Food's Upscale Touches: What All the Fuss Is About

Consumers’ heightened dining expectations have operators adding upscale touches to their offerings.

By Kate Leahy, Associate Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 9/1/2007

Salmon roasted on a cedar plank lends sophistication to Ninety Nine’s casual menu.

At Fat Head’s South Side Saloon in Pittsburgh, grilled pepperoni and sautéed hot banana peppers augment expected burger toppings. In Portland, Ore., hipsters, foodies and seniors alike are drawn to the wood-fired pizzas, roasted local vegetables and house-cured salumi served at Ken’s Artisan Pizza. And students at the University of New Hampshire in Durham occasionally have the chance to try macaroni and cheese dressed up with lobster. No matter the segment, consumers seem to appreciate menus with an element of restrained fuss.

The Raw Materials

Although upscale items are not new, consumer response to them has changed. Just over a decade ago, McDonald’s first premium burger, the Arch Deluxe, flopped. Marketing campaigns for quick-service and casual-dining chains often built brands by promoting straightforward food. Not so now.

"Diners definitely have an appreciation for better ingredients, for fresher ingredients, for unique ingredients," says Tom Sadler, chief concept officer of Hurricane Grill and Wings in Stuart, Fla. "Our servers and managers have conversations all the time with guests about wasabi or anchos or habaneros. These are conversations that we wouldn’t have had 10 years ago."

A recent menu overhaul at Woburn, Mass.-based Ninety Nine has been the most successful menu launch in the company’s history. Additions include grilled filet mignon with applewood-smoked bacon and grilled asparagus, grilled turkey panini, and seared vegetable dumplings. Menu standards also were recast, with lemon-crusted salmon becoming cedar-plank salmon served with a sweet orange-bourbon sauce.

The goal is to find ways to give customers an experience worth seeking out. "When we did internal guest taste panels, [guests] told us flat-out, ‘If I can make this at home, why will I come here for it?’" explains George Tagarelis, vice president of research and development at Ninety Nine.

Consumers can and do make burgers at home, but that’s not stopping them from getting their burger fix at restaurants. Bob Andersen, who opened Mooyah Burgers & Fries in Plano, Texas, saw an opportunity to deliver a burger that sends clear quality signals (the eatery’s motto is "Just burgers. Just fries. Just better."). Mooyah’s buns are baked daily; the burgers are never frozen; and the fries are hand-cut. "People want a higher-quality product, but they also want convenience and value," Andersen says. "And I think that’s what’s driving our business."

Upscale touches also come from offering fine-dining elements in casual spaces, as in wine bars, where proprietors transfer wines and stemware from white-tablecloth environs to casual, sophisticated spaces.

Rich Vallejo, marketing-and-event director for Swirl Wine Bar in Chicago, says upscale serviceware appeals to well-heeled consumers who aren’t always looking for a formal experience. "We’re not too upscale, but we’re not your Irish pub," he says.

Good Naturally

Sourcing organic and natural items also brings in an upscale aura. Charlotte, N.C.-based Compass Group, The Americas Division, formed a partnership with Portland, Maine-based O’Naturals, a fast-casual company, to franchise stores in its B&I, school and healthcare sectors. The first Compass-run unit opened at the Timberland corporate headquarters in Stratham, N.H.

"There’s no difference between colleges or hospitals or business-and-industry," says Will Chizmar, head of marketing for Compass’ business-and-industry services. "[Clients] are interested in really good-tasting foods that also are made with natural, organic ingredients,"

Natural and organic has been an integral part of menu development for Big Bowl. The Asian chain, owned and operated by Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, had low-performing pork dishes. Once a switch was made to sustainably raised pork, servers had talking points from which to sell the dishes, and the food followed through with rich, concentrated flavors.

Going for natural and organic products isn’t easy, but Matt McMillin, vice president of culinary operations for Big Bowl, says it’s worth it. He recommends starting with high-volume items to make a strong statement. "I don’t think organic lemons really make an impact," he says. "But if you’re doing it with your chicken and pork, that’s what really makes the difference."

Price Check

Start with pizza, hot dogs or burgers; add upscale touches and watch the staples sell.

• $4.59: Sirloin Bacon & Cheese Burger with peppercorn mayo on a toasted "bakery-style" bun. Jack in the Box, multiple locations
• $6.49: Giant Kobe Hot Dog made with 100% Kobe beef. Jody Maroni’s Sausage Kingdom, multiple locations
• $9.99: Sport Club Gourmet Pizza with grilled chicken, bacon, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, tomato sauce and a cheese blend. Bennigan’s Sport, Addison, Texas
• $10: Wild Herb and Cheese Flatbread with organic ricotta, provolone, fontina, mozzarella, roasted garlic and wild herbs. Crust, Chicago
• $15: The Big Footer foot-long hot dog made with 100% beef served on a buttered bun with sauerkraut, red onions, brown mustard and ketchup. Trifecta, Los Angeles
• $32: The Original DB Burger of ground sirloin with red-wine-braised short ribs, foie gras, black truffle and a mirepoix of root vegetables, served with horseradish mayonnaise, tomato confit, fresh tomato and frisée. DB Bistro Moderne, New York City