Five Food Moves That Mattered

This year saw its fair share of movement in the QSR and fast-casual segments.

December 15, 2014

NEW YORK – Last week, Yahoo News named the top five restaurant moves in 2014 “that actually mattered,” from the gimmicky to competitive menu items that could “resonate for years” to come: 

1. Yum Brands’ Pizza Hut: Added a line of specialty pizzas, changed its logo, updated its online ordering and introduced a major marketing campaign. Pizza Hut’s U.S. sales in 2013 were $5.7 billion, but competition is hot. 

2. Yum Brands’ Taco Bell: Is capitalizing on the “fourth meal” with its Doritos Locos Tacos and the Cantina Bell line, as well as amping up breakfast wars with its Waffle Taco and A.M. Crunchwrap.

3. Chili's: Relying on technology to attract customers by installing more than 45,000 Ziosk tablets in 823 restaurants for customers to order right from the table. Yahoo News says that early data suggests that “the Ziosk is enhancing ordering, re-ordering and checkout convenience.”

4. Chipotle: Raised its menu prices, but revenue was still up 31% in Q3 from the previous year. “Is there no price at which people will abandon Chipotle? Maybe not, and this year only points to the power it has. If you're boosting prices and still getting more people to drop by, congrats. This store is further cementing its reputation as the fast-casual name all others will be compared against,” writes Yahoo News.

5. Qdoba Mexican Grill: A division of Jack in the Box, Qdoba also changed its pricing and stopped charging extra for add-ons such as guacamole and cheese queso.

Other noteworthy developments:

1. Wendy's: Introduced barbecue for a time this year, showing that the burger chain isn’t afraid to innovate.

2. Burger King: Merged with Tim Hortons but also committed to bringing back limited-time offers such as chicken fries and the Yumbo.

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