CHICAGO -- Barbecue is synonymous with summertime, and the 4th of July is the pinnacle of barbecue season. Leading restaurant operators have picked up on this trend, too, as limited-time offers (LTOs) featuring barbecue over the last year were most common in the summer months and least common in the winter. In the heart of barbecue season, Technomic's "Category Close-Up: Barbecue" report looks at barbecue from multiple angles, as both a preparation method and flavor.
"Barbecue is increasingly prevalent on menus," said Technomic executive vice president Darren Tristano. "More than half of all operators we track (57%) menu at least one dish with barbecue sauce. Whether it's introduced in the preparation or as a flavor, barbecue is very versatile and, more importantly, very different depending on regionality."
More than 63% of the Top 500 restaurant chains offer barbecue as a flavor, ingredient or preparation style, said Technomic, delving into its MenuMonitor online menu-tracking resource.
Operators use a diverse array of methods to incorporate barbecue onto menus, and the opportunity that still remains for the category to grow:
- Overall menu incidence of barbecue sauce is up over 5% in the past year.
- A large majority of all barbecue sauce mentions don't have a flavor associated with the sauce, indicating large opportunities for operators to offer more innovative barbecue sauce flavors.
- Among sauces with a flavor associated with them, sweet/honey-style barbecue sauces are declining, while spicy/pepper varieties are gaining.
- Smoked is the most commonly used barbecue preparation, and pork is the most commonly barbecued protein.
- At barbecue concepts, coleslaw is the most commonly menued side dish, followed by French fries and baked beans.
Chicago-based Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.