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Gone Mexican!

for more information or a free trial, contact Jack Li at: 310-922-6299 or jack@datassential.com. food and flavor trends + projectable analysis. Gone Mexican!. a MenuTrends DIRECT™ sample report.

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Gone Mexican!

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  1. for more information or a free trial, contact Jack Li at: 310-922-6299 or jack@datassential.com food and flavor trends + projectable analysis Gone Mexican! a MenuTrends DIRECT™sample report

  2. This is a sample MenuTrends Report. And it’s exactly the type of custom analysis you’ll receive as a MenuTrends DIRECT™ subscriber. With your subscription, you receive monthly research hoursthat can be applied toward custom analysis, presentations, or reports just like this one – for no additional fee.That’s right, custom reporting is included with your subscriptionto MenuTrends DIRECT™. In addition to having your own direct access to MenuTrends DIRECT™, you will also receive personal support from Datassential’s team of MenuTrends experts. With more features, expert support, and ten times more data than other systems, MTD offers everything you need to stay on top of trends and ahead of the competition. For more information about MenuTrends DIRECT™, contact us today at: 310-922-6299 or jack@datassential.com

  3. An Introduction definitions and more This sample report features analysis of over 600,000 from more than 5,800 US menus. All of the quantitative analysis and ideation examples contained herein has been conducted using MenuTrends DIRECT™. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the reporting conventions indicated below, as well as with the Mexican food terms presented on the following page. Region Definitions The regions named in this report correspond the four US Census “super regions,” as detailed in the map below. MenuTrends DIRECT™ features 25 broad restaurant cuisine classifications. When the term “varied menu” is used in this report, it refers to restaurants specializing in one of the cuisine types below marked in orange. Mexican vs. “Mexican-Inspired”.This report features analysis of both Mexican and “Mexican-Inspired” dishes. Mexican dishes are traditional types such as tacos, burritos, fajitas, and enchiladas. A “Mexican-Inspired” dish, on the other hand, it typically a non-Mexican item that has been infused with Mexican sauces, flavors, and/or preparation methods (such as a chipotle chicken sandwich). Data Timeline. Unless specified otherwise, all analysis in this report is based on 2006 menu data. In certain cases, time trend analysis is presented that compares 2006 and 2005 data to detect *projectable* changes. Data Confidence.Care has been taken to include only projectable findings. A note is provided in those rare instances where sample size is too small for projection.

  4. Food-E-Terms key mexican words Food-E-Terms™, an exclusive feature of MenuTrends DIRECT™ includes definitions for over 7,000 foods, ingredients, and culinary items. While everyone is familiar with tacos and burritos are, other Mexican items are not as well known. We’ve exported a few key definition from Food-E-Terms™, which are presented here.

  5. Food-E-Terms key mexican words (cont.) Food-E-Terms™, an exclusive feature of MenuTrends DIRECT™ includes definitions for over 7,000 foods, ingredients, and culinary items. While everyone is familiar with tacos and burritos are, other Mexican items are not as well known. We’ve exported a few key definition from Food-E-Terms™, which are presented here.

  6. Food-E-Terms key mexican words (cont.) Food-E-Terms™, an exclusive feature of MenuTrends DIRECT™ includes definitions for over 7,000 foods, ingredients, and culinary items. While everyone is familiar with tacos and burritos are, other Mexican items are not as well known. We’ve exported a few key definition from Food-E-Terms™, which are presented here.

  7. Key Findings the big picture • Mexican influences are everywhere on menus today.Varied menu restaurants in all segments and regions are offering dishes with Mexican influences. Nearly 60% of Casual Dining varied menu restaurants, for example, serve at least one Mexican-inspired dish. • But the trend is less about Mexican dishes, and more about “Mexican-inspired” dishes. Though Mexican influences are strong on varied menus, traditional Mexican items like tacos, burritos, and enchiladas are still relatively rare. In fact, these type of Mexican dishes represent just 1.6% of entrees served at varied menu restaurants. Instead, the real growth has been in “Mexican-inspired” dishes – such as burgers, sandwiches, and salads that feature chipotle, salsa, and other Mexican flavors. • Speaking of chipotle, it’s growth is absolutely off the charts! Chipotle incidence has grown a whopping 105% on varied menus in just one year. This is truly explosive growth that rivals that of any other flavor trend in recent memory. Even more astounding is that chipotle is today more common in Mexican-inspired dishes at non-Mexican restaurants than it is in items served at Mexican restaurants. What’s more, the flavor continues to grow, as it is still in the “proliferation” stage of the menu adoption cycle. • Regionality plays a huge role. Mexican restaurants, dishes, and influences are far more prevalent in the West, and much less so in the Northeast. Whereas most trends tend to be primarily segment-dependent, Mexican influences are more heavily impacted by regionality. • Mexican appetizers are most common: quesadillas and nachos lead the way. Mexican appetizers are dominated by nachos and quesadillas, with each item being served in nearly 35% of Casual Dining restaurants. Think about that for a second – quesadillas and nachos are each found on more than one out of every three casual menus!

  8. Accurate results require reliable data. With more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT™ offers real projectable analysis. | Get the ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT™. Mexican Dishes traditional Mexican items: what they are, where they’re served, and how often the only system featuring projectable menu data the most accurate & reliable results better reporting with far deeper analysis more powerful features that make analysis easier

  9. Mexican Entrees where they are served • Mexican entrees are still predominantly found in Mexican restaurants. • As seen here, nearly 90% (86.1%) of all Mexican entrees (such a tacos, burritos, fajitas, and enchiladas) are found in Mexican restaurants. • Varied menu restaurants (American, burger places, etc.) account for another 12% of total Mexican entrees. • When varied menu (non-Mexican) restaurants do feature Mexican entrees, they tend to do so in numbers. As seen here, varied menu restaurants that feature Mexican restaurants menu a whopping 4.2of them on average. • This 4.2 average is on par with other major entrée types including burgers, pasta, and salads. • In other words, when Mexican entrees work their way onto a menu, they tend to make their presence known!

  10. Mexican Entrees at non-Mexican chains • Although it’s rare, top non-Mexican chains do occasionally menu Mexican entrees. • This table shows several top chains that menu Mexican entrees (note that this refers to actual Mexican items such as tacos and burritos, and does not include “Mexican-inspired” dishes, which are covered in the next chapter). • The Cheesecake Factory and Chilis are among the leading menuers of Mexican entrees. Jack in the Box, which features tacos and breakfast burritos, heads the list of major burger chains. With MenuTrends DIRECT™, you have access to over 2,500 chains (as well as thousands of independents). Full operator coverage means you can always find the information you need for any restaurant – from national accounts to regional chains and emerging concepts.

  11. Mexican Entrees incidence at varied menu restaurants • While the usage of Mexican flavors continues to proliferate, Mexican *entrees* are still relatively rare on varied menus. • As seen here, Mexican entrees represent just 1.6% of entrée items on varied menus today. • Furthermore, growth in this respect is flat (from 1.57% in 2005 to 1.60% in 2006); Mexican entrees are no more prevalent today than they were a year ago. • In other words, it is fairly uncommon for a non-Mexican restaurant to menu tacos, burritos, enchiladas, flautas, or other Mexican-specific dishes. • What is increasingly common, however, is usage of Mexican flavors in a broader range of dishes – from sandwiches to the center of the plate (please see the section on flavor profiles for details). n = 121,694 entrees at varied menu restaurants

  12. Mexican Entrees most popular varieties • Burritos are by far the most common Mexican entree at varied menu restaurants, followed by tacos, quesadillas (which are also often menued as appetizers), fajitas, and enchiladas. • Interestingly, the types of Mexican entrees served at varied menu places are different than those served at Mexican restaurants; burritos, quesadillas, and nachos are more common at varied menu places… while enchiladas, chimichangas, tamales, and chile rellenos are less so. • Segmentation also plays a major role in what’s served – burritos dominate in QSR’s, for example, while chimichangas are stronger in full-service restaurants. Share of All Mexican Entrees Those entrees much more common in varied menu restaurants are shown in blue; those that are less common are shown in red. n = 15,273 Mexican entrees at varied menu restaurants

  13. Overall Penetration segment specifics • Nationally, the two most commonly menued traditional Mexican dishes are both typically appetizers – quesadillas (22.2% penetration) and nachos (21.1%). • Note that these are big numbers, as each item is served in nearly one out of four restaurants across the US; even more impressive is that penetration rates for quesadillas and nachos jump to nearly 35% in the Casual dining segment. • As far as Mexican entrees go, it’s tacos that head the list (19.9% total US penetration), followed next by fajitas (17.5%) and then burritos (15.4%). • Penetration rates for all of these items are highest in the Casual dining segment (which has a higher concentration of varied menu concepts). Note that these rankings are noticeably different from those observed for just varied menu restaurants. Once Mexican restaurants are thrown into the mix, tacos take over as the top entrée, with several other items jump around as well. n = 441,109 appetizers, entrees, and sides

  14. Mexican Appetizers nachos & quesadillas • At varied menu restaurants, Mexican items are more likely to be found on the appetizer section of the menu. This owes almost exclusively to two items in particular – nachos and quesadillas. • Nachos and quesadillas account for nearly 90% of all Mexican appetizers served at varied menu restaurants, and have been mainstays in casual dining for several years. • The influence of nachos and quesadillas in casual dining in particular is unmistakable – over 50% of varied menu casual dining restaurants serve at least one of the two appetizers. • Quesadillas are given the upscale treatment as well, penetrated in a surprisingly high 15.6% of upscale varied menu restaurants. So how do high-end operators do quesadillas? A few examples are shown to the right. With coverage of over 1,000 innovative fine dining operators, MTD™ gives you the power to detect trends at their infancy. Culinary trends typically trickle down from white table cloth and ethnic restaurants to major chains. Use MTD™ to get a jump on the competition by identifying key trends early. n = 25,929 appetizers at varied menu restaurants

  15. Mexican Dishes Overall a full listing by segment & region • While Mexican entrees can occasionally be found at varied menu restaurants, it’s the Mexican appetizers (quesadillas and nachos) that are most common. That said, consumers today are most accustomed to seeing Mexican dishes on appetizer menus. • Segmentation is a key consideration, with Casual dining seeming to represent the greatest opportunity (note the much higher penetration rates for the top items below). • Regionality also plays a role, as restaurants in the West are far more likely to feature burritos tacos, and taquitos, while nachos are considerably more popular in the Midwest. penetration at varied menu restaurants (% of restaurants serving each item) n = 171,368 appetizers, entrees, and sides at varied menu restaurants

  16. Accurate results require reliable data. With more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT™ offers real projectable analysis. | Get the ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT™. Mexican-Inspired Dishes how operators today are infusing Mexican flavors to create more compelling dishes the only system featuring projectable menu data the most accurate & reliable results better reporting with far deeper analysis more powerful features that make analysis easier

  17. Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired broadening the horizon • The influence of Mexican cooking on varied menu restaurants has less to do with Mexican dishes, and much more to do with “Mexican-inspired” dishes. • These are dishes that are outside the realm on traditional Mexican items such as tacos and burritos, but that have been strongly influenced by Mexican flavors, ingredients, and preparation methods. • Examples include chicken sandwiches with chipotle salsa, Mexican-style fish entrees, Tex-Mex salads, and a host of other dishes. • As seen here, Mexican-inspired dishes are far more penetrated than regular Mexican dishes. Within the entrée category, for example, nearly 60% of casual dining restaurants feature a Mexican-inspired dish – twice as high as the 29% that menu a regular Mexican dish. • As Mexican influences continue to grow, it’s important to ask, “how are Mexican trends impacting non-Mexican dishes?” n = 3,647 Mexican-inspired entrees at varied menu restaurants

  18. Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired a regional look • Here we again see the importance of “Mexican-Inspired” dishes. Notice that in each region, the penetration of Mexican-inspired entrees is nearly double that of regular Mexican entrees (in varied menu restaurants). • As previously observed, Mexican tends to be most popularly favored in the West – where it holds a major lead over all other regions. • And while Mexican is least favored in the Northeast and South, still an impressive one-third of varied menu restaurants in those regions carry Mexican-inspired dishes. MTD makes analyzing ethnic trends a snap. With 25 cuisine filters, you can always get just the level of detail you need. You also have the power to analyze ethnic-influenced items, such as chipotle burgers, teriyaki fries, and tandoori sandwiches. n = 3,647 Mexican-inspired entrees at varied menu restaurants

  19. Time Trends areas of mexican influence • The growth of Mexican influences at varied menu places is driven largely by the use of Mexican flavors in non-Mexican dishes. • In just one year, several non-Mexican dishes made large gains as a percentage of Mexican-inspired dishes; meanwhile, “real” Mexican dishes such as tacos and burritos lost ground. • In other words, diners who want Mexican flavors today have a greater opportunity to find them in items like pasta, sandwiches, and burgers. And while tacos, burritos, and enchiladas are still available (and often common) choices, they are no longer the only way to enjoy Mexican flavors on non-Mexican menus. n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and sides MTD is the only system that offers reliable and projectable time trend analysis. Other systems use 90% less data and generate wildly inaccurate results that are often more a function of statistical aberrations rather than real trends. With MTD, you get trends that you can rely on.

  20. Time Trends growing items at mexican restaurants • Interestingly, much of the item growth at Mexican restaurants has come from non-Mexican categories. • Wraps, sandwiches, and omelettes are all areas of growth, while traditional Mexican items such as tostadas, burritos, and fajitas are growing slower. • To generalize, then, we can say that Mexican influences are proliferating on varied menus through the use of Mexican flavors and ingredients. Meanwhile, Mexican restaurants themselves are diversifying their menus by introducing traditional American fare. • Thus, Mexican and non-Mexican restaurants are becoming more similar… albeit in very different ways. n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and sides

  21. Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired examples: sandwiches • Mexican cooking has made a big impact on sandwiches, from those that feature Mexican flavors prominently (such as a “chicken fajita rollup”) to others that use them more subtly (such as a sandwich with Mexican chiles or guacamole). • Chipotle is a key driver of Mexican flavor growth, and it shows here – notice the frequent use of the flavor in these examples. n = 34,675 sandwiches at varied menu restaurants

  22. Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired examples: appetizers • Appetizers are a major target for Mexican flavors – with diverse ingredients including cilantro, beans, guacamole, chipotle, and salsa commonly added. • From poppers to pizzas, appetizer menus are peppered with examples of Mexican influences. Today, even egg rolls are a common application for Mexican flavors. n = 1,290 Mexican-inspired appetizers

  23. Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired examples: appetizers • More Mexican-inspired appetizer examples…. MTD offers you unparalleled access to real-world dishes on menus today. With more than 600,000 dishes included in each period, you have the world’s deepest resource for ideation and culinary development. n = 1,290 Mexican-inspired appetizers

  24. Accurate results require reliable data. With more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT™ offers real projectable analysis. | Get the ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT™. Flavor Trends the ingredients, sauces, seasonings, and more that define Mexican trends today the only system featuring projectable menu data the most accurate & reliable results better reporting with far deeper analysis more powerful features that make analysis easier

  25. Essential Ingredients traditional mexican item types • Mexican dishes (as opposed to Mexican-inspired dishes) are characterized by a handful of common ingredients. • These top ingredients provide an excellent blueprint for developing Mexican menu items that are more traditional in nature. • In the protein arena, chicken and beef lead the way, with pork (carnitas) and shrimp also showing up – but much less frequently so. • Beans, rice, and tortillas are also essentials, often in conjunction with one another. • Essential toppings and fillers include sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion and salsa. All are very common and can be broadly applied to Mexican product ideation. SOLID BARS denote INCIDENCE (% of all Mexican entrees containing that item) SHADED BARS denote PENETRATION (% of places that serve Mexican entrees that feature a Mexican entrée containing)

  26. Essential Ingredients segmentation impact • While the frequency of traditional Mexican ingredients varies somewhat by segment, these top items remain fairly consistent across the board and thus form the “essentials” of Mexican dishes. This is an important point: the most common ingredients in QSR closely mirror those in casual dining – which indicates that traditional Mexican dishes tend to be prepared with the same *main* ingredients, regardless of the type of venue. • Shrimp is surprisingly well-penetrated in casual dining restaurants that offer Mexican entrees (note that this includes both Mexican and varied menu places). n = 17,732 Mexican entrees

  27. Essential Ingredients regional impact • As with segmentation, regionality has a notable but not overly powerful influence on the top ingredients found in Mexican entrees. For the most part, the usage of the essential proteins, carriers, fillings, and toppings is roughly similar across regions, with just a few notable exceptions. • While beef is considerably less common in the Northeast, salsa is particularly strong in that region. Beans are more common in the South. Also, while Pico de Gallo (essentially a tomato relish) is more popular in the South, salsa is less so (perhaps an indication of cannibalization, as some diners may use the condiments interchangeably). n = 17,732 Mexican entrees Regional tastes can have a huge impact on menu trends. With thousands of regional chains and independent restaurants, only MTD offers representative and accurate regional analysis.

  28. Overall Top Flavors mexican-inspired dishes • Salsa and sour cream top the list of most popular Mexican flavors, present in 36.2% and 34.7% of Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu restaurants) • Chipotle, a relatively new mainstream flavor, is specified in an impressive 15.1% of Mexican-inspired dishes, nearly reaching the level of the far more mature guacamole (18.3%). n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired dishes

  29. Top Flavors by Segment mexican-inspired dishes INCIDENCE: % of all Mexican-inspired dishes that contain… • Segmentation is a critical determinant of flavor application. Chipotle, for instance, is most heavily utilized in fine dining and casual dining, somewhat less so in quick service, and least often in midscale dining. • This perfectly follows the menu influence cycle – which predicts the direction and velocity of trends. The high utilization of chipotle in fine dining indicates that the trend is still trickling down… first to casual dining, then to QSR, and finally to midscale restaurants. (see next page for an overview of the menu influence cycle) • Also worth noting about chipotle is its strength in the important casual dining sector – where nearly 30% of restaurants that offer a Mexican-inspired dish feature chipotle on their menu. This marks a huge footprint for a relatively new flavor. PENETRATION: of those restaurants that serve Mexican-inspired dishes, the % that serve at least one containing… n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired dishes

  30. The Menu Influence Cycle a brief overview Today, menu trends follow a path of four distinct phases… Inception Adoption Proliferation Ubiquity Here we witness the birth of a trend – typically started in the fine dining segment and often borrowing from ethnic cooking. In the past, high-end dining consisted of an American, French or Italian meal of dishes prepared in the traditional manner. Today, chefs have the opportunity to re-position and question every aspect of a meal – priming the pump for the next great innovation. Taking a cue from new upscale trends, casual dining independentsin this phase adopt cutting-edge flavors and ingredients onto their menus. Particularly with the influence of cooking shows, magazines, and the internet, independent operators today have much greater access to the latest trends – and can quickly jump on board with the ones that make the most sense for them. In this phase, the trend spreads to casual diningchainsand the QSRsegment, who have monitored its movement through the Adoption phase to verify its potential appeal. As consumers continue to seek greater variety and “newness” in the foods they eat, casual dining and QSR chains play the primary role in helping flavor trends proliferate across a mass audience base. Finally, a trend will reach ubiquitous status as it penetrates the country’s midscalerestaurants, whose patrons tend to prefer more traditional fare. Even in today’s climate of fast-paced change, newer ingredients are spotty on midscale menus – it takes time and a successful push through the proliferation phase before a trend achieves ubiquity, establishing itself firmly in the American mainstream. With highly projectable data at the individual segment level, MTD™ is a predictive analysis system. The Menu Influence Cycle enables you to use information on current trends to forecast where they are most likely headed in future periods. • As evidenced by the incidence and penetration figures on the previous page, chipotle is clearly in the proliferation stage, and can thus be counted on to continue growing in the periods ahead.

  31. Top Flavors by Region mexican-inspired dishes INCIDENCE: % of all Mexican-inspired dishes that contain… • Looking at the data regionally offers some particularly instructive insights. Restaurants in the West, for example, are notable more likely to feature guacamole in their Mexican-inspired dishes (note that since these figures are taken as a percentage of Mexican-inspired dishes, any regional bias with regard to overall Mexican popularity has already been factored out). • In other words, not only are Western restaurants more likely to menu Mexican-inspired dishes (as we have previously observed), those that do are also more likely to feature guacamole in those dishes (this double-whammy indicates that there is a lot more guacamole served in the West). • A similar observation can be made for Chipotle, which is much more popular in the West and far less so in the Northeast. • The South, meanwhile, is far more prone to use Picante and Pico de Gallo. PENETRATION: of those restaurants that serve Mexican-inspired dishes, the % that serve at least one containing… n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and side dishes

  32. Top Proteins at mexican & varied menu restaurants • No surprise here – chicken leads the protein pack for both Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu restaurants) as well as those dishes served at Mexican restaurants. • In general, the proteins found in Mexican-inspired dishes and real Mexican dishes are typically the same, with just a few notable exceptions… • Bacon and turkey, for example, are much more common in Mexican-inspired dishes (bacon largely because of breakfast burritos, and turkey owing heavily to sandwiches). • Likewise, pork and carne (the Spanish word for “meat,” but typically in reference to grilled steak) are more common at Mexican restaurants. • Surprisingly, chorizo (a spicy sausage) is actually more common in Mexican-inspired dishes – which suggests a compatibility with Americanized tastes. n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and side dishes

  33. Time Trends category: proteins • Surprisingly, ham leads the list of fastest growing proteins in Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu restaurants). Much of this growth owes itself to the breakfast day part, where burritos, tacos, and even quesadillas are becoming more commonplace. • Asada is also a major mover, up 26.8%. (technically, asada is a preparation method that refers to grilling; in Mexican cooking, however it helps distinguish protein are served, such as the difference between beef and steak) • Salmon and fish in general are also on the rise, with impressive one year growth rates of 25.7% and 19.6% respectively. DEFINITIONS 2006 / 2005: the percentage of Mexican-inspired dishes on varied menus that contain that item, for each year. NET CHANGE: the % change between the 2006 and 2005 incidence numbers 2006 COUNT: the total number of Mexican-inspired dishes featuring that items at varied menu restaurants for the most recent year. COMMONALITY – how frequently that item is found in Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu restaurants. VARIED MENU RANK: where that item ranks relative to all others in the category, looking only at Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu restaurants. MEXICAN RESTAURANT RANK: where that item ranks relative to all others in the category, looking only at Mexican restaurant menus. n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and side dishes

  34. Top Cheeses at mexican & varied menu restaurants • The cheeses that are most popular at Mexican restaurants are not always the same as those in Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu places). • Whereas Jack is tops in Mexican places, cheddar heads the list in varied menu places. • On a grand scale, however, the two lists match up fairly consistently – the top four cheeses are the same for both Mexican-inspired dishes and Mexican restaurant cheeses (although the rankings do shift).

  35. Time Trends category: cheeses • Although it is only the 6th most common cheese in Mexican-inspired dishes, Pepperjack is by far the one that’s growing fastest on varied menus today – with a 67% increase in relative incidence over the past year. • Other big gainers include parmesan (+26.1%), American (+18.2%), Monterey (+13.7%), Jack (+12.9%), and Queso (+9.5%). DEFINITIONS 2006 / 2005: the percentage of Mexican-inspired dishes on varied menus that contain that item, for each year. NET CHANGE: the % change between the 2006 and 2005 incidence numbers 2006 COUNT: the total number of Mexican-inspired dishes featuring that items at varied menu restaurants for the most recent year. COMMONALITY – how frequently that item is found in Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu restaurants. VARIED MENU RANK: where that item ranks relative to all others in the category, looking only at Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu restaurants. MEXICAN RESTAURANT RANK: where that item ranks relative to all others in the category, looking only at Mexican restaurant menus. n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and side dishes

  36. Top Flavors at mexican & varied menu restaurants • Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes are menued with a broad array of sauces and flavors. • Sour cream, salsa, pepper, and guacamole are the mainstays – each making the top list of top four flavors for both Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes. • Chipotle, a relative newcomer to varied menus, shows amazing strength as the fifth most common flavor in Mexican-inspired dishes. • Particularly interesting is the large disparity between Chipotle’s incidence rates for Mexican-inspired and Mexican dishes (11.7% in varied menu, versus just 1.3% in Mexican restaurants). • This indicates that US restaurants are making big bets on chipotle, relying on it far more than even Mexican restaurants do. n = 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees, and side dishes

  37. Time Trends category: sauces & flavors • A number of Mexican flavors are literally exploding onto varied menus, growing dramatically in just one year. Chipotle leads the charge with an astounding 104.5% growth rate (buffalo, often with Mexican-flavored wings, also grew quickly, but is much less common overall). • As Mexican flavors are now being used more commonly in non-Mexican dishes, many non-Mexican flavors are also growing rapidly as well (buffalo, bleu cheese, mayonnaise, etc.); this is a testament to the versatility of Mexican flavors, which complement many other types as well. DEFINITIONS 2006 / 2005: the percentage of Mexican-inspired dishes on varied menus that contain that item, for each year. NET CHANGE: the % change between the 2006 and 2005 incidence numbers 2006 COUNT: the total number of Mexican-inspired dishes featuring that items at varied menu restaurants for the most recent year. COMMONALITY – how frequently that item is found in Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu restaurants. VARIED MENU RANK: where that item ranks relative to all others in the category, looking only at Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu restaurants. MEXICAN RESTAURANT RANK: where that item ranks relative to all others in the category, looking only at Mexican restaurant menus.

  38. Accurate results require reliable data. With more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT™ offers real projectable analysis. | Get the ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT™. Product-Specific Flavors a look at the proteins, cheese, sauces, and other ingredients by major item type the only system featuring projectable menu data the most accurate & reliable results better reporting with far deeper analysis more powerful features that make analysis easier

  39. Menu Part Analysis appetizers & sides vs. entrees Figures based on all incidences of the named item categories – including those found on both Mexican and varied menus. • Appetizer applications are rare for the most common item types. As seen here, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, and chimichangas are served as entrees the vast majority of the time. Tamales, taquitos, and flautas, are more often menued as appetizers – but these are less common items overall. • This introduces an interesting situation – the dishes consumers know best are rarely offered as appetizers – while lesser known dishes often are. As many consumers tend to be drawn to what they know, less adventurous diners may pass over appetizers they have no experience with, such as flautas and taquitos. • This relative dearth of appetizer / mini tacos and burritos offers a potential opportunity: these items are well known to consumers and have several characteristics that make them very adaptable as appetizers (can be a finger food, can feature a dipping sauce, can be portioned for sharing, etc.). • That said, focusing on flautas, taquitos, and tamales, may offer a way to leverage more progressive appetizers. Meanwhile, offering mini tacos and burritos could be a way to open a new market entirely, using products that consumers already know.

  40. Tacos top ingredients, flavors, and prep methods • While tacos are predominantly either beef or chicken (the two are in a virtual first place tie), other proteins including steak, fish, pork, are somewhat common as well. • Cheddar is the most often menued taco cheese. • Guacamole tops the list of sauces and flavors, edging out sour cream. • Operators use several different prep methods and descriptors for their tacos – from “topped” and “filled” to “covered” and “sauteed.”

  41. Burritos top ingredients, flavors, and prep methods • Again, beef and chicken run neck and neck for the protein lead, with steak, pork (carnitas), egg (largely from breakfast burritos), shrimp, and fish also somewhat common. • Beans are a key ingredient, found inside or alongside 50% of menued burritos. • Here, sour cream finishes ahead of guacamole (whereas the reverse is true for tacos). Topping sauces such as “ranchero” (4.1%) also turn up. • Burritos are often topped with an item (22.6%) such as a sauce or melted cheese.

  42. Topped Burritos a few interesting examples • Ranchero sauce (which consists of tomatoes, onions, green chilies, and seasonings) is a favorite topper for burritos, and it present in a few of the “topped” burrito examples shown here. • Melted cheese is also a frequent topper – often along with a sauce – transforming the burrito into a fork & knife dining experience.

  43. Enchiladas top ingredients, flavors, and prep methods • Here again we witness the dominance of chicken and beef – which lead all other enchilada proteins by a very wide margin. • Whereas cheddar is the top taco cheese, Jack springs to the head of the list among enchiladas – where it is nearly twice as popular as the next closest variety. • Sour cream is very common with enchiladas, while guacamole is not nearly as much so. Various sauces including red, mole (a spicy red sauce made from chiles and Mexican chocolate), tomatillo, ranchero, and a variety of others.

  44. Tamales top ingredients, flavors, and prep methods • Whereas chicken and beef dominate several other types of Mexican dishes, pork is roughly on par with those proteins in the world of tamales. • Corn is a primary ingredient in Tamales (made from a cornmeal porridge and served in a corn husk), and are appropriately the most often specified vegetable. • Sour cream and guacamole – which typically head the list of sauces and flavors, drop down a few notches here, as they are a comparatively rare tamale condiment. Instead, spicy chilis / chiles take the top spot.

  45. Ingredient Summaries proteins • Chicken and beef are strong in every category, and particularly so with less common items such as chimichangas, taquitos, and flautas. • Fish, while popular with tacos, is not nearly as strong in any other category. • Chile rellenos, while occasionally containing a meat, are more often meatless – as evidenced by the low protein incidence rates shown below. Items with low incidence are represented as a “-”. Note that this does not indicate a 0 incidence rate; instead, it simply means that the item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.

  46. Ingredient Summaries cheeses & other items • The types of cheese utilized are largely dependent on the type of item. For example, while Jack is typically the most common cheese in these categories, cheddar rises to the top in tacos, burritos, and chalupas. • Beans, rice, and tortillas are mainstays with virtually every category – either as an ingredient or served alongside the main item. • Beans reach a zenith in burritos, chimichangas (a fried burrito), and chalupas (a fried, stuffed corn tortilla). • Both beans and rice are considerably less common with skinnier items such as taquitos and flautas, which not only have less room to hold fillings but are also more likely to be served as appetizers (and thus are less likely to feature beans and rice on the side).

  47. Ingredient Summaries vegetables • As far as vegetables go, these Mexican items most often contain lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. • Specialty vegetables (such as eggplant or other vegetables that fall outside the realm of the ordinary) are rare and have yet to penetrate Mexican dishes with any significant impact. Items with low incidence are represented as a “-”. Note that this does not indicate a 0 incidence rate; instead, it simply means that the item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.

  48. Ingredient Summaries sauces and flavors Items with low incidence are represented as a “-”. Note that this does not indicate a 0 incidence rate; instead, it simply means that the item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.

  49. Ingredient Summaries preparation methods and descriptors Items with low incidence are represented as a “-”. Note that this does not indicate a 0 incidence rate; instead, it simply means that the item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.

  50. Accurate results require reliable data. With more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT™ offers real projectable analysis. | Get the ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT™. Pricing Opportunities how Mexican items are priced… from budget to premium the only system featuring projectable menu data the most accurate & reliable results better reporting with far deeper analysis more powerful features that make analysis easier

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