A&W is adding a first to the menu: Nutter Butter Creme Treats made with Oreo cookie pieces. The new shakes and Polar Swirls combine creamy vanilla soft-serve with Nutter Butter variegate and Oreo cookie pieces. A&W is calling them the “dream team of creme cookies.” A&W also is launching new hand-breaded chicken tender sliders. They are being sold individually or in two-slider combos with a side and A&W’s signature made-fresh Root Beer. Both are available at participating restaurants for a limited-time.
“These new offerings are perfect examples of our strategy to innovate and expand our menu, while staying true to our customers’ tastes,” says Sarah Blasi Mueller, vice president of Marketing. Blasi Mueller added that past treats with Nutter Butter and Oreos were extremely popular, which prompted the idea of combining them. Likewise, A&W’s chicken tenders, which are hand-breaded in each restaurant, are among the chain’s biggest sellers. “New crave-able treats and snack-sized items are key to building both traffic and profitable sales,” she said.
Celebrating its centennial this year, A&W is experiencing a worldwide growth spurt. The chain has opened four U.S. restaurants this year and has nine in development. The new units are posting very strong opening sales volumes. In Asia, A&W has grown by 23 locations this year, with 11 more expected to open in 2019. Earlier this year, A&W announced an incentive plan consisting of lower royalties for new U.S. franchisees. It was recently recognized as a top 25 food and beverage franchise by Franchise Business Review, which analyzes franchisee satisfaction.
Founded in 1919, A&W is America’s first and oldest franchised restaurant chain. It still makes Root Beer fresh in each restaurant from real cane sugar, water and a proprietary blend of herbs, bark, spices and berries that are served in a frosty mug alongside burgers, fries, chicken tenders and other All American Food favorites. There are nearly 1,000 locations worldwide.