Restaurant Menus Have Been Growing. Here’s Why Some Chains Are Cutting Back. | Global News Avenue

Do you want to choose more options on the menu? Or a slim set of options?

Restaurants are trying both strategies. Major chains across the United States have been expanding their products in recent years, seeking to satisfy different flavors and spark hype. But some big guys are moving in another direction: For example, the Inland is “attacking” a complex menu, while Papa John’s is cutting items at the kitchen rhythm.

In addition to increasing speed and quality, simplifying menus can reduce waste, reduce ingredients and labor costs, and shift their sight to higher dishes and drinks, says Susan Roe, a subprocessor for the hotel and tourism management department of San Francisco State University.

Some editors are part of a bigger comeback campaign. Starbucks(swub) Plan to trim 30% of its menu. The executives say the focus will help baristas quickly deliver quality items while promoting a more attractive atmosphere.

Simplified Bucks’ wider industry trends. The Catering Services Analysis Team said the menus that major restaurants have been chopped during the pandemic in recent years, when restaurants tried to expand their budgets by buying more items in bulk and maximizing production in the case of labor shortages.

Bloomin’s brand, Papa John’s hopes to simplify

Like Starbucksblmn) yes Simplify its method In the case of dull sales. Chief Executive Michael Spanos said last month that it was Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill’s parent company lost market share in the fourth quarter.

Spanos said Bloomin’s menu adjustments were as much as 20%, adding that less popular and labor-intensive items would be used for the first time. He said that removing should reduce the pressure in the kitchen. “It boosts morale and reduces the cost of our labor behind the house,” Spanos said.

Papa John’s says novelty can ruin the flow of the kitchen and distract the chain’s core tasks (according to Papa John) (swing) CEO Todd Penegor.

“We are shaking a lot of great pizza,” he said, according to Alphassense’s transcript of the December investor meeting. Orders need to look for unique fillings. ”

Penegor said earlier this year that Papa John’s recently deleted about 10 items and plans to pull more.

Menu size is rising

Menu sizes were quite stable before the pandemic, with a slight decline in the quarter in the quarter, according to Lizzy Freier, director of menu research and insights at catering services analysis company Technomic.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen a huge drop in operators when they really cleaned their menus,” she said. “Since 2020, we’ve seen operators slowly build menus.”

According to an analysis of larger chains of food and beverage intelligence platform Dataassential, the average menu size of all types of institutions has increased restaurants in 2024.

Even chains that want to reduce menus aren’t going to stop adding new items altogether. For example, Papa John’s has a “pipeline of innovation” in his late 2025 work, Penegor who wants to sprinkle in novel customer desires.

Sweet green (SG) CEO Jonathan Neman said last month that he just made his fries debut and has “new and novelty” in the store.

“Simplified Journey” in the Chain

Kevin Hochman, CEO of parent company Brinker International, said Chili is in the opposite direction and is now enjoying a revival.eat). Hochman said at the end of 2024 that the chain has cancelled about a quarter of its menu.

He said the quality has improved, with staff making avocado sauce every day and serving crisper bacon. Hodgeman said that despite the increasing “rapid” traffic, Chili has been serving people faster. He said in January that restaurant sales in the latest quarter rose 31% year-on-year.

“In short, peppers are different again,” Hodgman said.

Now, according to Hochman, another border chain (Maggiano’s Little Italy) is embarking on a “simplified journey.”