This article is brought to you by Lower Family Foods.

Limited time offers are a great way to test the market, hop on trends and draw in customers—when you do them right, said Michael Mortensen, SVP of operations and supply chain at Lower Family Foods.

“LTOs keep things fresh and exciting on the menu for both kitchen staff and regular customers,” he said. “By keeping it fun and new, LTOs can help create demand and build loyalty for a couple of reasons. First, limited menu items offer something different from the QSR down the street. Second, by offering a great product at a good price, you can keep customers coming back.”

Inspiration for an LTO can—and often should—come from QSRs and competitive food-forward c-stores, Mortensen advised. “Look around at what they’re offering and use that to craft your product. Right now, McDonald’s has brought back its McRib, Bojangles is offering a smoked breakfast sausage sandwich and Arby’s is offering steak bites. Offering something similar to these items at a lower cost is a great way to draw customers in—plus the QSRs are doing advertising for you.”

Additionally, LTOs allow retailers to quickly hop on new trends without the commitment of a permanent menu item. “Oftentimes, operators have most of what they need for an LTO. They often just need an idea for a product and a high-quality protein, which can be sourced from a reputable supplier partner like Lower Family Foods,” Mortensen said, noting that the company often helps c-stores build LTOs.

“We’ve partnered with one retailer to create a ‘Summer Smoky Meats’ campaign, with pulled pork sandwiches, smoked brisket burritos and a smoked brisket mac and cheese. At another c-store, we helped create a smoked brisket mac and cheese calzone,” Mortensen said.

Ultimately, Mortensen noted that LTOs have the ability to elevate the rest of the menu by creating a higher expectation of quality from customers and encouraging operators to think outside the box.

Learn more about how to elevate your menu in part one of this two-part series brought to you by Lower Family Foods. Learn more about Lower Family Foods in the November 2025 NACS Magazine article “Protein Possibilities.”