including soups and
salads, 85% of all restaurants offer
appetizers. Our MenuTrends Keynote
Appetizer report contains insight from
more than 1,000 consumers – including
their thoughts on a wide variety of
appetizer categories, flavors, and
ingredients. We found that nearly twothirds (65%) of consumers had their last
appetizer away from home. Appetizers can
be a key check-boosting opportunity for
operators: they are often less costly to
prepare, and can allow chefs to
experiment with new menu ideas.
Appetizers are often the first items shown
on a restaurant menu – giving operators
an opportunity to make a resounding first
impression with on-trend appetizer
offerings. Comprehensive consumer
insights are combined with operator data
on menuing, purchases, and brand
preferences, and joined with the power of
MenuTrends data to help you understand
the complete appetizer landscape both at
home and away from home. We also look
at specific appetizer categories and
identify trends in each stage of our Menu
Adoption Cycle (MAC) shown below.
MENU ADOPTION CYCLE:
APPETIZER MEGATRENDS
Datassential’s
Menu
Adoption Cycle (MAC)
follows trends through a
life cycle, from birth
(inception) to fast casual
and casuals adopting the
trend, to proliferation in
QSRs, and ubiquity – when
a trend appears across all
segments.
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APRIL 2015
FoodBytes
INCEPTION: ETHNIC SPICE
ADOPTION: CHARCUTERIE
Chicago’s Eastman Egg Company
Lamb Meatballs | The Fly Trap, San
Francisco
Our top flavor trend to watch in 2015,
harissa, is a spicy chili paste often
used in North African cooking. Harissa
has increased 188% on U.S. menus in
the past four years. At The Fly Trap in
San Francisco, pistacho meatballs are
amped up with red harissa, honey,
and pomegranate glaze. Also on the
restaurant’s menu is mushroom cake
with kohlrabi and green harissa.
House-made Charcuterie| Church & State Bistro, Los Angeles
CHARCUTERIE GRABS CONSUMER INTEREST
Trio Restaurant | Austin, TX
Generally mild, one out of ten
shishito peppers pack a serious heat
kick. That surprise factor has made
shishitos one of the trendiest peppers
on menus in recent years – they have
grown 233% on U.S. menus in the
past for years alone. You'll often find
these peppers on the appetizer
menu, like at Austin's Trio, where
blistered shishito peppers are served
with burnt orange romesco sauce. At
Denver’s Linger Restaurant, shishitos
are flash fried and paired with
cheddar curds and orange habanero
jam in the Popper Breakdown – a
play on the classic jalapeno popper.
Consumer insight from our Appetizer Keynote showed the charcuterie
board/plate as one of the top five appetizer trends people are most interested
in trying. Cured meats such as mortadella, lardo, prosciutto, and game meats,
along with artisan cheeses, house-made sausages, and pâtés are getting
showcased on many appetizer menus at fine and casual dining establishments
looking to highlight in-house meat programs. According to MenuTrends,
charcuterie is up 163% on menus over the past four years – with the majority
of charcuterie boards menued as a sampler appetizer. At Church & State Bistro
in Los Angeles, it’s all about traditional French fare, with a number of meatcentric dishes, including three versions of charcuterie. The Grande Charcuterie
features duck prosciutto, house-cured pork belly, beef tongue, venison
terrine, chicken liver mousse, house mustard, and pickled vegetables. The
chicken liver mousse is described as “rich, tangy, and glistening” and “one of
the best chicken liver mousses anywhere” by LA Weekly. In Pittsburgh, many
of the charcuterie meats found on restaurant menus throughout the city come
from Crested Duck Charcuterie, an artisan meat market and restaurant. All of
their products, from beef and bone marrow sausage (mushrooms, bone
marrow, pinot noir) to dirty martini salami (lamb, pork, juniper, ginger), are
scratch made using meat sourced from within a 150-mile radius.
Accompaniments also give operators the opportunity to put a unique spin on
charcuterie – at Shojo Boston, the charcuterie board takes on an Asian twist
with Asian pear, kimchi, fig mostarda, and dried longan compote. At
Milwaukee’s Café Benelux & Market, you’ll find charcuterie complete with
ginger bacon chutney.
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APRIL 2015
PROLIFERATION: SHARED/SMALL PLATES
FoodBytes
The small plate concept began appearing outside of tapas menus in 2005. Today, small
plates are found at 22% of the top 500 major restaurant chains.
Ranch Truffle Sliders | Sable, Chicago
Fried Macaroni & Cheese| The Cheesecake
Factory, Calabasas, CA (HQ)
SLIDERS
FRIED BITES
According to MenuTrends data, sliders appear on 6% of
restaurant appetizer menus – and have also increased 68% over
the past four years on menus overall. Sliders are an on-trend
offering found both at small-plate focused restaurants and casual
pubs and restaurants. At Sable Bar & Kitchen, sliders are included
in the restaurant’s “social plate”-centric menu. The restaurant’s
current slider variation is the short rib slider, with root beer glaze
and crispy fried onions. At Tampa Bay, FL-based Beef O’ Brady’s,
the shareable appetizer Land, Sea & Air includes fried shrimp,
breaded chicken, and three Angus cheeseburger sliders.
According to the Appetizer Keynote Report,
consumers are far more likely to choose hot
appetizers over cold starters, and typically
order indulgent, fried appetizers away-fromhome. Fried bites can be found in many
forms across segments – such as Country Fair
Cheese Bites from Ohio-based Bob Evans
Farms Restaurants or Seafood Hush Pups at
Houston, TX- based Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
FLATBREADS
Flatbreads are one of the highest ranked
appetizer trends consumers said they are
interested in trying. Flatbreads can be found
on 7% of restaurant appetizer menus, with
widespread appearance across casual chain
restaurants such as Olive Garden. Maryville,
TN-based Ruby Tuesday offers three types of
flatbread, including a four cheese bianca
flatbread with alfredo sauce, and even
noodle-centric Noodles & Company menus a
margherita flatbread.
Mediterranean Flatbread | Olive Garden
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APRIL 2015
UBIQUITY: TAILGATING FAVORITES
FoodBytes
SHAREABLE FINGER FOODS ARE A
CONSUMER FAVORITE
When consumers want appetizers, they most often reach for easily
shareable finger foods. French fries, potato skins, chips and salsa, and
wings are the top appetizers consumers most recently ate. Of the
consumers that reported eating these appetizers, the majority of them
ordered them in restaurants. The majority of appetizers eaten at home
are refrigerated or frozen pre-packaged items – not surprising given that
these consumer favorites can be harder to prepare at home. Familiar
favorites such as chicken wings, fries, nachos, dips, onion rings, cheese
sticks, and tater tots can be found ubiquitously across all restaurant
segments. While classic finger foods such as fries and wings can be found
in their traditional form at QSRs such as Sonic Drive-In and KFC, many
operators are creating updated appetizers with modern twists. Beerbattered onion rings are becoming increasingly common as a way to
leverage craft beer already on the menu – such as the Widmer Beerbattered onion rings at Portland, OR area chain Stanford’s Bar and Grill.
At Mimi’s Café, diners will find updates on the traditional fry basket with
bacon cheese house fries – featuring hand-cut Idaho potatoes, cheddar
cheese, bacon, green onions, and ranch dipping sauce. Wings, which can
be found on 40% of all restaurant appetizer menus, offer operators an
opportunity for creativity in developing new sauces and flavors. At
Buffalo Wild Wings, customers will find more than a dozen sauces, with
past limited edition varieties including Buttery Maple and Smoldering
Santa Fe – made with guajillo, chipotle, and jalapeno peppers.
(From Top) Parmesan Fries with sundried tomato aioli from Bachi Burger in Las
Vegas; Mozzarella Sticks from The Garden Grille & Bar in South Padre Island,
TX; BJ’s Fritos Nachos from BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse (HQ: Huntington
Beach, CA); Triple Dipper with Southwestern Eggrolls, Boneless Buffalo Wings,
and Big Mouth Bites from Chili’s (HQ: Dallas, TX).
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APRIL 2015
FoodBytes
TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH’S
TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS
ON THE MENU
DINE AROUND:
ATLANTA
In March’s On the Menu, we
explored the Italian sformato,
mustard greens, nutritious
flaxseed, stout beer being used in
desserts and flavorings, the mai tai
cocktail, and buffalo sauce. In our
coverage of new menu items and
LTOs, we covered top chains
putting seafood LTOs on the menu
and we updated you on the design
and technology revamps taking
place at numerous restaurants.
In this edition of Dine Around, we
traveled to Atlanta, GA where the
historic South rubs elbows with
modern cuisine. While Southern
cuisine is certainly classic here,
Atlanta is becoming one of the
most trend-forward cities in the
South, with many chefs adopting
global cuisines and flavors. In Local
Voices , you’ll find firsthand insight
from Atlanta food bloggers.
UPCOMING: We explore
Astoria, a bustling neighborhood
in Queens, NYC.
UPCOMING: We cover pecans,
Thai basil, olives, and bulgogi.
INTERNATIONAL
CONCEPTS: GERMANY
CREATIVE CONCEPTS:
UP-AND-COMING
SUPERMARKETS
In International Concepts, we
brought you to Germany, the
second most populous nation in
Europe. We explored a variety of
restaurant concepts, including a
chicken-centric QSR, the “cooking
spoon” chain selling currywurst, a
fast casual restaurant offering
seafood entrees and a fresh buffet,
and we take a look at a Germanborn Italian eatery that has crossed
over into the U.S.
In last month’s Creative
Concepts: Up-and-Coming
Supermarkets, we explored the
modern grocery stores that are
upping the ante with expanded
prepared food selections, inhouse restaurants, and unique
grocery offerings. These nextgeneration supermarkets aim to
offer a complete food experience.
UPCOMING: We take a look at
major chain operators in Japan.
UPCOMING: We profile food halls
across the country.
NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND!
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Contact Maeve Webster at 312-655-0596 to subscribe
to Datassential’s entire TrendSpotting Report series.
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STAY IN-THE-KNOW ON THE LATEST TRENDS WITH
REPORTS FROM
Datassential’s TrendSpotting Reports combine the art of spotting food trends with the science of market research,
so you are always up-to-date on the trends that matter to your business, from ideation to marketing to
competitive analysis. And, by subscribing to the full TrendSpotting package, you’ll put it all into context by
understanding the overall trend landscape, from sauces to spices, carriers to proteins, beverages to desserts.
ON THE MENU analyzes
flavor and ingredient trends
from across the trend cycle,
from consumer awareness
and interest to menu
examples that put trends into
context. Plus, we gather and
examine important LTOs and
new menu items from chains
across the country.
INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS, our
newest TrendSpotting Report,
highlights chain activity around
the world – these are the indemand, up-and-coming flavors,
concepts, and trends that are
often adapted for the U.S. market.
DINE AROUND takes you on a
TrendSpotting tour of a city or
neighborhood, so you are always inthe-know on local food trends and
how they fit into the overall food
landscape, all combined with
Datassential’s industry-leading
market research tools, including
MenuTrends and Firefly.
To begin your TrendSpotting subscription, contact Datassential Senior
Director Maeve Webster at 312-655-0596 or [email protected].
CREATIVE CONCEPTS makes it
easy to understand how hot
flavors, ingredients, and
concepts fit into overall industry
trends. Each month takes you
across the country and into the
establishments that are defining
the industry.
WORLD BITES brings you
authentic dishes and
ingredients from around the
globe, each one packed with
consumer survey data and U.S.
menu examples – a must for
product ideation, menu
development, and marketing.
datassential.com
:
SOMETHING FOR EVERY IDEATION
AND MARKETING NEED.
A MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS SAY
THEIR TASTES ARE SHAPED BY
THEIR RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES
What’s happening on the menu today can
be a leading indicator of tomorrow’s food
trends.
Datassential MenuTrends is the industry’s largest
menu data set with the longest historic trend
record, plus the ability to search millions of dishes
from over 100,000 menus. Because the database is
designed to mirror the US restaurant census by
segment, region, and menu type, MenuTrends is the
only system that offers true projectable data. All
segments and cuisine types are tracked extensively
– from food trucks to fine dining.
MenuTrends INSIDER is also updated every month
with Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and other new
menu activity, with product photos that bring the
listings to life. And with thousands of ready-to-use
reports and simple trend detection tools, you can
jump right into the database, identifying,
measuring, and predicting the food and flavor
trends that matter to your business.
Call us today to begin using the food industry’s
authoritative resource for flavor trends.
Call Jana Mann at 312-655-0595 or
email [email protected].
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