A boneless wings and potato skins sampler, mini mozzarella sticks, onion rings, fruit cup and loaded potato skins are the top five limited-time offer (LTO) appetizers and sides by purchase intent from January to May 2024, according to CSP sister research arm Technomic’s June 2024 LTO Trends to Watch report.
These items are from Ninety-Nine Restaurant and Pub, Friendly’s, Checkers, O’Charley’s, and Ruby Tuesday, respectively.
In its methodology of consumer-rated LTOs, Chicago-based Technomic takes a monthly sample of 500 foodservice users; in addition, 250 current LTOs in the market are tested each month and are indexed against Technomic’s database of 16,000 LTOs.
While the offerings in this report come from full- and quick-serve restaurants, they can provide inspiration for convenience stores.
The report’s top five entrees are prime rib (Houlihan’s), porterhouse (Fogo de Chao), T-bone steak and eggs (Shari’s Cafe and Pies), bone-in ribeye (Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen) and a 16-ounce bone-in New York strip (Smokey Bones).
“Steak consumption is on the rise.”
“Steak consumption is on the rise, with more consumers reporting that they eat steak at least three times a week compared to 2021 and 2018,” Technomic said.
Moving to desserts, there’s a molten lava cookie (Crumbl), chocolate lava cake (Bonefish Grill), turtle cheesecake (Smokey Bones), chocolate brownie explosion sundae (Ruby Tuesday) and a Ghirardelli chocolate chunk brownie (Buffalo Wild Wings). The last item includes a “brand callout,” Technomic said, and the lava cake is a “rich chocolate.”
In beverages, the top five are fresh watermelon margarita (Uncle Julio’s), Ghirardelli hot chocolate (Krispy Kreme), perfect pineapple margarita (Benihana), frozen mango lemonade (Popeyes) and tropical sunrise (First Watch).
This last item is a nonalcohol breakfast beverage that includes mango, pineapple, strawberry and lime. The frozen mango lemonade is a “twist on classics,” Technomic said, and is “a rich, tropical fruit flavor that balances the tart and sweet lemonade.”
LTOs With Momentum
Looking at trends in the a recent five-month span, Technomic’s report included appetizer samplers, including an offering from Jack in the Box: Jack’s Fan Favs Box. This includes mozzarella sticks, curly fires and tiny tacos with marinara, avocado lime and ranch dip cups.
Technomic said 27.3% of operator menus include some form of a sampler, with fine dining being the top segment at 50.4%. Meanwhile, 56% of consumers said they would like to see operators apply more sampler options to appetizers or small plates at restaurants.
In addition, 48% of consumers are more likely to order an appetizer sampler platter if they can choose which appetizers go in it.
Another LTO with momentum is nostalgic inspirations at breakfast, such as pigs in a blanket from Perkins Restaurant and banana monkey bread pancakes from Snooze.
“Forty percent of consumers would like restaurants to offer more nostalgic items or flavor,” Technomic said.
Nostalgic flavors to watch are rainbow sprinkle, peanut butter and jelly, s’mores, bubblegum, cotton candy, fruit punch and Orange Creamsicle.
Rainbow sprinkle’s predicted operator penetration from 2024 to 2026 is 112%, Technomic said.
“Forty percent of consumers would like restaurants to offer more nostalgic items or flavor.”
Finally, cinnamon crunch coffee is another growing LTO.
“Mentions of cinnamon crunch have increased 8.3% on menus over the last year [Q1 2023 to Q1 2024], including plus-50% in desserts and plus-100% in add-ons,” according to Technomic.
Cinnamon as an ingredient in lattes has seen 9.7% growth in the last year,” said Technomic, noting a cinnamon toast crunch latte at Scooter’s Coffee and an iced cinnamon crunch latte at Panera Bread.
Among the fastest-growing nonalcohol beverage flavors, cinnamon is tied for third with Mediterranean, at a 24% change in incidence. Italian is first, at 35%, and caramel macchiato second, at 25%. Fruit punch rounds out the top five, at 23%.
Technomic’s recommended actions include offering customizable side options or sampler platters where consumers can select the items they would like to try. In addition, retailers should leverage popular brands in desserts and beverages, particularly as a way to elevate LTOs. Other recommendations include tapping into the emotion of nostalgia via flavors reminiscent of childhood classics, “but keep up with each generation’s nostalgic preferences,” Technomic said.
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