Article

How jazzing up menus may increase sales

Shannon McClellan of Kraft attended the recent Fast Casual Executive Summit and discussed menu innovation.

October 29, 2013 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Innovative menu items are a must these days for any fast casual restaurant that wants to compete for customers who expect better-tasting food. Gone are the days where guests will be satisfied with a simple turkey sandwich with mayo. Instead, the trend in the industry is to feature gourmet-style options, said Shannon McClellan, key account manager for Kraft, who attended the recent Fast Casual Executive Summit and discussed menu innovation with FastCasual.com's editor Cherryh Butler.

"It's very easy, it's not like you are using a ton of it," McClellan said about restaurants using Kraft's Grey Poupon on sandwiches to create a more gourmet-like taste. "And you are able to put that branded product... you can call it out on your menu. People recognize it and will pay a premium."

Fast casual burger joint, Fatburger, did just that last week by rolling out a new sandwich with the condiment — the Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard Mushroom Swiss Fatburger. It has mayonnaise, Grey Poupon and sautéed mushrooms.

"We are always looking for ways to diversify our product offerings for our new and old fans alike," said Fatburger CEO Andy Wiederhorn.

Watch below to hear more from McClellan on menu innovation.

About Cherryh Cansler

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Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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