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| Kids Menus and Finger Foods |
Kids Menus Offer Value, Variety and BalanceCrayons, draw-me schemes and treasure maps on place mats make for entertaining Kids Menus. With short attention spans, colorful graphics buy a little time and engage young diners and parents alike. Kids Menus ease the ordering task and engender confidence in the establishment and the quality of its fare.About four (41%) of ten leading restaurant chains menu items especially to kids. Growth is up a very modest 2% since 1998, according to Menu Mine, a database of over 400 chain menus. QSR Chains, as a group, are down 2% as Seafood, Chicken and Sandwich chains all decreased their use of kids menus.
Leading Foods on Kids MenusFour items make up over half (52%) of the kids menu. Chicken is the most popular, accounting for 21%. Almost all chicken items are either strips, fingers, tenders or nuggets. Burgers come second with a 14% share, then hot dogs (9%) and pizza (8%). Since 1998, the popularity of these four leaders has changed only slightly.Share of Kids Menu
Cheese is the Leading "Flavor"Cheese filled or topped items account for at least 24% of the Kids Menu led by Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Cheese Pizza, Cheeseburgers, Macaroni & Cheese and Cheese Sticks. American Cheese, Cheddar and Mozzarella are by far the leading types, with more than an 85% share.
Shrimp is the Leading SeafoodShrimp is surprisingly popular, ahead of Macaroni & Cheese. Fish and Shrimp on Kids Menus generally are coated, breaded, battered and then deep fried. Spaghetti, ravioli, noodles, wheels or just about any pasta with tomato sauce are popular. Mexican items have graduated from generic tacos to more appealing and expensive quesadillas, fajitas and enchiladas, which is what adults are eating. Salads are clearly not big, but veggies have a place on Kids presentations in the form of salsas, condiments and plate garnishes.
Breakfast Takes Care of ItselfPopularity is low for Breakfast Kids Menus. Breakfast is an expensive meal to prepare and why should margins suffer? Without any prompting whatsoever, Kids will order a cold cereal anyway. Be sure Kid friendly beverages like chocolate milk, apple juice and hot cocoa are available on the menu.
French FriesSurprisingly, fries are not automatic on Kids Menus. In fact, only about 30% of kids menu items include fries. Usually, fries are an accompaniment on Kids Menus. Fries frequently have a sauce as is the case with Smokey Bones' Chicken Fingers & Fries (with Honey Mustard Sauce), Macaroni Grill's Cheese 'n Fries, Hacienda Mexican Restaurant's Taco & Fries (w/ salsa) and Corky's Spaghetti & Seasoned Fries.
DessertWhen it comes to desserts, ice cream is essential. Eight of ten kids Menu desserts use ice cream in a sundae, single scoop dish, shake or frozen novelty.
MIDSCALE CHAINS---and Kids MenusRestaurants in the Midscale Sector have a 40% chance of offering a Kids Menu. Generally, Midscale Chains have three dedicated Kids Items on the menu. Prices average $2.45 compared to $3.51 in Casual Chains and $2.71 in QSR Chains. (see table below)
Kids Menus at Leading MidscaleChainsAtlanta Breads PB & J Sandwich for $3.79, Dennys Burgerlicious with Cheese for $2.89, IHOPs Kid Spaghetti Dinner for $3.99, Boston Markets Rotisserie Sirloin of Beef at $4.00, Sizzlers Ranch Steak & Fries at $4.99, and Steak n Shakes Chili Mac Plate for $1.99.
*Includes beverage prices
CASUAL CHAINS---and Kids MenusRestaurants in the Casual Sector have a 24% chance of offering a Kids Menu. Generally, Casual Chains have five (4.8) dedicated Kids Items on the menu. Prices average $3.51. Note that incidence of Kids items in Asian Dinner Houses is quite low, while Seafood is quite high.
Kids Menus at Leading Casual ChainsBubba Gumps Kids Mama Gumps Chicken Strips for $4.99. California Pizza Kitchens Kids Hawaiian Pizza for $4.99, Chilis Little Mouth Burger at $3.59. Others: Kahunavilles Fish Nuggets at $5.99, Macaroni & Cheese for $4.49 from Outback Steakhouse, Bowtie Mac n Cheese from Bahama Breeze for $3.99. In addition, Little Lumberjack Hamburger from Timber Lodge Steakhouse for $4.99 and the Jurassic Chicken Tidbits for $5.99, Kids Enchilada from Carlos OKellys Mexican Cafe, and Bambini Sundae from Carrabas Italian Grill for $2.49 reflect not only a kid item but some imaginative fun for the target audience.
*Includes beverage prices
QSR CHAINS---and Kids MenusRestaurants in the QSR Sector have a 33% chance of offering a Kids Menu. Generally, QSR Chains have three (2.8) dedicated Kids Items on the menu. Prices average $2.71.
Kids Menus at Leading QSR ChainsMini Cheese Quesadilla from Baja Fresh Mexican Grill for $3.50, Kids Stir Fry from BDs Mongolian Barbeque for $4.99, Cattail Corndogs from Marshall Fields Bistro for $3.95, Chick-Fil-A Nugget from Chick-Fil-A for $2.99. In addition, Cousins Submarines offers a Mini Sub Jr. Meal for $3.99. And, Jasons Deli features a Kids Salad Bar for $2.99.
*Includes beverage prices
Finger FoodsOn-the-go lifestyles and work-day-demands have boosted the menuing of Finger Foods. Finger Foods are fun to eat alone or shared with friends---no utensils required.
Grab and Go --- Finger Foods are packaged and portable and easier to eat than a sandwich. Any Time --- Finger Foods are convenient, at work, play or in-between. Any Place --- Finger Foods are perfect for upscale, midscale and valuescale menues. Any Food --- Finger Foods are built around proteins, carbo, veggies, cheese or bread Any Ethnic --- Finger Foods come from all cultures, each with their own Kebob, Tapas or Satay
Appetizer Finger FoodsFinger Foods account for 77% of all appetizers on the menu. Chicken Wings have grown to become the leader and they now represent about 12% of all appetizers menued, and perhaps as much as 15% (est.) of total volume. Nachos have actually declined in popularity. Shrimp and other Chicken items have gained. Finger Foods also play a role in Side Items. The leading side item, as an accompaniment or a la carte is French Fries. Other popular Finger Food Sides are Breads, Biscuits, Breadsticks, Pretzels and Chips.
Leading Dipping Sauces with Finger FoodsDipping sauces frequently accompany finger foods, and when they do, the leading flavors are cheese, marinara sauce, buffalo sauce and salsa.
Top 10 Sauces With Finger Foods
(Source MenuMine database) |
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