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Fabri-Kal - Packaging solutions for environmental and off-premise needs - skyscraper - both - 11.19

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Limited-time offerings have become a fixture in nearly every segment of the restaurant industry. While they might look like simple menu swaps, they&rsquo;re one of the most strategic components in a restaurant&rsquo;s recipe for success. Done well, they can drive repeat traffic, test potential core items and keep lineups feeling fresh. Behind the scenes, the real work is just as much about discipline as it is about creativity. A fine line is drawn between excitement and burnout, which is critical for not only culinary teams but also operators, franchisees, hourly staff and guests.
Flavor Can&rsquo;t Be The Only Filter
When it comes to crafting brunch items, flavor is just the beginning. For an LTO to succeed, it also has to hold up in real kitchens across a variety of locations, staff skill levels and service models.
Before any item is added to the lineup, it must pass one essential test: Does it taste good? At Sunny Street Caf&eacute;, our journey for innovation begins with flavor-first experimentation and the most delicious version of a dish, trickling through the corporate team and in-store feedback loops to fine-tune. From there, success depends on how well the idea holds up under real-world pressure in a busy brunch environment.
Is it prep-heavy? Does it introduce too many new ingredients? Can it be plated consistently and quickly across the system? After all, even the best thing you&rsquo;ve ever tasted wouldn&rsquo;t matter if it takes 20 minutes to get to a guest&rsquo;s table.
And while taste is foundational, guest feedback often proves even more decisive. In-store reactions play a major role before any rollout. If guests love the item, it moves forward. If they don&rsquo;t, then it&rsquo;s back to the drawing board. Whether due to timing or space, some standout items that don&rsquo;t quite fit the core menu will sometimes make a return. For us, Shrimp &amp; Grits had been on the radar for years, but only made its debut after extensive refinement and a strong level of confidence in its operational fit.
Hit or Miss?
The saying &ldquo;Nothing ventured, nothing gained&rdquo; is a lot like the process of creating an LTO. Each one involves some experimentation and boundary-testing &mdash; we&rsquo;ve seen both sides of the coin.
Some ideas come out of the test kitchen ready to shine, such as Hot Honey Chicken &amp; Waffles that blended just the right mix of flavor, familiarity, trend alignment and operational ease. With only one new ingredient and plenty of craveability, it was a no-brainer for brunch fans.
On the other hand, not every bold idea is destined to be a blockbuster. A breakfast torta piled high with fried chicken and refried black beans brought plenty of flavor to the table, but missed the mark with guests who didn&rsquo;t associate it with brunch. Still, feedback from guests and the team was instrumental in refining everything from spice level to portion size.
Cadence Is Key to Avoiding Burnout
One of the most overlooked aspects of a successful LTO program is timing. Launching too often, and both teams and guests are fatigued. Wait too long, and the moment fizzles. A quarterly cadence strikes the sweet spot for many brands, giving guests enough time to fall in love with a dish but never overstaying its welcome. This pacing allows enough runway to concept, test, train and promote without overwhelming the system. Culinary teams are encouraged to be selective and intentional, giving each item a real chance to perform before making decisions about what comes next.
Whether it&rsquo;s a sweet pancake, savory sandwich or a seasonal beverage, there is also a deliberate strategy that caters to longtime regulars and those who come in looking for something new. Not everyone is going to be in the mood for a breakfast burrito at 9 a.m., so that&rsquo;s when a fresh muffin or bold cold brew will do the trick while keeping pressure on the kitchen manageable.
Scaling Requires More Than a Recipe
A common misstep in LTO execution is underestimating the operational side of the rollout. Even a beautifully developed item can underperform if teams don&rsquo;t have the right tools to support it.
The solution isn&rsquo;t flashy &mdash; it&rsquo;s documentation, training and communication. Video walk-throughs, detailed recipe sheets and step-by-step guides help standardize execution. General managers and kitchen leads are trained first, laying the groundwork for store-level teams to follow and build alignment and confidence. Regular check-ins from the operations team and mystery shops help ensure each dish is prepared and plated to perfection. Like any well-run team, success comes from clear communication, strong coaching and consistent follow-through. If it can&rsquo;t be executed the same way at every location, it&rsquo;s not ready.
Trends Are Tools, Not Mandates
Keeping menus relevant means staying in tune with food culture and curiosity &mdash; whether that&rsquo;s global flavor profiles, bold spice blends or evolving formats. But chasing every trend isn&rsquo;t sustainable. The real challenge is identifying which trends make sense for your brand and kitchen, and translating them into approachable, executable ideas.
In a world where the camera eats first, younger guests are seeking menu moments worth sharing &mdash; in flavor and flair. More than ever, visuals play a larger role in the food industry. Overly complicated, photogenic LTOs as one-off stunts can drain resources or confuse the kitchen, while the most effective ones take what&rsquo;s buzzy and adapt it for operational reality. That might mean turning a complex plated dish into a sandwich or turning an indulgent dessert into a breakfast feature. The key is translating trend into brand &mdash; all while keeping the guest experience intact.
Don&rsquo;t Reinvent the Wheel
Making an impact doesn&rsquo;t have to come with a high price tag. A rule of thumb to follow is to avoid using premium proteins, such as pork belly or short rib, as they complicate prep, inflate food costs and slow down food execution. However, another useful lens is to look at what already works in the kitchen. Some of the most effective LTOs come from smart reimagining of what&rsquo;s on hand: introducing a custom sauce, adjusting plating or pairing existing proteins with seasonal ingredients.
For example, a pulled pork dish can take on an entirely new flavor profile with a simple sauce swap or a fresh set of sides. The beauty of this approach is that it keeps food costs manageable and allows teams to focus on execution rather than reinvention, delivering variety without added proteins, complexity or cost. In the long run, it&rsquo;s about doing more with what is already there and doing it well.
A Smarter Way Forward
LTOs are often seen as creative expressions, and they certainly are &mdash; but they also need structure, guardrails and a long-term view. When approached with the right balance of imagination and practicality, they become more than a flash of seasonal excitement. They become a repeatable, scalable and strategic lever for growth.
Whether you&rsquo;re a culinary director, a franchisee or a general manager, the goal is the same: to serve food people love &mdash; consistently, creatively and without adding friction. That&rsquo;s the real recipe for successful menu innovation.
Source: Matthew Stasko, <a href="https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/limited-time-long-term-impact-rethinking-ltos-for-scalability-and-success/" target="_blank">Modern Restaurant Management</a>

Done well, LTOs can drive repeat traffic, test potential core items and keep lineups feeling fresh.

Limited-Time, Long-Term Impact: Rethinking LTOs for Scalability and Success

2025 is on track to have the highest number of limited-time offerings at restaurants of any year &mdash; up to 39,000 if current trends continue &mdash; Joe Pawlak, a managing principal at Technomic, said during a session discussing winners in the restaurant industry at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show on Monday.
Pawlak shared slides highlighting the increase in restaurant LTOs measured by Technomic in recent years, from 17,790 in 2020 to 36,830 in 2024. This year is on track to beat 2024&rsquo;s total, likely because restaurants view LTOs as a way to manage recent traffic shortfalls.
&ldquo;Over the past 14 to 15 months sales are soft, traffic is down, costs are going up,&rdquo; Pawlak said, adding that tariffs are unlikely to improve the situation, as consumers save money in anticipation of rising prices and reduced economic prosperity. &ldquo;Uncertainty around tariffs, from a consumer standpoint, has really spooked consumer confidence.&rdquo;
On top of that, the restaurant industry is already extremely competitive, said Robert Byrne, senior director of consumer research at Technomic. In fact, Technomic estimates that there is one standalone restaurant for every 425 Americans. This means successful brands must navigate a heavily saturated market full of consumers who are hesitant to spend one more dollar, Byrne said.
Cravings get the better of consumers
Against that discouraging macroeconomic backdrop, craveable LTOs are breaking through, Byrne said.
Technomic&rsquo;s annual surveys of consumer priorities reflect the growing importance of LTOs. In 2022, 50% of consumers said that a restaurant&rsquo;s LTO offers were important when deciding where to eat. As of early 2025, that number had risen to 55%, according to slides shared during the session.
Craveable items were also important in diner decision making, with 74% of consumers saying it was a deciding factor in their choice of restaurants in 2022, which increased to 78% this year, per Technomic. New, exciting products also are top of mind, and 68% of consumers said it was a deciding factor for choosing a restaurant in 2025, up from 62% in 2022.
But craveability is an intangible and subjective property, even if it drives traffic through LTOs. Technomic surveyed consumers about a range of LTOs to find out which ones are rated as craveable.
Bottom of Form
Pawlak said multiple proteins are a big driver &mdash; 79% of surveyed consumers found Miller&rsquo;s Ale House&rsquo;s Honey Bourbon Salmon and Shrimp LTO to be craveable, while 78% said the same of <a href="https://news.bk.com/blog-posts/fried-pickle-ranch-maple-bourbon-bbq-and-mexican-street-corn-burger-king-r-reveals-the-final-three-creations-from-its-million-dollar-whopper-r-contest" target="_blank">Burger King&rsquo;s Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper</a>. Out of the LTOs Technomic studied, those were two of the three most highly rated in terms of craveability. Brisket Street Tacos at Taco Cabana took second place.
Aside from combined proteins and premium proteins, like brisket, which helped <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/chipotle-same-store-sales-increase-7-percent-2024-LTO-traffic-drivers/739266/" target="_blank">drive traffic for Chipotle late last year</a>, consumers are looking for innovative and flavorful sauces, particularly with bourbon notes. Both BK and Miller&rsquo;s Ale House used bourbon-flavored sauces on their craveable dishes, while Bonefish Grill&rsquo;s Old Fashioned Cedar Plank Salmon also came with a Jim Beam bourbon honey glaze.
Byrne said one example of an LTO-heavy menu strategy driving strong transaction growth was Taco Bell, which saw <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/taco-bell-sales-surge-kfc-saucy-expansion/746728/" target="_blank">comps rise 9% last quarter</a>. Byrne said this was driven by the brand&rsquo;s &ldquo;aggressive&rdquo; LTO strategy, which includes offerings outside of its core menu. The brand recently brought back its nuggets for <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/taco-bell-chicken-nuggets-return-permanent-2026-addition/745558/" target="_blank">a second stint on the menu</a>, and seems to be considering them for a permanent menu slot.
Byrne said Taco Bell&rsquo;s LTOs are particularly good at making consumers crave. Like the LTOs discussed by Pawlak, Taco Bell makes use of premium proteins, like its <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/taco-bell-launches-cantina-chicken-menu/710351/" target="_blank">Cantina Chicken Menu</a>, and new sauces, like the Hidden Valley Ranch Fire Ranch Sauce, which launched alongside <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/taco-bell-adds-chicken-nuggets-menu-dec-19/735768/" target="_blank">the original nuggets LTO</a>.
&ldquo;Cravings are that number one need-state, that emotional driver that forces the consumer to choose Taco Bell for a specific occasion. Forty-three percent in fact, are saying that, &lsquo;Hey, the need to satisfy craving, which is the reason I chose Taco Bell,&rsquo;&rdquo; Byrne said.
But value plays a role, too
Value is another major factor that&rsquo;s driving success at standout restaurant brands.
Byrne cited Chili&rsquo;s success <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/chilis-q3-traffic-bump-brinker-operations-fast-food-pricing/746597/" target="_blank">at driving 21% traffic growth</a> as demonstrating the importance of value. The Three-for-Me deal, which started with the Big Smasher Burger, means consumers can limit their spending at Chili&rsquo;s to a minimum $10.99. This price is competitive with many fast food restaurants, and is an ambitious goal for a casual dining chain.
&ldquo;[The Big Smasher Burger] was not aimed at direct competitors, but rather at quick-service restaurants &mdash; at every single consumer for every single potential occasion in the United States.
But the value play there is more than price,&rdquo; Byrne said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s this relentless focus on operations that new management brought to the table alongside that Three-for-Me.&rdquo;
Alongside the food, Byrne said, Chili&rsquo;s offers a full-service experience. Pawlak also discussed the importance of on-premise experience in adding to consumers&rsquo; value perceptions and driving them to decide on a restaurant. Two surprising categories that increased in importance for consumers, Pawlak said, were music selection and in-store Wi-Fi, both of which have become increasingly important factors for diners picking a restaurant since 2022. The increasing importance of on-premise factors in driving consumer choice could reflect the degree to which that experience plays into a holistic value perception, helping to explain why some consumers <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/nra-show-chicago-2025-macroeconomic-concern-consumer-pullback/748430/" target="_blank">might be trading up</a>.
Source: Aneurin Canham-Clyne, <a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/Technomic-nra-2025-featured-session-ltos-traffic-chilis-taco-bell/748553/" target="_blank">Restaurant Dive</a>

With consumers bracing for tariff impacts, limited-time offerings will likely grow in importance alongside budget-focused menu items.

LTOs and value are key to solving restaurant traffic downturn: Technomic

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Limited-Time, Long-Term Impact: Rethinking LTOs for Scalability and Success

LTOs and value are key to solving restaurant traffic downturn: Technomic