Hot Appetizers

Three of four appetizers (77%) offered on restaurant menus are served Hot. Leading hot Appetizers include Calamari, Wings, Chicken Strips, Crab Cakes, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Nachos, Quesadillas, Kabobs, Fried Mushrooms, Fried Zucchini and more.

Cold Appetizers

One of four appetizers (23%) are served Cold. Among these are Chips and Salsa, Shrimp Cocktail, Hummus Dip, Sushi, Guacamole Dip, Ceviche, Carpaccio, Oysters on the Half Shell, Sashimi, Caprese, Lettuce Wraps and more.

Finger Foods or Utensil Bound

Most Appetizers offered on restaurant menus (52%) are Finger Foods. Finger Foods includes Dips. Factoring in item sales velocity, the volume share for Finger Food is estimated by Foodservice Research Institute to approach 75%.

(Source: MenuMine from Foodservice Research Institute)
(Basis: 1350 audited restaurant menus / 7,048 appetizers on the menus of chains, independents and non-commercial operators.)

New Items added to Appetizer Menus in 2008

MenuMine examined more than 500 new items added to appetizer menus in 2008. Seventy two percent (72%) of appetizers newly added to menus in 2008 are “Hot" and 28% are “Cold”. When it comes to newly added appetizers, there is a virtual tie between the number of Finger Food Appetizers and Utensil Bound Appetizers, with 34% consisting of Hot Finger Foods and 35% Utensil Bound.

Hot Finger Foods (34% of all new items in 2008)

• Joe’s Crab Shack, a casual seafood chain, added Crab Nachos
• Jillian’s, a casual theme bar chain, added Philly Steak Rolls
• Tavern on the Green, a cutting edge independent, added Mini Lamb Burgers
• Office Beer Bar & Grill, a casual theme chain, added Ale and Popcorn Skewers
• Roy's, a casual theme bar chain, added Teppanyaki Seared Shrimp Sticks
• Weber Grill, a casual theme bar chain, added Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas
• Bar Louie, a casual theme bar chain, added Artichoke Fritti
• Mimi’s Café, a breakfast/bakery/café chain, added Orange Chili Glazed Shrimp

Hot w/ Utensil (35% of all new items in 2008)

• Razoo’s Cajun Café, a casual theme chain, added Fried Green Beans
• Commander’s Palace, a cutting edge indep., added Escargot Cream Cheese Gnocchi
• Farallon, a cutting edge independent, added Paprika Braised Octopus
• Postrio, a cutting edge independent, added roasted wild mushrooms
• Louise’s Trattoria, a casual chain Italian dinnerhouse, added Stromboli
• Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub, a casual theme chain, added Vegetable Pot Stickers
• Buca di Beppo, a casual chain Italian dinnerhouse, added Proscuitto Stuffed Mushrooms
• Left at Albuquerque, a casual theme chain, added Hot Off the Griddle Corn Cakes.

Cold Finger Foods (6% of all new items in 2008)

• Shell’s Seafood Restaurant, a casual seafood chain, added Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
• Coco’s Bakery Restaurant, a breakfast/bakery/café, added Chicken & Avocado Rolls
• Postrio, a cutting edge independent, added House Smoked Wild Salmon
• Mama Fu’s Asian House, a fast casual Asian chain, added Edamame

Cold w/ Utensil (19% of all new items in 2008)

• Elephant Bar, a casual chain, added Wok Seared Vegetable Lettuce Wrap
• Galatoire’s, a Cajun restaurant, added Crabmeat Canape Lorenzo
• Chaya Brasserie, a cutting edge restaurant, added Vegetarian Sushi Plate
• Benihana, a casual chain Asian dinnerhouse, added Hiya Yakko Tofu

Hot Dip (3% of all new items in 2008)

• Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza, a casual chain, added Hummus w/ Ground Kobe Beef
• Original Roadhouse Grill, a casual theme chain, added Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
• Tia’s Tex Mex, a casual Mexican chain, added Five Dip Fiesta

Cold Dip (3% of all new items in 2008)

• Ruby Tuesday, a casual theme chain, added Guacamole Dip
• Dal Rae, a cutting edge independent, added Oscietra Caviar
• Daily Grill, a casual theme chain, added hummus Dip