Food Genius has released their most recent Industry Report entitled Icing on the Cake: Desserts Menu Trends and Insights.
Icing on the Cake examines the landscape of desserts with insights on chain and independent restaurants.
“Dessert works with any concept, which is why we rank it among the highest areas of opportunity for any operator,” says CEO of Food Genius, Justin Massa. “There is perhaps no better way to increase average ticket size than to add a few sweet options; many dessert offerings are refrigerated or shelf-stable, which means adding them to the menu doesn't need to put strain on the kitchen. For those without a dessert program today, we encourage you to take a closer look.”
Key insights from Icing on the Cake Industry Report include:
Dessert sections appear on 24 percent of menus.
Dessert menuing has steadily increased over the past year at a rate of 1 percent change, quarter over quarter.
50 percent of independent restaurants offer dessert and more than 75 percent of chain restaurants menus have dessert offerings.
The quick-serve restaurant segment is the most under-represented market in desserts, while the casual dining restaurant segment is the most over-represented.
