MEXICAN FOODS

Nowadays you can find a Mexican dish at just about any restaurant or outlet that serves food.. From nursing homes to chain restaurants tasty Mexican fare is on the menu. There are also multiple places on the menu featuring Mexican and these include Botanas (appetizers), Ensalades (salads), Tortas (sandwiches), Platillos (entrees), Sopas (soups) and Accompaniementos (side dishes).

Popularity and Growth of Mexican Food on Foodservice Menus

Midscale chain restaurants have the highest incidence (74%) of Mexican food menuing. This incidence level for Mexican has continued to increase since 2000. When we look at chain restaurants incidence at 57% is down 8%., while the 35% incidence reading at independents is up 7%.  Two of every three non-commercial operators menus Mexican food, but a benchmark comparison for this sector does not reach back to 2000.

Table 1 Incidence of Menuing Mexican Foods

The leading Menu Part for Mexican foods is Tortas or Sandwiches.ich.  Four of ten (41%) Mexican foods on the menu are Sandwiches including Tortas and Tacos and other variations.. Appetizers and prepared entrees run a close race as the next two top leading menu parts. If things continue in the same frame as they have since 2000, prepared entrees will become the second highest area for Mexican foods on the menu.

Table 3 Leading Menu Parts for Mexican Foods

Leading Menu Parts for Mexican Foods

We have already established that Casual Chain restaurants have the highest incidence level for Mexican foods.  We see this to be even more evident when looking at the six specific menu parts.  Chain restaurants account for about three quarters of all Mexican food Appetizers, Salads and  Sandwiches.  Independents account for about 20% and non-Commercial 5% to 10% for these same Menu Parts.  For Entrees (Center of Plate as well as Prepared Entrees),  menu item share shifts a little towards the Independent and Non-Commercial side.

Table 4 Mexican Food Menu Share by Menu Part by Market Sector

The highest percentage of operators with a menu item in one of the six menu parts is appetizers with 52% in Casual chains.  Center of plate is where one finds the lowest percentage of operators with a Mexican item on the menu.

Table 5 Category Incidence by Menu Part by Market Sector

Leading Mexican Food Menu Items

The leading Mexican food appetizers are nachos, quesadillas, guacamole dips, chips and salsa, and chili con queso. Nachos, at 33%, are beginning to decrease in the total market share for appetizers. Chips and salsa (5%) have been increasing in market share. This may be because people prefer eating chips and salsa with guacamole dips, which had a higher percentage of market share than chips and salsa had in 2000.  Shown below are a few of the specific Mexican appetizers one finds on various menus.

Table 6 Operators Menuing Mexican Appetizers

The leading Mexican salads are taco salads, fajita salads, chicken salads, caesar salads, and ensaladas. Even looking at specific Mexican salads on the menu of given  restaurants, one frequently finds taco salads. Five years ago, in 2000, ensaladas were more prevalent than even chicken or caesar salads, but have now dropped in share..

Table 7 Leading Mexican Foods Salads on Chain Menus

Table 8 Operators Menuing Mexican Sandwiches

Over half of Mexican prepared entrees are enchiladas. However, since 2000, enchiladas have decreased in market share from 63% to 54% (2005), but still account for the leading Mexican prepared entrée. Other leading prepared entrees are chili, chile relleno, tamales, and nachos.

Table 9 Operators Menuing Mexican Prepared Entrees

Looking at all items Mexican center of plate items, the majority are made with either chicken or beef. The leading Mexican center of plate items are grilled chicken, Mexican beef, shrimp (in the forms of grilled, scampi, fried, or sautéed), baked/broiled/roasted chicken, and camarones shrimp (Mexican style). Mexican beef was the leading center of plate item in 2000, but since then has lost share making them now the second leading COP item.

Table 10 Leading Mexican Food Center of Plate Entrees on Chain Menus

Table 11 Leading Mexican Food Side Dishes on Chain Menus

Leading Sauces and Toppings

Most people think salsa or nacho cheese sauce is the leading Mexican food topping.  Although salsa has the second highest market share for toppings in Mexican foods, sour cream is the leading topping at 9% and has increased by six points since 2000. Guacamole is another leading topping and can be found in many different combinations with other toppings such as sour cream, salsa, and pico de gallo. Nacho cheese sauce has the seventh highest market share of toppings..

Table 12 Leading Mexican Food Sauces on Chain Menus

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