Comfort Foods---Prepared Entrees Rule

Based on newly conducted primary research, the top rated Comfort Foods served in restaurants today are identified as Lasagna and Pizza.  Popular runner-ups are Macaroni & Cheese, Hash Browns and Mashed Potatoes.  Research conducted by Foodservice Research Institute has determined that Comfort Foods are most often a prepared entrée rather than a sandwich, salad or appetizer.  Another finding is that Comfort Foods generally fall under American-Traditional cuisine or Italian cuisine.  As far as ingredients go, about one third of the time, leading Comfort Foods are topped with a cheese or a tomato sauce.  Only occasionally are they breaded/battered and/or deep fried.

The term Comfort Food is somewhat redundant because all foods, however, mediocre, provide some degree of satisfaction.  In an effort to identify which foods most deserve to be labeled Comfort Foods, Foodservice Research Institute polled restaurant owners, chefs and foodservice directors.  Using a Comfort Foods Scale (6 equals High comfort and 1 equals Low comfort) quantitative data was gathered on the sixty menu items generally perceived as comfort foods.  A sample of 100 foodservice operators participated in this phone survey and were asked to make evaluations as foodservice professionals, not as operators serving a comfort food being rated.  

Comfort Foods can be defined many different ways.  Most definitions incorporate words and phrases such as “reward”, “emotion”, “childhood memory”, “heartiness”, “heart warming”, “mom/mother” and/or “indulgence”.  One feature all Comfort Foods have in common is that they “fill us up” and maybe even tempt us to keep eating until we have reached that state. 

Leading Comfort Foods

Two thirds (67%) of the foodservice professionals interviewed on Comfort Foods indicate that Pizza and Lasagna were at the absolute top of the comfort foods scale.  Nine of ten said these items deserved either a top rated 6 or a 5 rating.  Apparently, the yearning for Mac & Cheese (the third rated item) is very strong.  The top six items are carbos and items 4, 5 and 6 are hashed, mashed or baked potatoes.  Surprisingly, another potato, french fries, also scores well.  Fries are eaten almost every day by some who may demand comfort in the same way, every day, while others save up for a big splurge of fries once in a while.   Chicken noodle soup usually makes everyone’s list of Comfort Foods.  However, up against the satisfaction given by carbos and the taste appeal of fried chicken and fries, chicken noodle soup may be regarded only as a prelude to a fully satisfying meal.

Comfort Foods on the Menu at Chains and Institutions           

Arctic Circle --- Kids’ Taco Meal @ $2.99

McDonalds --- Chicken Noodle Soup @ $1.94

Maggiano’s Little Italy --- Garlic Mashed Potatoes @ $4.95

Brown’s Chicken --- Corn on the Cob @ $3.29

St. Francis Hospital (Evanston) --- Louisiana Beef Stew

Houlihan’s --- Kids’ Macaroni & Cheese @ $3.99

Casey’s General Store --- Pizza Slice @ $1.49

The Clubhouse --- Meatloaf and Mashed Potato Sundae @ $12.95

Edgemoor Hospital (San Diego) --- Chili con Carne

Wendy’s --- Broccoli & Cheese Baked Potato @ $1.99

Wawa Food Markets --- Beef Stew @ $2.29

Einstein Bros. Bagels --- Hearty Turkey Chili @ $3.49

Culvers Frozen Custard --- Checker Basket Fried Chicken @ $6.89

Romano’s Macaroni Grill --- Lasagna Bolognese @ $9.99

Circle K --- French Bread Pizza @ $1.79

Noodles --- Macaroni & Cheese @ $4.75

Bakers Square--- Country Fried Chicken @ $7.29

Comfort Foods---Mainly Prepared Entrees and Sides

For Lunch and Dinner menu items, a total of 34 menu items perceived as Comfort foods were evaluated by foodservice operators.  The majority of these menu items were side dishes (11 items) or prepared entrees (9).  Prepared entrees accounted for 46% of all possible “Top Box (6)” scores and side dishes made up 29%.   Thus leading prepared entrees are more likely be perceived by a greater proportion as a Comfort Food.   Leading side dishes, on the other hand, stand a better chance of scoring higher (see column four, below).  In fact, of the eleven side dishes evaluated, almost half (45%) of total scores were Top Box scores.  Prepared entrees integrate a protein, with a carbo and a veggie side and by definition do not require a side dish for balance.  In cases where a center of the plate entrée is dull, it is likely to remain unappealing unless enhanced and dressed up with a winning side dish accompaniment.

Leading Cuisines for Comfort Foods

The Top 15 Comfort Foods are mainly classified as American-Traditional cuisine.  These items include: hash browns, macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, french fries, beef stew, meatloaf, chicken noodle soup and corn on the cob.  Italian cuisine menu items including lasagna, pizza and spaghetti are next in importance by cuisine followed by Mexican (tacos, burritos) Southern (fried chicken) and Southwestern (chili).

Comfort Foods Are Found Mainly in QSR Chains

QSR chains and Midscale chains, each with an average of 12 Comfort Foods on the menu, present the consumer with the best venue for satisfying a Comfort Food craving.  Casual chains have an average of 9 Comfort Foods on the menu.

QSR Chains Sell Most of the Top 15 Comfort Foods

QSR chains monitored in the MenuMine! Database of chain menus account for 42% of all leading (top 15) Comfort Foods menued.  And this share does not change much whether two other leading Comfort Foods (fried chicken or french fries) are removed from consideration. (see column one, below)  Considering the sheer volume of meals served by QSR chains, it is not too much of a stretch to say that QSR chains may be garnering upwards of 70% of the Comfort Foods’ away-from-home market.  QSR chains, indeed, do sell a lot of pizza, french fries and fried chicken, but they also are willing purveyors of other selections including chili, corn on the cob, chicken noodle soup and tacos.  Casual and midscale chains may benefit from adding new Top 15 Comfort Foods, even variants positioned as appetizers or glorified side dishes.  While it may be risky to tamper with diner taste expectations for specific Comfort Foods, enhancing taste with applications of seasonings and sauces may spice up sales as well.  A little garlic or hot sauce or fresh veggie toppings will certainly increase perceived value.

Other Characteristics of 15 Leading Comfort Foods 

   ---Approximately half include a protein, half do not

   ---Half use a sauce (or gravy) and half do not

   ---One quarter use cheese and three quarters do not

   ---13% are deep fried and 7% are breaded/battered

Beverages as Comfort Foods 

With a Top Box score of 42% of operators rating, chocolate milk is the number six rated Comfort Food (after mashed potatoes).  Flavored Coffee (top box score of 18%) is also highly rated right after tacos, closely followed by Cappuccino (15% rated top box).

Comfort Beverages on the Menu

The flavor spectrum on hot beverages is dizzying and continues to widen as new signature drinks vie for a share of the Comfort Beverage market.

SUMMARY

The selection of Comfort Foods on the menu is judged to be fairly consistent from year to year.  However, new items will be added to the list in the future the same way new comer taco and burrito items suddenly must have appeared in the recent past.  Advice to foodservice menu planners is to present a menu where Comfort Foods are most visible and easily identified.  Those in need of comfort want to be able to find their reward quickly.

Note: other foods perceived as Comfort Foods which did not score as well as the Top 15 are as follows: clam chowder, ham & cheese sandwich, pot roast, fish ‘n chips, black beans & rice, roast beef sandwich, potato chips, meat ball sandwich, baked beans, tuna melt sandwich, potato salad, roast turkey dinner, pork chop dinner, pasta salad, and minestrone soup.  Regrettably, Pot Pie was not included in the Comfort Foods survey as well as a few other items such as hamburgers and cheeseburgers, which may or may not have scored well.  The sample size for the Comfort Foods survey included 100 phone interviews with foodservice professionals in restaurants and non-commercial operations.  Breakfast and Dessert items were also evaluated and rated as Comfort Foods and this will be the topic of a subsequent eFoodletter.