- DataSsential

FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
HOMETOWN
FAVORITES
DATASSENTIAL TAKES YOU ON
A TOUR OF THE COUNTRY’S
CLASSIC LOCAL CHAINS
A TOPICAL TREND REPORT FROM
The Varsity | Atlanta, GA
Open since 1928, this iconic Atlanta-area
chain lays claim to the “world’s largest
drive-thru restaurant.”
TRENDSPOTTING CHAINS
ACROSS THE U.S.
FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
Two-location Ted Drewes frozen custard is a St. Louis
institution, serving frozen custard for more than 80
years – and Christmas trees for over 50 years.
THIS IS
WHERE THE LOCALS GO
Last October, Datassential took readers on a tour of the country’s top emerging chains, from fast-casual operators looking to be the
next Chipotle to regional eateries looking to become national mainstays. This month, Datassential follows up on local chains in a
different way – we’re looking at hometown chains that are thriving as iconic symbols of a city or region, dedicated to serving their
home community. These are the chains that are often quintessential to a town’s culinary scene, serving local favorites and shedding
light on the foods and flavors that are popular with consumers in an area. We also learn about the specialties that put these
restaurants on the map – from a St. Louis operator known for provel cheese pizzas to a Florida operator offering fried gator tail, and
a California chain known for its Squeezeburgers. To uncover these chains, we leveraged two of Datassential’s syndicated services –
Firefly and LOCAL – and dived into the archives of our Dine Around TrendSpotting Reports.
There are chains such as Chicago-area Portillo’s, known for its quintessentially Chicago menu, from Chicago-style hot dogs (add
ketchup at your own risk!) to Italian beef sandwiches, the highest indexing food/flavor in the Chicago metropolitan area, according to
LOCAL. While Portillo’s has recently branched out into other locations in the country, including Florida, California, and Indiana, the
brand remains Chicago-themed to its core, focusing on its connection to the Windy City food scene. For some restaurant chains,
staying close to home is essential – at Dick’s Drive-In in Seattle, founder Dick Spady had no inclination to franchise his iconic chain or
go national, saying, "My partners and I were family men, not traveling types. We were in this for the long haul, that's for sure, but
not as a franchise. We wanted to keep our growth within the Seattle area.“ Later in this issue we’ll see what Dick’s secret was in
creating an iconic Seattle emblem that has continued to garner support after more than half a century. It’s a similar success story for
Flint, MI-based Halo Burger, one of the oldest hamburger chains in the country. The chain opened originally as Kewpee in 1923,
serving hamburgers out of a boxcar-style wagon in downtown Flint. Today they’re known for specialties like their original QP Burger
(named both for the phonetic pronunciation of the chain’s original name and the fact that it features a quarter pound of meat) and
the Olive Burger, a QP burger with added olives.
In this issue of FoodBytes, we invite you to become a local and discover something new. For more information on Datassential’s wide
range of services, or to subscribe to today, contact Dave Jenkins at 847-903-5744 or [email protected].
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FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
Squeeze Inn
Egg Works
IN THE WEST
SQUEEZE INN | CALIFORNIA
DICK’S DRIVE-IN | SEATTLE
Squeeze Inn, with nine Northern California
locations, is known for its unique take on an
American classic, the cheeseburger. The chain’s
famous Squeezeburger doesn’t come with cheese,
so be sure to ask for the “Squeeze with cheese” for
a burger that comes with its own cheese skirt,
where the crisp fried cheese hangs out over the
bun. For every quarter pound meat patty, about a
quarter pound of cheddar is added, topped with a
bun. A handful of crushed ice is sprinkled around,
and the burger is covered to let the ice create
steam that heats up the bun and crisps the cheese.
Dick’s Drive-In is a six-location burger chain that’s about as
iconic as it gets. It was originally opened in 1954 by cofounder Dick Spady in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood,
selling 100% fresh beef burgers for 19 cents each. With the
exception of the Queen Anne Avenue location, which has
indoor seating, all Dick’s locations are old-school drive-in only,
and the chain is known for its classic fast food including
burgers, fries, and milkshakes. In 1971 the chain added two
new burgers to the menu, the Dick’s Special with lettuce,
mayo, and pickles, and the award-winning Dick’s Deluxe
which adds extra beef and cheese to the Special.
EGG WORKS | LAS VEGAS
BURGERVILLE | PORTLAND, OR
Originally named Egg & I in 1988 before it expanded
into its now-sister restaurant, Egg Works, in 2005,
this Las Vegas chain serves up classic breakfast and
lunch fare every day from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are
six Las Vegas-area locations, all serving everything
from egg scrambles with chorizo, jalapenos, cheese,
and diced green chilies (Brad’s Scramble) to
Gumolaya (gumbo jambalaya) and homemade
Cincinnati-style chili served five ways.
Vancouver, WA-headquartered Burgerville has more than 40
locations, all located within a 80-mile radius, mostly centered
in the Portland metropolitan area. Burgerville also focuses on
fresh, local food that comes from within 400 miles of its
Vancouver headquarters. Along with burgers like the
Tillamook cheddar cheeseburger and entrees like golden-fried
halibut and chips, you’ll also find a slew of seasonal LTOs
featuring the bounty of the Pacific Northwest – Oregon
hazelnuts in a milkshake, Yukon gold potato shoestrings, etc.
COVERED IN DINE AROUND
In Dine Around: Portland, we looked at Pine State Biscuits, a success story that began at the Portland’s farmers’
market. There are now three locations, all serving the restaurant’s signature cream top biscuits, like the Reggie
Deluxe biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, bacon, egg, cheese, and gravy. n Showcased in our February 2015 Special
Edition of Dine Around: Las Vegas was the oxymoronic “happy or healthy?” chain SkinnyFats, which offers both
skinny, health-conscious options like multigrain pancakes, as well as “happy,” more decadent options like the Chix
on Broadway sandwich with fried chicken and cheddar. n Dine Around: Honolulu covered Zippy’s, a Hawaiian
classic with 24 locations across the state. The iconic chain serves up Hawaiian plate lunches and sells more than 100
tons of its signature Original Recipe Chili a month.
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TRENDSPOTTING
CHAINS IN THE
FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
IN THE SOUTHWEST
BAGGIN’S GOURMET
SEA ISLAND SHRIMP HOUSE
Baggin’s Gourmet is a truly local Tucson restaurant,
with nine locations in the city, all offering lunch and
dinner. Signature sandwiches include the Prime
Baggin’s, with roast beef, cream cheese, and
horseradish, while there are also grilled cheesesteaks,
salad bread bowls, and desserts like rum cake.
There are seven San Antonio-area locations of Sea Island Shrimp House,
and the original has been a San Antonio icon since opening in 1965. Sea
Island’s roots date back even further to 1912 with the opening of
Manhattan Café. The owner’s son then turned the café into a restaurant
serving fresh Gulf seafood. Signature menu items include the World
Famous Charbroiled Shrimp skewer and hand-breaded fish.
ARIZONA
TEXAS
BLAKE’S LOTABURGER
NEW MEXICO
With its 75 locations, Blake’s Lotaburger is by no
means a small chain, but it’s still a local chain, with 73
of its units located in Albuquerque, NM. The chain’s
namesake Lotaburger was born in 1952 at a small
hamburger stand and soon founder Blake Chanslor
was opening one location after another. As a New
Mexico chain, you’ll of course find the ubiquitous New
Mexico Hatch Valley Green Chile (packed exclusively
for the chain) on the menu here, available as an addon to any item. For more info on cuisine in New
Mexico, check out our August 2014 issue of Dine
Around: Santa Fe.
COVERED IN DINE AROUND
In one of our first issues of Dine Around, in December 2013, Datassential visited Austin, TX, and covered Torchy’s Tacos, a local
chain that started as a food trailer in 2006. There are now 12 Torchy’s locations, including the only out-of-state unit, located in
Denver, CO. On the menu you’ll find a number of breakfast tacos and uniquely-named specialty tacos like the current taco of the
month, The Scallywag, with coconut-battered shrimp, bacon, jack cheese, and green chiles. n Last July, we traveled to another
culinary hot spot in Texas – Houston. Here we found an abundance of Cajun restaurants such as Wild Cajun Crawfish, a threeunit chain specializing in Vietnamese-style crawfish. Also serving Hosuton’s large Vietnamese-American population is Pho Binh, a
chain of seven restaurants specializing in pho.
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FEBRUARY 2016
IN THE MIDWEST
FoodBytes
IMO’S PIZZA | ST. LOUIS
ZESTY’S FROZEN CUSTARD | WISCONSIN
There are more than 90 locations of Imo’s Pizza,
mostly in the St. Louis metropolitan area and all
with a focus on St. Louis-style pizza topped with
Provel cheese, a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and
provolone not often found outside of the area.
Zesty’s is a Green Bay institution serving two Wisconsin
favorites – butter burgers and frozen custard. Three area
locations offer the same small-batch, handmade custard made
every morning in three flavors – vanilla, chocolate, and a flavor
of the day, such as Carrot Cake or Pistachio Pie.
AL’S ITALIAN BEEF | CHICAGO
LEO’S CONEY ISLAND | MICHIGAN
There’s no doubt that Italian beef is hyperlocal to
Chicago – in fact, according to Datassential’s LOCAL
tool, Italian beef is the highest indexing food in
Chicago compared to other metros in the country.
Al’s dates back to 1938 and now has 11 Chicago
locations, plus more recent editions in Texas,
California, and Nevada, though all focus on offering
up a classic Chicago experience.
Coney dogs, or hot dogs covered in a meat-based sauce,
onions, and yellow mustard, are ubiquitous in the Detroit area,
and you’ll find many versions of Coney Islands in town (for
more info on Detroit cuisine, check out our February 2015
issue of Dine Around). Leo’s Coney Island dates back to 1972
and now has more than 50 locations across Michigan. Along
with classic coney dogs, you’ll also find a selection of
breakfast, burgers, and Greek specialties.
TASTY TACOS | IOWA
YATS | INDIANA
Family-owned and operated since it opened in
1961, Tasty Tacos is a six-location Mexican
restaurant with locations centered in Des Moines.
The chain is known for its Original Flour Taco, deepfried until fluffy and crispy and filled with beef –
based on a recipe from the owner’s grandmother.
There are 14 locations of Yats Creole Cajun restaurant, located
mostly in the Indianapolis area. Yats was founded by New
Orleans native Joe Vuskovich and features classic Louisiana
cuisine with favorites such as gumbo (a triple-smoked roux
soup with sausage, shrimp, and okra) and several variations of
étouffé such as Chili Cheese with Crawfish.
Zesty’s Frozen Custard
Yats
Imo’s Pizza
COVERED IN DINE AROUND
There are plenty of classic chains in the Midwest, such as Ted Drewes frozen custard, featured in our special edition of Dine
Around: St. Louis. n Also in St. Louis, you’ll find Lion’s Choice, a fast-casual chain founded in 1967 and specializing in roast
beef sandwiches. n In November, we traveled to Cleveland and took a look at six-location Melt, a restaurant and bar focusing
entirely on cheese, from comforting soups to grilled cheese varieties like a Chicken & Waffles grilled cheese with a Belgian
waffle and sriracha. n There are plenty of iconic chains covered in Dine Around: Milwaukee, including 24-hour counterservice restaurant George Webb, a bonafide Milwaukee institution serving classic fish fry and breakfast favorites. n At Kopp’s
Frozen Custard, also in Milwaukee, you’ll find the ever-iconic pairing of frozen custard and butter burgers.
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TRENDSPOTTING
CHAINS IN THE
NORTHEAST
FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
IN THE SOUTHEAST
GATOR’S DOCKSIDE
CUSTARD STAND
Gator’s Dockside started as a single neighborhood restaurant opened in
Jacksonville in 1991, and today there are 25 locations situated throughout
Florida. The sports-themed restaurants feature big screen TVs and pool
tables and serve a bounty of pub favorites. Gator’s is particularly known for
its grilled wings, which come with a choice of 21 sauces in flavors like sweet
Thai chili, peanut butter and jelly, or Yucatan. With its name and its
location, there’s also plenty of fresh seafood at Gator’s along with
namesake specialties like gator tail, which is hand-cut, marinated, breaded,
and deep-fried.
This West Virginia staple opened in 1991 as a take-out
dairy bar and, though it’s called the Custard Stand, it’s
the chili here that’s really the standout product.
Custard Stand has expanded to six area locations and
there’s also a retail manufacturing plant, Custard
Stand Food Products, making the signature hot dog
chili available to retailers across 15 states. The
production factory churns out 4,000 pounds or more
of hot dog chili and chili soup every day.
FLORIDA
WEST VIRGINIA
MILO’S ORIGINAL BURGER SHOP
ALABAMA
For 15-location Milo’s Original Burger Shop, it’s all about the sauce. The
restaurant is “Still saucy after all these years,” according to its site. The chain
has grown from the first burger shop that opened in 1946, when Milo Carlton, a
former mess cook in the U.S. Army, experimented with the restaurant’s now
iconic sauce, asking customers for feedback and making tweaks until it was
perfect. The signature Milo’s Famous Burger comes topped with a grilled patty,
onions, pickles, and is “drenched” in the secret sauce. Milo’s short, succinct
menu featuring burgers, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, sides, and
desserts, along with a few breakfast options (featuring local Conecuh sausage
and Conecuh sausage gravy).
COVERED IN DINE AROUND
Datassential covered The Varsity, featured on this month’s cover, in Dine Around: Atlanta, showcasing the longstanding chain as
a true area institution opened which in 1928. n In December 2014, we looked beyond the amusement parks in Orlando, FL,
highlighting chains such as Keke’s Breakfast Café, which has now expanded to 20 locations, mostly centered in Orlando. The
chain also has seven more locations on the way, all located in the Sunshine State. n Orlando is also home to 4 Rivers
Smokehouse, a BBQ chain that started out as a local fundraising campaign. Today, the chain has grown to 11 area locations with
two more on the way. For more on BBQ, ask about our MenuTrends Keynote Barbecue Report.
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FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
Gifford’s
Pamela’s Diner
Duchess
Restaurants
IN THE NORTHEAST
GIFFORD’S | MAINE
PAMELA’S DINER | PITTSBURGH
Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream has roots back to the
1800s, starting with a home delivery milk and ice
cream business run from the back of a horse drawn
wagon. Gifford’s has grown into a full-fledged ice
cream business with six ice cream stand locations,
all in Maine, selling more than a 100 unique ice
cream flavors. Through distribution in grocery
stores and restaurants, Gifford’s now sells 1.7
million gallons of ice cream a year, with flavors like
Maine Lobster Tracks (with lobster-colored
chocolate cups) and Sugarloaf Mint Chip.
Serving Pittsburgh’s breakfast since 1980 is Pamela’s Diner, an
iconic chain with six area locations. The diner serves classic
breakfast and lunch fare, from its signature dish, Pamela’s
Famous Crepe Hotcakes, to specialties like the P&G Diner
Burger topped with fried jalapeno, onion straws, lettuce,
tomato, cheddar, ketchup, and mayo. There’s also a specific
nod to the city with a Pittsburgh hash of Lyonnaise potatoes
mixed with kielbasa, sauerkraut, and Swiss. In 2013, Pamela’s
owners opened Nu, a modern Jewish bistro with house-cured
and smoked deli meats. (For more on Pamela’s, stay tuned for
Dine Around: Pittsburgh this April).
MOE’S ITALIAN | NEW HAMPSHIRE
DUCHESS | CONNECTICUT
With 14 locations in New Hampshire, Moe’s Italian
Sandwiches is a local favorite, all started by a
former cheese salesman in 1959. The first
Portsmouth location only sold one type of
sandwich, now called the Moe’s Original and loaded
with mild cooked salami, provolone, onions,
peppers, pickles, tomatoes, and olives. The rest of
the menu is filled with Sicilian classics like genoa or
capicola meats and other sandwiches.
At Duchess, it’s all about “fresh food served fast” – everything
is cooked to order and made fresh everyday at its 14 units, all
located in Connecticut. Duchess grew from a single hotdog
stand opened in 1956, with a sparse menu of hot dogs,
burgers, and fries, to an iconic Connecticut fast food
restaurant. Now you’ll find mainstays such as hot dogs with
the works, the Big D Cheeseburger, and even Veal and
Eggplant Parmesan sandwiches alongside LTOs like codfish
nuggets and pulled pork sandwiches.
COVERED IN DINE AROUND
In Dine Around: Boston, we featured Flour, a bakery and café with four area locations all serving house made pastries,
breads, and made-to-order sandwiches. n It seems Datassential can’t get enough of Philadelphia’s Federal Donuts, a chain
we covered both in Dine Around and Creative Concepts: Modern Fried Chicken. The chain’s combination of crisp, doublefried chicken and donuts has propelled it into a local phenomenon with four area locations. n In our Special Edition of Dine
Around: Buffalo, Datassential covered Pizza Plant, a two-location chain specializing in trademark Pods, calzone-like
creations in Major (equivalent to two pizza slices) and Mega (equivalent to five slices) sizes. n Also in Buffalo is sevenlocation Anderson’s Custard, serving frozen custard and roast beef since 1946.
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TRENDSPOTTING
NORTHEAST
CHAINS
IN THE CHAINS,
LOCAL
FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
LOCAL FLAVORS
In our December issue of FoodBytes, we outlined Datassential’s trend forecast for 2016, which included how operators
should be focusing in on truly local foods to connect better with consumers. We’re highlighting that notion here again as
we look at the nation’s top five largest metropolitan areas and, using Firefly, identify the largest street chains (2 to 10
units) within each area, along with the highest-indexing flavors and ingredients in each area, using Datassential’s LOCAL
tool. Both are essential resources for operators and manufacturers looking to expand into a new territory.
LARGEST STREET CHAINS
HIGHEST INDEXING FLAVORS
NEW YORK
Dallas BBQ
Dig Inn Seasonal Market
Surf Taco
Fresh & Co.
Chock Full O’ Nuts
Snapple
Chicken Cutlet
Broccoli Rabe
Francese
Parmigiana
LOS ANGELES
Hat
Panini Café
Maria’s Italian Kitchen
Juice Served Here
Fuji Grill
Chinese Chicken
Chinese Chicken Salad
Bell Pepper
Checca
Cilantro
CHICAGO
Eggsperience Café
Pockets
Leona’s
Taylor Street Pizza
Boz Hot Dogs
Italian Beef
Mostaccioli
Vesuvio
Giardiniera
Pizza Bread
DALLAS
Cristina’s
Mexican Inn Cafe
Mason’s Café
Rockfish Seafood Grill
Café Brazil
Chicken Fried Steak
Shiner Bock
Tortilla Soup
Bell Pepper
Queso
PHILADELPHIA
Cocco’s Pizza
Brew-Haha
Gaetano’s Steaks & Subs
Kiwi Frozen Yogurt
Hibachi Japanese Steak House
Chicken Cheesesteak
Hoagie
Pizza Burger
Scrapple
Flounder
Mexican Inn Cafe
Leona’s
Maria’s Italian Kitchen
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FEBRUARY 2016
FoodBytes
TOPICS COVERED IN LAST MONTH’S
TRENDSPOTTING REPORTS
ON THE MENU
DINE AROUND:
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
In this issue of Dine Around, we
In our January issue of On the
Menu, we checked out recent
trends such as chefs who are
cooking with food scraps (a “landfill
salad” was served at the U.N.), and
we also looked at how chefs are
coming up with new ways to serve
old favorites like biscuits and
meatballs. We also looked at how
Mexican chocolate and curry are
heating up menus, and how chefs
are experimenting with the
seasonal stinging nettle.
explored the bustling, trendy
downtown area of Los Angeles,
CA. From next-generation Asian
fusion to a number of healthfocused eateries, we checked out
the latest flood of openings that
are capitalizing on major industry
trends. Read about Filipino rice
bowls at RiceBar, Italian-Japanese
fusion omakase at Orsa &
Winston, craft paletas at Artesana,
and so much more.
UPCOMING: In March, we’re
covering everything from freekeh to
panko and frozen custard.
UPCOMING: Next month, we
travel to Kansas City, MO.
INTERNATIONAL
CONCEPTS: PERU
In International Concepts, we took
CREATIVE CONCEPTS:
VEGAN/VEGETARIAN
In our January issue of Creative
Concepts we started the year off
you to Peru, a country we visited
in World Bites two years ago.
Here, we took a look at how
chains of all sorts incorporate
classic Peruvian flavors and dishes
on the menu, from Peruvianspiced burgers at Bembos to lomo
saltado at China Wok. You’ll also
find several rotisserie chickencentric chains as well as special
offerings such as the local lucuma
fruit at U.S. chains in Peru.
with a vegetarian bang and took a
look
at
modern
meatless
restaurants across the country.
Instead of restaurants putting the
stray salad or meatless pasta dish
on the menu to accommodate
special diets, many operators are
focusing entirely on vegetables
and making them the star of the
restaurant, creating a “naturally”
vegan or vegetarian concept.
UPCOMING: Next month, we take
a look at international beverage
operators.
UPCOMING: Datassential brings
you to butchershop restaurants
across the country.
NEVER MISS OUT ON A TREND!
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Datassential’s entire TrendSpotting Report series.
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STAY IN-THE-KNOW ON THE LATEST TRENDS WITH
REPORTS FROM
Datassential’s TrendSpotting Reports combine the art of spotting food trends with the science of market
research, so you are always up-to-date on the trends that matter to your business, from ideation to marketing
to competitive analysis. And, by subscribing to the full TrendSpotting package, you’ll put it all into context by
understanding the overall trend landscape, from sauces to spices, carriers to proteins, beverages to desserts.
ON THE MENU analyzes flavor
and ingredient trends from
across the trend cycle, from
consumer awareness and
interest to menu examples
that put trends into context.
Plus, we gather and examine
important LTOs and new
menu items from chains
across the country every
month.
CREATIVE CONCEPTS makes it
easy to understand how hot
flavors, ingredients, and
concepts fit into overall industry
trends. Each month takes you
across the country and into the
establishments that are defining
the industry.
INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS
highlights chain activity around the
world – these are the in-demand,
up-and-coming flavors, concepts,
and trends that are often adapted
for the U.S. market.
DINE AROUND takes you on a
TrendSpotting tour of a city or
neighborhood, so you are always inthe-know on local food trends and
how they fit into the overall food
landscape, all combined with
Datassential’s industry-leading
market research tools.
WORLD BITES brings you
authentic dishes and
ingredients from around the
globe, each one packed with
consumer survey data and U.S.
menu examples – a must for
product ideation, menu
development, and marketing.
To begin your TrendSpotting subscription, contact Datassential Publications
Manager Mike Kostyo at 312-219-6435 or [email protected].
:
SOMETHING FOR EVERY IDEATION
AND MARKETING NEED.
A MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS SAY
THEIR TASTES ARE SHAPED BY
THEIR RESTAURANT EXPERIENCES
What’s happening on the menu today can
be a leading indicator of tomorrow’s food
trends.
Datassential MenuTrends is the industry’s largest
menu data set with the longest historic trend
record, plus the ability to search millions of dishes
from over 100,000 menus. Because the database is
designed to mirror the US restaurant census by
segment, region, and menu type, MenuTrends is the
only system that offers true projectable data. All
segments and cuisine types are tracked extensively
– from food trucks to fine dining.
MenuTrends INSIDER is also updated every month
with Limited Time Offers (LTOs) and other new
menu activity, with product photos that bring the
listings to life. And with thousands of ready-to-use
reports and simple trend detection tools, you can
jump right into the database, identifying,
measuring, and predicting the food and flavor
trends that matter to your business.
Call us today to begin using the food industry’s
authoritative resource for flavor trends.
Call Jana Mann at 312-655-0595 or
email [email protected].
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