Making Financial Headlines · Page 7
Restaurant chains unveil the radical idea of improving dinner
· New York time
Wendy's, Burger King, Chipotle and other restaurant chains are upgrading menu staples as they try to bring diners back. The emphasis on food quality moves the discussion beyond discounts, which can attract attention but are not the only reason customers decide where to eat. A lower price is easy to advertise and easy for a customer to compare. Quality is more complicated: diners have to believe that an improvement is noticeable and worth choosing over competing options. Chains also have to make changes work across the locations where customers encounter their brands. The approach highlights the difference between winning a visit today and giving someone a reason to return. A promotion can put a meal in front of a customer, but the meal still has to do some of the work. Repeat business depends on more than the size of the number printed beside an item. The industry's proposed adjustment is refreshingly direct. After the coupons, limited offers and price comparisons, dinner remains part of the restaurant experience. The menu is being asked to contribute something beyond a dollar sign, and the food has been invited back into the marketing meeting.
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