If there was only one restaurant in town, you know the menu prices would be high, the food would be so-so, and the servers wouldn’t care if you ever got those extra napkins you asked for or not (because their boss wouldn’t care either).
But because there are gazillions of restaurants, stiff competition is an understatement. We recently watched the Olympics. Those players know that if they had not been in the top five nationally in whatever they did, they wouldn’t be competing in Russia. They didn’t get there by sleeping in every morning or by reaching a time or distance goal one day a few months ago. There is no stopping. And it’s the same with restaurants—to the benefit of consumers.
Restaurants have to beat price goals. They have to perform today with plans to surpass that performance tomorrow. If a brand isn’t in the top five of its category, it might be gone tomorrow. The bean counters at the top will testify to that.
All this stands out to me as I’ve read some restaurant-related Olympic- reminiscent headlines in the past few weeks. It looks like breakfast is still the daypart showing the most profit possibilities and thus where much of the competition is focused right now. Call breakfast the hockey and figure skating competition of the restaurant Olympics.
- Taco Bell Breakfast Menu Marks Its Largest National Rollout
- Starbucks to Debut Bakery Breakfast Sandwiches
- McDonald’s Campaign Brings Breakfast to Boston Commuters
- Krispy Kreme Unveils Coffee-Flavored Doughnuts
- Olive Garden Partners With My Gym to Offer Parents a Date Night
- Wendy’s Beefs Up Remodeling Plan to Boost Sales
- Olive Garden Upgrades Salads (Thank you!), Puts Artisan Pasta on the Menu
You’ll notice it’s the big brands making all the news and all the changes. That’s why they are the big brands. They are remaining limber in the midst of stiff competition. They will remain the winners.
Tell me what you think.
Jody
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