Einstein Bros. Taps Into Light Fare

Einstein Bros. has made an aggressive move into lighter fare with an additional seven new entrées each with less than 350 calories.  The move is designed to position Einstein Bros. as the bagel brand which is healthier for customers.  The new selections join seven existing choices, and provide additional options for both breakfast and lunch while being marketed as the Smart Choices menu.

 

With innovative options such as the Asparagus, Mushroom & Swiss Bagel Thin for breakfast and a pair of Bagel Thin Melts for lunch, customers don’t lack for tasty selections.

 

Extending Bagel Thin Interest

 

The company’s Bagel Thin line was introduced in 2010, featuring thinner bagels with fewer calories and carbs.   Providing customers with a similar taste but much less bread, the Thin sandwiches have been very popular.  Smart Choices sandwiches are made with egg whites for breakfast, and chicken or turkey at lunch.

 

Additional entrees include two salad choices; Chipotle Chicken and Harvest Chicken.  Smoothies, yogurt parfaits, fruit, and soups are also part of the menu.  With less than 15 grams of fat and a price of $5.50 or below, the appeal is clear.  Already in place at Einstein Bros., the same selections are joining the menu at sister brand Noah’s New York Bagels.

 

To facilitate ordering, the new Smart Choices menu appears on a different panel.  Allergens are clearly marked as well.

 

Other Changes Keep Coming

 

Einstein Noah has also expanded its coffee menu with espresso-based drinks.  Available in both hot and cold varieties, the coffee selections have done very well, and future expansions are in the works.  April will see the addition of a new cold drink, the cold Caramel Blender, just in time for the warmer summer weather.

 

The innovations are clearly doing Einstein Noah no harm as the company posted strong forth quarter numbers in 2011, and is expecting the same in the first quarter of 2012.

 

 

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With Cinnabon’s Minibons

Burger King and Cinnabon are teaming up to tame customer’s sweet tooth at breakfast.  By September, more than 7,000 restaurants will offer the Minibon, a tiny version of the famous Cinnabon cinnamon roll.  After several months of testing in New Jersey, New York, Chicago, Miami, and Charlotte, N.C., the new treat will be making a full scale debut.

 

2012 marks the 25^th year that Cinnabon has been producing the Minibon.  The new marketing opportunity will give devoted fans another spot to pick up their favorite sweet treat in a manageable package size.  The rolls will be priced between $1.79 and $1.99 per serving.

 

Cinnabon has not limited its efforts to Burger King.  Taco Bell introduced Cinnabon Delights, a trio of mini donuts filled with cream and rolled in cinnamon sugar. They were added as part of Taco Bell’s new breakfast platform.  Cinnabon’s President, Kat Cole, reported that the company is investing in a strong growth strategy that will include both franchising and licensing.

 

Cinnabon outlets have been located inside Schlotzsky’s delis for quite some time.  Schlotzsky’s is also owned by Focus Brands, the company which owns Cinnabon.  Burger King selected the Minibon’s as a high quality addition to their newly expanded menu at breakfast and possibly an afternoon snack. With more than 12,500 restaurants worldwide, they certainly provide a large potential audience.

 

Burger King’s new menu is the largest expansion it has made to date.  Salads, wraps, strips, smoothies, and frappe drinks have all been added with an eye to keeping up with current eating trends. Many similar items are available at competitors’ stores and it is likely that Burger King is feeling pressure to regain ground after it was surpassed by Wendy’s CO in 2011.

 

Parent company 3G acquired the chain in October 2010, and has been redesigning numerous aspects of the business.

Burger King Enters the Breakfast Fray

Well the breakfast craze that we’ve written about seems to still be picking up stream. The latest restaurant to announce a new menu specifically targeted to breakfast eaters is the number 2 burger chain in the country, Burger King.

Calling it the largest menu expansion in the history of the franchise, the company recently announced a number of brand new items that will be featured on their menus in an attempt to draw more diners for breakfast. The new menu will only be available until 10:30AM, unlike some other chains that offer breakfast all day.

What’s on the New Burger King Breakfast Menu

Amongst the new additions to the Burger King menu, one can find the BK Breakfast Ciabatta Club. This is a sandwich with eggs, tomatoes, ham, bacon, American cheese and what is described as a “smoky” tomato sauce. The sandwich is served up on a Ciabatta roll for $2.89.

The burger chain also introduced some new breakfast platters including the “The Ultimate Breakfast Platter.” This meal comes with scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns a biscuit and pancakes and will cost $4.29.

The company also has two cheaper options in the “Pancake and Sausage Platter” which will go for $2.89 and a platter with nothing but pancakes for $2.29.

Breakfast Value Menu & Seattle’s Best

In addition to the new sandwich and new breakfast platters, Burger King is introducing blueberry biscuits which will be served warm and covered in icing for $1. They will also be featuring coffee from the “Seattle’s Best Coffee” brand.

A company spokesman explained that the new push into breakfast menus was part of their strategy to expand into other markets, saying that while the company is known for their “superior burgers” they were hoping to get people in the door for other meals as well.

The announcement is one of several the chain has made in recent days, including an announcement of a plan to sell itself to private equity firm 3G capital for a reported price of $4 billion or $24 per share. This represents a premium of 46 percent over the asking price for the shares.

More on Breakfast Dining

We’ve written about the new breakfast craze before and now it’s time to revisit the subject. New information has emerged on exactly how some restaurateurs are pulling ahead of the competition in order to grab more of the breakfast eat out market.

Coupons and WiFi

We recently wrote about the question of Kindles and computers in restaurants. One thing that we didn’t mention in that article is that some restaurants are deliberately installing WiFi. They’re not just trying to attract customers, but also to keep people lingering in the hope that they will continue to order more food as they sit in front of their screens.

This is especially important in attracting the breakfast crowd as this group of people often drops by quickly and then races out the door. By allowing this market segment to get something done while they eat, these restaurants could be encouraging more customers who will stay longer (and hopefully eat more).

In addition to free WiFi services, many restaurateurs are tempting breakfast diners into their establishments by offering discounts and coupons. These coupons include those sent directly to cell phones or e-mail so as to grab customers’ attention quickly and early.

McDonald’s, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are Still the Favorites

A recent survey of consumers has shown however that smaller restaurateurs have an uphill battle ahead of them in getting people in the door. Fully 46% of those who said they had eaten out for breakfast mentioned McDonalds as their first choice, with Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks each tying for second with 19%. However, that doesn’t mean that smaller players can’t get in one the game, or that diners cannot be lured away from the more traditional breakfast venues.

What do all three of these heavy-hitting franchises offer that even the smallest independent can match? Free WiFi and occasional coupons that entice people to sit down and stay a while.

The Coffee Comeback: Why Breakfast has Become a Meal to Eat Outside the Home

Coffee, in spite of the advice of budget experts who recommend that people drink it at home on the cheap is not only doing well, but is actually showing an increase in sales value.

That’s because more people than ever are going out for breakfast – a meal traditionally underserved by most restaurant chains since it was assumed that the first meal of the day would be consumed at home before racing off to work.

Getting to Work Earlier Means Getting a Decent Breakfast is Harder than Ever

The reasons for the trend are clear: in spite of the fact that the Great Recession has been pushing people to try to save money, people are working even harder to make sure they can keep their jobs so that they don’t have to worry about saving money (at least not as much).

That means more workers than ever are grabbing an early breakfast out before heading into the office, just so they can show the boss how dedicated they are to the cause and thus avoid being the next person to be laid off.

What the “Coffee Breakfast” Means for You

Increasing the selection of morning foods and of course coffee can only be a good thing for most restaurant owners. As more workers decide to eat out, those who get in early on this trend will see the most benefit as people start to stick with their usual routine.

Keep it Fast

The one key component that restaurateurs should be keeping in mind however is that speed is of the essence. Breakfast meals out are not likely to be considered a luxury where people are sitting down for a slow breakfast. Instead, expect customers to be in and out briskly, demanding fast service and possibly even office delivery.

You can also improve your bottom line by offering online ordering where a meal can be ordered through the Internet and then delivered directly to the office for the person to eat a their desk.

Breakfast in A Pocket – The Newest Jack in the Box Menu Item

New ideas for breakfast meals are always being welcomed. Plus, Mediterranean items have become a big business in this country. So, the next logical thing is of course, creating a meal in a pocket. A pita pocket that is.

Jack in the Box restaurants are trying to capitalize on the newest craze in eating out — grabbing breakfast out of the house rather than stuffing down some toast and coffee before heading out the door.

And their answer has been to embrace one aspect of the Mediterranean diet by putting their breakfast meal into the now ubiquitous pocket bread while still staying true to the more traditional American style breakfast.

Mediterranean Bread, American Food

The Jack in the Box breakfast pita will have scrambled eggs, bacon and ham together with American cheese stuffed into the traditional Middle Eastern bread. While natives of the area will be horrified, the meal is expected to be quite a hit. It will be served together with a side of salsa in an attempt to appeal to more health conscious breakfast eaters who still want something tasty to eat.

Jack in the Box is one of those “breakfast all day” types of restaurants so expect to see some people grabbing a pocket full of goodness to eat as a quick lunch as well. The new menu item will be priced at $2.69.

Investor Reaction and Stock History

The new breakfast menu at Jack in the Box isn’t so popular with investors it would seem though, who have pushed the stock down to $20.15 as of this writing, down from a 52 week high of $26.37. Still, expect the chain to continue trying new things in order to entice more people back into their restaurants and to keep investors happy.

The company only owns a little more than half of its 2,200 restaurants nationwide, with 1,200 being company owned and the other 1,000 owned by private franchisees who carry the same menu items but share a portion of their profits with the parent company.