The restaurant industry has been obsessing with the rise of the minimum wage in California.  Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® continues to insist that there are many more reasons the long-term outlook for the California restaurant sector is bright. So, here we go.   In California, approximately 49.3% of households consist of married couples, while 13.5% are single-female households and 6.0% are single-male households. Additionally, 24.0% of households have only one ..read more

  Hot Dogs are hot and Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® wondered out loud if Wienerschnitzel the iconic hot dog retailer could compete with the ilk of  Portillo’s or in fact they even had second chance at success?  There is no doubt that Wienerschnitzel, the world's largest hot dog chain, is taking many strategic steps to ensure its future success. Let’s take a look here at some of those steps: 1. Leveraging TikTok for Brand Awareness: Recognizing the power of TikTok, Wienerschnitzel partnered with Ubiquitous to tap into the platform ..read more

  It’s at the intersection of yesterday fast-food restaurant and playground and time starved consumers that today’s consumers is opting for fresh food fast and simple according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  The drive-thru has been a fast-food staple for decades, but the way we get our burgers and fries has been evolving. Let's take a look at how consumer preferences and technology are changing the game. The Reign of the Drive-Thru Drive-thru sales have been booming, with estimates suggesting they made up half to over two-thirds of fa ..read more

  Regular readers of this blog know that for decades, grocery stores reigned supreme as the go-to for meal preparation and home meal replacement. However, the evolving consumer has been migrating.  Recent trends show a shift in consumer behavior, with restaurants steadily chipping away at the grocery sector's market share. According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® key to that migration has been restaurants keen focus on consumer eating habits. Let's explore the reasons behind this evolution: 1.       Time Cr ..read more

  At the intersection of growth fresh food sales specifically Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat prepared food the convenience store sector is simply trouncing the grocery store sector.  In fact, Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated, grocery stores should be embarrassed by the way the convenience store sector and garnered share of stomach by simply focusing on the eating habits of our evolving consumer.” As the Grocerant Guru®, I've always championed the grocery store deli as a delicious and convenient option for busy shoppers. But let's face the ..read more

  Time-starved consumers are increasingly turning to convenience stores for their prepared food needs, according to new research I've been digging into. This is a major win for the c-store industry, which has invested heavily in recent years to develop high-quality, fresh food offerings. The 2024 Convenience Store News Realities of the Aisle Study, surveying over 1,500 frequent c-store shoppers, paints a clear picture while edifying the findings of Steven Johnson our Grocerant Guru® and his time at Tacoma, WA base Foodservice Solutions®.  Let’s take a look: 1.   &nbs ..read more

  Hedge fund Heaven, take the money and run! While making a presentation the other day Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® was asked if he knew what “Hedge fund Heaven was”, he answered from my mind-eye its, take the money and run. Johnson noted consumers want meals, meal components, fresh, fast, and flavorful.  They do not know or care who owns or does not own buildings. The stability of the brand comes from consistent brand messaging, pricing, menus that evolve, and a constant focus on the consumer.  In the case of Red Lobster, Short-Ter ..read more

  At the intersection of building new restaurants and expanding your brands reach there are few chain restaurants that are doing a better job than Portillo’s according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. Johnson says, “Building a restaurant brand that can last a lifetime, requires a building a brand message that can evolve with your customers lifetime. Simultaneously building new restaurants while expanding your brand message is an art crafted on proactive positive consistent messaging.” Here are some ideas how it can be done and a look at Porti ..read more

  Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes that customer migration from the restaurant sector to the convenience store sector will continue. In the bustling world of quick bites and on-the-go meals, convenience stores have quietly transformed into unexpected champions of fresh food. These unassuming neighborhood pit stops, once synonymous with chips, sodas, and lottery tickets, are now outpacing many traditional restaurants in the race for hungry customers. Let’s explore how these unassuming spots are dishing out more than just s ..read more

  Losing customer relevance is a branding disaster.  When a legacy restaurant brand is forced to chase after customer with price it is a sure sign that the brand messaging has been adrift for quite some time according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Once considered a leader within the grocerant niche KFC and done little other than capitulate chicken meal market share to other chain restaurants, convenience stores, and grocer’s service deli for 20 years.  Here are 8 potential signs that KFC might be facin ..read more