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Wendy's tests demand based surge pricing, similar to Uber I believe this is a risky move when fast food is already struggling with high costs. For years, fast food was popular because it was cheap and quick. Nowadays, with a Big Mac meal priced almost the same as a healthier Chipotle bowl, the big question is: where will you choose to grab your next meal? Feel free to share your thoughts. #SurgePricing #FastFoodNews #FoodIndustryTrends #EatingHealthyVsFastFoo #ConsumerChoices #FastFoodCosts #DigitalMenuInnovation #PriceFluctuations #AffordableEats #FastFoodChallenges

Food Trend Alert: The Truth Behind Smaller Portions in Restaurants—Is It About Health or Profit? "Once you get used to larger portions, anything that looks like a normal-sized portion seems like you are getting cheated." – Marion Nestle For years, portion sizes in U.S. restaurants ballooned out of control—plates of pasta, burritos, and bagels grew to absurd proportions. But now, according to the 2024 National Restaurant Association report, 75% of customers want smaller portions at lower costs. This shift, however, raises an important question: Is this truly about health and mindful eating—or are we seeing another form of shrinkflation? Restaurant prices have skyrocketed, causing many to dine out less frequently. With portion sizes shrinking but prices staying high, it feels eerily similar to what happened in the airline industry: less service for more money. As one responder to a recent article pointed out, why pay $20 for a Chipotle bowl when you can make the same meal at home for much less? Critics argue that this push for smaller portions may not be about promoting healthier lifestyles. Instead, it looks like a strategic move by private equity groups to maintain profit margins. By keeping prices high and cutting portion sizes, restaurants might be prioritizing profits over consumer well-being. Yes, portion sizes in America are ridiculous, but we should be wary of this shift if it doesn't also include better pricing and transparency. Consumers deserve more than smaller plates with bigger price tags. If this is about health, let's see objective evidence—backed by independent data—that it benefits the diner, not just the bottom line. The real challenge for restaurants is finding a balance that honors health, value, and sustainability without leaving customers feeling cheated. Offering smaller portions makes sense—if it comes with a fair price. Are we ready to say goodbye to massive portions? Maybe. But at what cost? #FoodTrends #Shrinkflation #Sustainability #RestaurantIndustry #HealthAndWellness #ConsumerBehavior

The $10,000 Mistake Most Restaurants Are Making with Food Costs Ever wonder why your food costs are eating away at your profits? I’ve spent years fixing restaurant performances, and here’s a truth bomb: Many restaurants are unwittingly making a $𝟭𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 mistake. Here's the thing. Most restaurant owners believe they're saving money by buying ingredients in bulk. Sounds logical, right? But here's the kicker → It often leads to more waste. Let me share a story. I once visited a restaurant where the fridge was stocked like a supermarket. They were proud of their bulk-buying strategy. But when I took a closer look, I found veggies going bad, meats losing freshness, and a lot of unused ingredients. The result? Wasted food and wasted money. Sitting Inventory is sitting Money. Sitting Money doesn't make you Money. Here's how you can avoid this costly mistake: 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ↳ Know what sells and what doesn't. Build a tracking sheet for this or use software. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁-𝗶𝗻-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 ↳ Order closer to when you actually need the ingredients. 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 ↳ Ensure you're getting the best prices without overstocking. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 ↳ Proper storage and handling can save thousands. Rotation and pulling the correct item is critical. Use buffers and build-to's to structure a great delivery order. By making these changes, this restaurant cut its food waste by 20% of what they were doing and increased its profit margins significantly. Remember, it’s not just about buying cheap; it’s about buying smart. Want a free strategy to 8x your restaurant's performance? Comment 'Strategy' below and let's transform your operations together. 👉 If you enjoy this 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 Danarius Moore for more. ♻️ Find this informative? 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 to your network to help other restaurants thrive.

The fast food sector has seen an uptick in discounted offerings from companies like McDonald's (MCD) and Burger King as pressure to bring in more consumers intensifies. What does this mean for the broader restaurant sector? BTIG Managing Director and Restaurant Analyst Peter Saleh and TD Cowen Managing Director @Andrew Charles join Market Domination to give insight into the discounts offered at fast food chains and what investors need to keep in mind moving forward. https://lnkd.in/g7ezSfqV

In the dynamic and competitive landscape of the food industry, every edge counts. The adage that 'the customer is always right' is truer now more than ever as the demand for convenience reshapes the expectations of a modern-day diner. https://hubs.ly/Q02zgbqP0

TLDR on QSRs: The uptick in meal deals aren't changing fast food's enduring pricey reputation.🤑🍟 "Hot deals aren't doing much yet to convince more people that fast food isn't expensive," writes Business Insider. "There's been almost no change in perceived value over the last few months as restaurants started launching their cheap eats, according to Morning Consult data." 🗞: https://lnkd.in/gQXK6QiK. 📊: https://lnkd.in/gKvm36Zq

With traffic to fast food restaurants falling amidst rising prices, what can quick-service restaurants do to win back diners? With only about 1 in 5 customers eating in the restaurant, QSRs looking to increase in-restaurant traffic should invest in the most important aspects, according to our poll: - Cleanliness (cited by 69% of respondents) - Service quality (63%) - Speed (56%) Read more in CEO Will Johnson's latest for Ad Age: https://bit.ly/4hpPrCa

🌟 $5 Meals: The New Dollar Menu in Fast Food? 🌟 Are $5 meals the new magic number for fast-food chains? 🍔 With rising prices driving more people to eat at home, major players like McDonald's, Burger King, and Starbucks are betting that $5 value meals can bring back cost-conscious consumers. 📈 McDonald's Strategy Shift: McDonald's has shifted from its dollar menu days to offer a $5 value meal, including a McDouble or McChicken, small fries, a small drink, and four-piece McNuggets. After unsuccessful attempts with non-price strategies like plant-based burgers, McDonald's is focusing on more traditional favorites to win back customers. 🌮 Taco Bell’s Approach: Taco Bell has introduced a slightly pricier $7 value meal, bundling popular items and a medium drink, offering significant savings compared to individual purchases. 💡 Consumer Perspective: As prices have increased faster than wages, many see sit-down restaurants offering better value compared to fast-food options. This pricing strategy aims to attract consumers who have felt the pinch of inflation but still seek convenient dining options. What does this mean for the fast-food industry and consumers? Will these new value meals succeed in drawing back customers? How do you feel about this shift in pricing strategy? Share your thoughts below! 🍟 #FastFood #ValueMeals #ConsumerTrends #McDonalds #BurgerKing #TacoBell #Inflation #FoodIndustry

Integrity, people! What I say, do, and think must always be aligned. We can only please the consumer if we succeed in that rule. We took the kids to McDonald's. ( I'm not a fan. I prefer Burger King, but I digress.) We ordered the food, and I was hit with a wave of doubt when I saw the total—62 Euros. What? Stopping at an authentic restaurant would have cost the same and healthier. I got kind of upset and went to do some digging. Fast food prices have increased more than 40% in the last five years. I understand that prices went up globally due to several factors, but fast food is supposed to be affordable. The promise of a fast food restaurant is fast and cheap. Sure, go ahead and add convenience. I don't mind. But what is fast food if it's not fast and cheap? My research found that McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski thinks the problem is messaging. I want to correct him. The problem of the fast food industry is positioning, not messaging. #brand #branding #brandstrategy #fastfood #mcdonalds

What do you mean fasting doesn't mean eating fast food? Buckle up if you can. McDonald's $5 meal deal has opened up a Pandora's lunch box for fast food wars as Wendy's launches its own new value meal. At $3, the rival is hoping customers follow its slogan, "Choose wisely. Choose Wendy's". Wendy's breakfast combo meal which combines a portion of seasoned potatoes with two breakfast muffins sounds like it'll stick to your ribs, and it has to as fast food goes aggressive. The new lower-price offering comes as customers are increasingly frustrated by rising fast-food prices. The result has been disappointing quarterly earnings at McDonaldland and Wendy's as customers, especially lower-income diners, scale back or look for other options. Where's the beef? When Ronald threw down the Big Mac hammer earlier this month, it was the opening salvo into a brewing fast food war as chains get the message (hold the mayo) about soaring prices. In other words, there's nothing Orange Dreamsicle frosty about inflation and overpriced meal deals. On the other side of the Baconator, not all fast food chains have experienced a customer pullback. The likes of Chipotle continue to enjoy strong sales and taco bowl earnings bonanza despite raising prices. That may also be why McDonald's is also experimenting with new food items, most notably, the Grandma McFlurry in order to add more variety. Will it cross the road too? Yum Brands which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell owner Yum Brands has also seen an earnings hiccup. So the purveyor of fried chicken, pies and chimichangas is likely to follow with its own new value offerings to lure customers back https://lnkd.in/gwnbYr52 #wendys #mcdonalds #fastfood #restaurant #inflation #consumers