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FoodBytes APRIL 2015

A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM

APPETIZERS LATEST TRENDS AND RESEARCH

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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.

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Pictured on cover: Towering Onion Rings at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews.

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!

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Dig into the latest trends and consumer insights on the almighty appetizer

: FoodBytes

datassential.com | 312-655-0596 3


MENUTRENDS APPETIZERS KEYNOTE

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 two-

thirds (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.

RECENTLY RELEASED

Appetizers can serve as check booster for operators

To order, contact Brian Darr at

312-655-0594.

• 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

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.

: FoodBytes



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 meat-centric 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.

Chicago’s Eastman Egg Company

House-made Charcuterie| Church & State Bistro, Los Angeles

INCEPTION: ETHNIC SPICE

ADOPTION: CHARCUTERIE

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.

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.

Lamb Meatballs | The Fly Trap, San Francisco

Trio Restaurant | Austin, TX

CHARCUTERIE GRABS CONSUMER INTEREST

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SLIDERS 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.

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.

FRIED BITES 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-from-home. 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.

PROLIFERATION: SHARED/SMALL PLATES

Ranch Truffle Sliders | Sable, Chicago

Mediterranean Flatbread | Olive Garden

Fried Macaroni & Cheese| The Cheesecake Factory, Calabasas, CA (HQ)

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.



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. Beer-battered onion rings are becoming increasingly common as a way to leverage craft beer already on the menu – such as the Widmer Beer-battered 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).

SHAREABLE FINGER FOODS ARE A CONSUMER FAVORITE

UBIQUITY: TAILGATING FAVORITES FoodBytes APRIL 2015

ON THE MENU 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.

FoodBytes


TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH’S

NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND! Contact Maeve Webster at 312-655-0596 to subscribe to Datassential’s entire TrendSpotting Report series.

INTERNATIONAL

CONCEPTS: GERMANY 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 German-born Italian eatery that has crossed over into the U.S.

DINE AROUND:

ATLANTA 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 cover pecans, Thai basil, olives, and bulgogi.

UPCOMING: We explore Astoria, a bustling neighborhood in Queens, NYC.

UPCOMING: We take a look at major chain operators in Japan.

UPCOMING: We profile food halls across the country.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS:

UP-AND-COMING

SUPERMARKETS 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, in-house restaurants, and unique grocery offerings. These next-generation supermarkets aim to offer a complete food experience.


STAY IN-THE-KNOW ON THE LATEST TRENDS WITH

REPORTS FROM

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.

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.

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.

DINE AROUND takes you on a TrendSpotting tour of a city or neighborhood, so you are always in-the-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.

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS, our newest TrendSpotting Report, highlights chain activity around the world – these are the in-demand, up-and-coming flavors, concepts, and trends that are often adapted for the U.S. market.

To begin your TrendSpotting subscription, contact Datassential Senior

Director Maeve Webster at 312-655-0596 or [email protected].

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.

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SOMETHING FOR EVERY IDEATION

AND MARKETING NEED.

datassential.com | 312-655-0596

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].

appetizers - datassential data with consumer and operator survey insights ... consumer insight from...

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