The Best of 2009
Menu 
Best Recession-Busters
By Daniel P. Smith
Quiznos Torpedo Sub Sandwiches
On January 11, Quiznos’ new ad campaign fired a targeted shot at Subway’s popular $5 footlong offering with the debut of its $4 Toasty Torpedo sandwiches, intensifying the already heated sandwich wars.
Inspired by the slim Italian and French baguette sandwiches served overseas, the five footlong Torpedo sandwiches paired their value-conscious price point with custom-designed, on-the-go packaging to attract mobile consumers.
Photo: quiznos
Steak-Out’s Ribasaurus
At $21.95, Steak-Out’s Ribasaurus challenges the very notion of value.
The 22-ounce bone-in rib eye, which would typically run more than $30 at a traditional steakhouse, comes direct to consumers’ doors courtesy of the Georgia-based brand’s delivery service. The Ribasaurus accounts for nearly 8 percent of Steak-Out’s sales, granting value to consumers and impressive margins to the brand’s 30 U.S. locations.
Kenny’s Burger Joint’s A La Carte
As cash-strapped consumers counted their dollars, Kenny’s Burger Joint in Frisco, Texas, introduced an odd, though understandable, menu offering: a la carte everything. Patrons could request a full order or a single element like one giant onion ring or one jalapeño popper.
The move allowed recession-stressed consumers to try anything on the menu and provided a novel take on value. While the a-la-carte offering only modestly impacted sales, customers have relished the opportunity to try
anything on the Kenny’s menu for a humble price, making Kenny’s a destination for those with an adventurous culinary spirit.
Pizza Patron’s “Choose Your Amigo”
The brand that initiated the much-discussed “Pizza for Pesos” campaign created a less controversial but just as successful “Choose Your Amigo” menu program in January. Highlighted by a 12-inch, one-topping pizza for $4 and 12-inch specialty pizzas for $6, the now-permanent menu addition claimed nearly 65 percent of pizza sales in some stores and launched Pizza Patron’s sales numbers upward.
The Dallas-based chain then unveiled its “Dia del Patron” promotion in August, a limited-time offering of a 12-inch pepperoni pizza for $2.99 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in select urban markets. The most successful promotion in Pizza Patron’s history, “Dia del Patron” sparked a 115 percent hike in sales.
Dairy Queen’s Sweet Deals
In January, Dairy Queen introduced its Sweet Deals value meals as a permanent menu addition, a program aimed at providing patrons variety and value, two overwhelming favorites in the quick-serve world. From a menu of nine items, including a small dipped cone, side salad, or cheeseburger, customers mix and match for more than 20,000 possible combinations by choosing two items for $3, three for $4, or four for $5.
During the first quarter of 2009, the Sweet Deals accounted for nearly 10 percent of total sales, making the program among the international chain’s most successful food initiatives in its 69-year history.
