Report Coverage:
- RR’s Menu & Promotions report provides data for 58 chains (35 QSR and 23 FSR) including: (1) a 6-year history of total menu items (2018 – 2022); (2) promotional mix by quarter; (3) new product intros; (4) average check; (5) daypart sales mix; (6) digital & off-premise sales mix; (7) menu category mix; and (8) monthly new product calendar.
Key Points:
- Average menu size contracted -1.8% for QSR and -1.9% for FSR through 1H:22 given ongoing efforts to minimize operational complexity and food waste while also seeking to improve service speed.
- Average menu size is at the lowest level since at least 2013 for QSR (down -17% from 2014 peak) and only slightly above the 2020 low for FSR (down -22% from 2014 peak).
- New product intros (which had been stable for QSR over the last several years but declining for FSR) also remain near the 2020 low as chains focus on core menus as opposed to innovation (once again to maximize speed & output).
- 1H:22 average check growth moderated (+7.3% QSR & +5.2% FSR) relative to record 2021 increases (+10.8% QSR & +7.4% FSR) but was still about 2x higher than the historical average due to menu price increases needed to help off-set record food and labor cost inflation.
- The Food at Home CPI (+10.2% 1H:22) has outpaced the Food Away From Home CPI (+7.5% QSR & +8.2% FSR) since October 2021, increasing the appeal of restaurant dining options.
