Getting a Grip on Wraps

I gawked at the e-mail announcing the location for an upcoming association lunch meeting. Foos Fabulous Frozen Custard (Leawood, Kan.). Had the meeting planners forgotten this was a lunch meeting, not a dessert meeting? I went online in search of the menu. Sure enough, it was probable a person could leave the premises satiated, thanks, in part, to wraps. 

 

That made sense. Any dessert operator could launch into lunch with something trendy, like wraps. I had four Caesar choices: Caesar Chicken Tomato Basil; Chicken Spinach Herb; Salmon Tomato Basil and Salmon Spinach Herb. Add a cup of soup and a bag of chips, and we had the makings for an association lunch meeting. 

 

I got to thinking, there is so much “wrap potential” to boost business. I decided to check out some menu trends with Mintel Menu Insights. I can tell you the average price of wraps among the 10 restaurant chains I viewed is $5.12, and chicken is the most common ingredient. And that’s about it. Zzzzz. Someone wake me up. OK, I’ll wake myself up. Surely there must be something stunning happening at Atlanta-based Great Wraps. Google, click and scroll. That menu, aside from the Falafel Wrap, seems seriously predictable. Goodness. At least name the wraps something interesting.

 

I’m still sleeping. But I’m thinking. College students eating on campus wouldn’t stand for boring wrap choices. I just bet that some of the best wrap ingredient and naming ideas are sprouting on college campuses (well, maybe not now. The students are on summer break.) But I’m wondering, what IS happening with wraps in campus dining?

Jody

Comments

[Matthew Babbage]

I work in NYC feeding hungry college students every day. Our menu is a fresh food concept where everything is prepared in front of our guests consisting of college students, faculty, staff and very often people who walk in off the street not realizing it is campus dining. In addition to fresh baked rolls and bread for the deli there are five different types of wraps offered. Plain flour, tomato, honey wheat,whole wheat and the favorite spinach. The number one seller is The Greene Wrap, named for several reasons one being that we are close to Greene St. the other is how it is made.
Spinach wrap, tofu, hummus and loaded with fresh vegetables. It is customized for each person and if you don't add cheese it is also vegan.
Since it is college, cheeseburgers and fries are always on the menu. One of our grill specials is with a twist, the cheeseburger and fries are all rolled into a warm tomato tortilla with BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion.
Anything and everything works on a wrap. My favorite is honey wheat grilled with peanut butter, jelly and bananas served like a quesadilla.