CHICAGO -- Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) have been aggressively improving and promoting their salad offeringsand their efforts appear to be paying off, according to new consumer research from Technomic. In its Salad Category Report, the food consultancy noted that consumers were more likely to consider QSRs ahead of quick-casual restaurants as a viable source for salad, especially at lunch, although full-service casual dining operators still dominate all other categories as a top-of-mind resource for salad.
At lunch, consumers are frequently focused [image-nocss] on convenience, but still want high quality at a lower price, said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic Information Services. The quick-service players have been highly successful in delivering on that formula. Tristano explained that quick-casual operators may need to put new efforts into promoting their artisan items and creating new signature salad dishes, while also presenting attractive price points, in order to compete more effectively with QSRs.
The report also noted that ethnic trends are among the most striking in the salad category. For example, Southwest, Asian and Mediterranean-influenced flavors have been displacing previously-popular flavors like Cajun and Buffalo seasonings. Blue and other strong cheeses are becoming increasingly popular at all types of restaurants and across all price points.
Chicago-based Technomic provides food and foodservice clients with the research, insights and strategic consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include category and channel analyses, customer satisfaction studies, opportunity assessments, benchmarking programs and brand equity enhancement.
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