This Week in Retail: Looking Ahead to Father’s Day Spending

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, June 16^th, and retailers are prepping for the second big grilling holiday of the summer.

According to the National Retail Federation, Father’s Day spending in 2019 is expected to reach an all-time high of $16 billion. That’s up from last year’s $15.3 billion. This monumental spending figure still, however, pales in comparison to spending for Mother’s Day, coming in at a whopping $25 billion.

Mother’s Day has long been known as a foodservice holiday, but Father’s Day tends to favor grilling at home with some quality steaks, burgers, chops or ribs. The NRF also reports that spending for Father’s Day has grown 70 percent over the last decade, with special outings playing a big part of that growth, accounting for a projected $3.3 billion. With 76 percent of...

As Grilling Season Begins, Turkey Patties Take Off

Summer is coming up, and with it comes grilling. While beef and pork have long held dominion over the summer grill, there’s been increased interest in turkey patties for grilling in recent years, as consumers lean towards more lower calorie options. Turkey has long been a go-to for burger substitutes due to its low fat content, good micronutrient profile, and a perceived “health halo”.

n the past, consumers have found turkey patties to lack sufficient flavor. Last year, unseasoned turkey patty sales fell eight percent. To remedy this situation... 

This Week in Retail: The Memorial Day Rundown

It’s finally here, the unofficial start to summer and the very official start to the grilling season. In the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend, the beef category claims the top spot for protein feature volume at 27 percent, followed by seafood at just under 26 percent.

Chicken managed to knock out pork for the number three spot with 22.5 percent of ad space, leaving pork with 18 percent. Cheaper grilling items like thighs and drumsticks helped boost chicken featuring volume this week. Meanwhile, the beef segment presents the ultimate showdown between ground beef and steak. In the pork complex, we see an increase in pork chop featuring, up nearly 8 percent week over week.

Taking a closer look at the beef complex, Urner Barry’s weekly retail beef index is right on par with the 3-year average at $5.85 per pound. This is down from the previous week’s index of $6.47 per pound. Ground beef features are modestly lower year over year at an average...

ANALYSIS: Ground Beef Pricing

Ground beef represents almost half of the beef consumption in the U.S. COMTELL tracks wholesale prices, along with everyday and retail ad prices for the category from a variety of sources. Wholesale ground beef values tend to be more volatile while... 

How Much 12 Classic Fast-Food Items Used to Cost

Find out what your favorites cost back in the day

McDonald’s Big Mac

In 1967, when McDonald’s introduced the sandwich that became iconic, it cost 45 cents. The price remained about a dollar through much of the 1970s, but it has gone up since. These days, the cost of two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, and onions on a sesame seed bun ranges around the world. In New York City in 2018, a Big Mac would set you back $5.09.

Burger King Whopper

Ten years earlier, Burger King released its flame-broiled signature sandwich in Miami. The price in 1957 ...

Impossible Foods’ Flagship Product is Now Available in About 5,000 Restaurants

The Impossible Burger is now available in about 5,000 restaurants in the United States.

Impossible Foods’ flagship product is available in restaurants in all 50 states, from Alaska to Florida -- and in stadiums, arenas, museums, corporate canteens and other locations.

The award-winning Impossible Burger is the only plant-based burger served at America’s favorite “better burger” concepts Fatburger, Wahlburgers, Umami Burger, Hopdoddy, Gott’s and The Counter, as well as the Midwest’s M-Burger and B Spot (owned by Chef Michael Symon). Additional restaurants add the Impossible Burger every day.

On Nov. 12, an Impossible Burger and Impossible Slider will debut at more than... 

Muscle Maker Grill Introduces New Healthier Burger Menu

Muscle Maker Grill, the fast-casual restaurant brand, which promotes a healthy lifestyle by offering nutritious alternatives to traditional dishes, today announced the addition of a build it yourself burger bar menu available at participating locations for a limited time.

Muscle Maker Grill’s new healthier burger bar menu is a great option for those looking to indulge in a burger without the guilt. True to its mission of delivering healthier menu items without sacrificing taste, Muscle Maker Grill’s new burger menu has something for everybody. Guests can choose from four nutritionally packed protein options, grass-fed beef, turkey, all natural chicken breast or a veggie burger. The burgers are offered in five styles: Mushroom Supreme, California Club, Classic, Jalapeno and the Recovery burger. All burgers are served on whole wheat buns and come with a side of our baked sweet potato fries. Burger toppings include healthier options such as avocado, reduced fat mayo, turkey bacon and reduced fat cheeses. Burger bar styles are listed below...

Aramark Heats Up Arenas with 25 New Menu Items for the NHL and NBA Seasons

To kick off arena season, Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) -- the food and beverage provider at nine NHL and NBA arenas, who will serve nearly eight million fans attending NHL and NBA games -- is heating up the ice and hardwood with new menus stocked with everything from hometown hot dogs to vegetarian poke bowls.

Some of the new menu items Aramark is introducing at the arenas it serves include...

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews Rings in the Holiday Season with New Menu Items

'Tis the season for YUMMM(R) at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews! The Gourmet Burger Authority(TM) is lighting up its menu with new additions and limited-time offerings for the holidays. Beginning today, Red Robin guests can savor The Master Cheese, a new Black Angus burger with a duo of melted extra-sharp Cheddar and Provolone cheeses, Bistro Sauce, dill pickle planks, shredded romaine and tomatoes on a toasted brioche bun and served with Bottomless Steak Fries(R) , which means free refills. Red Robin is also unwrapping a fire-grilled Haystack Tavern Double burger. The newest everyday value offering is topped with American cheese, Campfire Sauce and onion straws, along with a side of Bottomless Steak Fries(R) all for $6.99.

"We're excited to unwrap a new lineup of seasonal flavors and innovations this holiday season," said Dana Benfield, senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "From the savory Haystack Tavern Double and... 

Wendy’s Adds a S’Awesome Twist to Its Classic Bacon Cheeseburger

Wendy’s® adds a S’Awesome new addition to its fresh, never frozen* hamburger lineup. Introducing the S’Awesome Bacon Classic, a smoky, tangy twist on your favorite Wendy’s bacon cheeseburger. Topped with Wendy’s savory Side of S’Awesome™ Sauce, this is the burger mashup you’ve been waiting for.

The S’Awesome Bacon Classic is loaded with fresh, never frozen beef, three strips of Applewood smoked bacon, melty American cheese, crinkle cut pickles, sweet onion, and crisp lettuce – all between two warm, toasted buns. Slathered with Wendy’s savory Side of S’Awesome™ sauce, this cheeseburger packs smoky, tangy flavor in every juicy, mouthwatering bite.

“The S’Awesome Bacon Classic was created out of our customer’s love for this smoky, tangy sauce,” said Kurt Kane, Wendy’s executive vice president, chief concept and marketing officer. “We originally offered the sauce as a...

McDonald’s USA Reveals Changes to its Classic Burgers

Announcement marks next major milestone in company’s journey to build a better McDonald’s

McDonald’s USA announced on Wednesday that its classic burgers have no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors and no added colors from artificial sources. The pickle contains an artificial preservative, and customers are able to skip it if they prefer. These ingredient changes affect all 14,000 U.S. restaurants, marking this the next major milestone in McDonald’s food journey and another way the company is helping customers feel good about the food they're enjoying.

The classic burgers include the hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, McDouble, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and Big Mac.

“From switching to 100% fresh beef* in our quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, to removing artificial preservatives in our Chicken McNuggets, and committing to cage-free eggs by 2025, we have made significant strides in evolving the quality of our food,” said Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s USA President. “We know quality choices are important to our customers, and...

This Week in Retail: September Support for the Meat Case

Post-Labor Day, the retail landscape undergoes a gradual transition from summer themes to cooler weather cooking. However, while the heat lingers in many parts of the country this month, grilling cuts manage to hold onto their spots in the meat case alongside returning fall favorites.

It’s really an ideal time for the protein industry, with converging seasons supporting consumer purchases of a wide range of products. In addition, the National Football League kicks off today! Football season initiates a whole new slew of reasons for consumers to get together and eat—indulging in often protein-eccentric meal items like wings, burgers, sausage, hot dogs, ribs, tacos and more.

For game time this week, we have chicken wings on feature for $2.46 per pound, which is down 12.8 percent from a year ago at this time. Wholesale wing prices have fallen 36 percent this year, allowing for retailers and foodservice to offer attractive promotions. In addition, boneless breasts are also at record lows, which means... 

This Week in Retail: Chicken, Chops, and Burgers—Who Wins This Grilling Season?

This week in retail, we compare like-items for grilling to see how competing proteins stack up.

When we look at the retail feature indices for overall protein categories, we see a notable spread between beef, chicken and pork values. Urner Barry’s Weekly Retail Index for Beef is currently $5.85 per pound, while pork is $3.53 per pound and chicken is $2.72 per pound. That puts beef at a 6.5 percent premium to pork, and an 11.5 percent increase over chicken—overall. However, when we isolate like-items used commonly in summer grilling applications, the results tell a slightly different story...

This Week in Retail: Beef Promotions Up, Prices Down

This week in retail, we’ll take an inside look at the retail beef complex. Feature volume is up year over year for June and July so far, indicating a strong summer for beef in 2018. Prices are comparatively lower, offering incentive for consumers—and competition for other proteins.  

Urner Barry’s Weekly Retail Feature Beef Index is at a 4-year low this week, at $5.80 per pound. That’s 11 percent under last year at this time and 8 percent below the 3-year average.   

If we look at the month of June in 2017 vs. 2018, buying opportunities totaled 180,488 a year ago, while June of this year saw 187,028 buying opps—a 4 percent increase. Comparatively, buying opps totaled 218,151 in July 2017.  So far in July 2018, we’ve recorded 130,959 as of the week of July 16^th, on pace to beat last year’s monthly feature volume...  

Grilling for July 4th More Affordable This Year

A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for the Fourth of July, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk, will cost slightly less this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $55.07, or $5.51 per person. The cost for the cookout is down slightly (less than 1 percent) from last year.

“This is a very tough time for farmers and ranchers due to low prices across the board. It is appropriate that this very painful situation hitting farmers be reflected at the retail level as well,” said AFBF Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton. “We are seeing record meat and dairy production in 2018 so that has also influenced retail prices and so, for consumers, this year’s Fourth of July...

This Week in Retail: Overview of Features for the Fourth

July Fourth—celebrating freedom, fireworks, and food.

The holiday weekend is nearly here. Despite a midweek Independence Day this year, which could damper the extent of celebrations and cookouts on the holiday itself, the weekend forecast looks prime for grilling and festivities.

For the current week, beef features are unsurprisingly leading the pack with 28 percent of total protein feature volume. Seafood comes in second with 24 percent, followed by pork with nearly 22 percent. Chicken ads claim 19 percent of total feature volume.

In the beef complex, steak features account for 52 percent of featuring, while fresh ground features make up 25 percent. Urner Barry’s Weekly Retail Feature Beef Index shows current feature prices are, on average, down 4 percent from a year ago. The fresh ground beef category is currently 15 percent lower compared to a year ago. 80% lean features are... 

Burger King® Restaurants and Budweiser Come Together

The King of Burgers will bring back the King of Beers’ iconic “Whassup” commercial to launch new American Brewhouse KING™ Sandwich at BURGER KING® Restaurants

Two American icons, BURGER KING® restaurants and Budweiser®, are coming together to celebrate summer with the launch of The American Brewhouse KING Sandwich. The American Brewhouse KING Sandwich features two savory flame-grilled beef patties totaling more than ¼ lb.* of beef, topped with 3 half-strips of thick-cut smoked bacon, crispy onions, tavern sauce, American cheese and creamy mayonnaise all on our sesame seed bun.

BURGER KING® restaurants will feature a remake of Budweiser’s iconic “Whassup” commercial with a special cameo from The King himself – introducing a new generation to...

New Menus, Technology Fuel Rise in Restaurant Customer Satisfaction, ACSI Data Show

Texas Roadhouse, Chick-fil-A lead among full-service and fast food restaurants

Both full-service and fast food restaurants are revamping their menus and rolling out more mobile ordering options, to the delight of diners. Customer satisfaction with the Accommodation and Food Services sector overall rises 1.8 percent year over year to a score of 79.4 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index's (ACSI(R) ) 100-point scale. According to the ACSI Restaurant Report 2018, full-service restaurants jump 3.8 percent to an ACSI score of 81, while fast food establishments gain 1.3 percent to a score of 80.

"As the economy improves, consumers have more money to spend, and they're dining out more," said David VanAmburg, Managing Director at ACSI. "At the same time, restaurants are adapting their menus and technology in line with shifting consumer preferences, as millennial tastes for fresh food, mobile ordering, and automated kiosks take hold. The bottom line: Restaurants are working hard to please consumers, and the latest ACSI scores show that it's paying off...

Grilling for July 4th More Affordable This Year

A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for the Fourth of July, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk, will cost slightly less this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $55.07, or $5.51 per person. The cost for the cookout is down slightly (less than 1 percent) from last year.

“This is a very tough time for farmers and ranchers due to low prices across the board. It is appropriate that this very painful situation hitting farmers be reflected at the retail level as well,” said AFBF Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton. “We are seeing record meat and dairy production in 2018 so that has also influenced retail prices and so...

McDonald’s Unveils Signature Crafted Recipe: New Bacon Smokehouse Burger

100% fresh beef quarter-pound burger meets smoky bacon in new flavorful, bold burger

Fresh beef, cooked right when ordered, in all Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers is now available in participating McDonald’s restaurants in the contiguous U.S.***

McDonald’s continues to innovate its Signature Crafted Recipes menu, which features unique flavor combinations and quality ingredients. To bring customers more of the craveable and delicious tastes they love, McDonald’s introduces the Bacon Smokehouse burger – as part of the Signature Crafted Recipes lineup – to its menu.

The new Bacon Smokehouse is a mouthwatering burger that is made with hearty and satisfying thick-cut Applewood smoked bacon...