Why fast food breakfast is booming
惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚 upcoming October 6 introduction of a limited all-day breakfast menu has not just other QSRs but also mid-price family concepts scrambling to defend their breakfast turfs. The NPD Group reported that breakfast has been the fast growing daypart, with a 4% increase in customer counts during the 12 months ended May 2015. No chain wants to lose its momentum in the mornings.
惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚 hopes to tap that rising popularity; competitors are moving to keep what they have.
Known itself as the 鈥渞estaurant born on a farm,鈥� new ads from the Bob Evans family-dining chain announce it is 鈥渞aising the bar on breakfast鈥� with 10 Specialty Breakfasts priced under $6. Last month, Bob Evans鈥� Executive Chair Doug Benham聽聽analysts its menu strategy 鈥渋s currently focused on higher margin breakfast items as part of our Best in Class Breakfast initiative.鈥� Breakfast now represents 40% of its sales and Benham wants it higher. To do so it will 鈥渄eemphasize the lower margin items such as three-course dinners on our lunch and dinner menus.鈥�
Shoney鈥檚 is touting a $5 鈥淎ll-Star Breakfast鈥� with 鈥渢wo freshly cracked eggs,鈥� crispy bacon, breakfast potatoes and buttermilk biscuit. Since 惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚 also freshly cracks eggs in-store, this benefit (also cited in ads for Bob Evans and others) has power mostly against the likes of Taco Bell, which doesn鈥檛 use fresh eggs.
IHOP is promoting Double Dipped French Toast, which it gleefully describes as 鈥渂reakfast dipped in breakfast.鈥� Perkins Restaurant & Bakery has a new Griddle Up Menu with five platters including a Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Pancake Platter. Village Inn positions its breakfast menu as 鈥渃rave-worth choices all day every day.鈥� Buffet concept Golden Corral is pushing 鈥淏reakfast for Lunch and Dinner 7 Days a Week鈥� with made-to-order omelets in new聽聽featuring comic/actor Jeff Foxworthy.
Over the past five years, customer traffic at family-dining restaurants has declined 3% according to NPD data. But while other dayparts slide, family-segment customer counts at breakfast are at least flat, making it these concepts鈥� most important segment.
QSRs are just beginning to put up new defenses. Taco Bell this week broke a new聽for its Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Taco. Carl鈥檚 Jr./Hardee鈥檚 last week enlisted UFC Bantamweight Champ Ronda Rousey to promote their latest breakfast item, the Cinnamon Swirl French Toast Breakfast Sandwich. Dunkin鈥� Donuts has introduced a Tailgater Breakfast Sandwich with a split smoked sausage atop grilled pepper strips and an egg.
Krystal suddenly is promoting a 鈥�$3.99 Three-Egg Breakfast with Fresh Cracked Eggs.鈥� Expect to see more such defensive marketing; I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised to see a new breakfast item soon from Jack in the Box, which hasn鈥檛 augmented its morning menu since the Steak & Egg Breakfast Burrito in May.
惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚 Family Duo Meal in Canada
Even 惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚 is making changes. It is reverting to the original-style English muffin it previously used for McMuffins and is again dressing the muffins with butter rather than margarine. The chain also聽聽that over the next decade as supplies allow, it will transition to using only cage-free eggs.
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In Canada,聽惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚聽is offering a new twist on the multi-person boxed meal. The 鈥�Family Duo Meal鈥� doesn鈥檛 come in a box, but for $10 it includes an entree salad for a parent coupled with a Happy Meal for a child.
The chain added a new line of Entr茅e Salad Bowls鈥揺ach with baby kale as an ingredient鈥搃n May in Canada. It introduced them with TV spots showing unsuspecting patrons at a 鈥淪alad Society鈥� pop-up restaurant trying the salads without knowing they鈥檙e from 惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚. As I聽聽last week, this 鈥淭his is 惭肠顿辞苍补濒诲鈥檚?鈥� tactic is being used by the chain worldwide as it works to change perceptions of the brand.
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颁耻濒惫别谤鈥檚聽launched its 鈥淭hank You, Farmers鈥� initiative in 2013. The goals are to thank farmers who supply the chain with foodstuffs and to provide some money for the FFA organization that supports young people who want careers in farming. This year鈥檚 thank-you is a really big one: 颁耻濒惫别谤鈥檚 cut a maze into Gull Meadow Farm鈥檚 cornfield in Richland, Mich. From the air you can see the logos for both 颁耻濒惫别谤鈥檚 and its 鈥淭hank You, Farmers鈥� program. The maze will be there through November 1.
