Trendy menu additions include Dunkin’ Donuts’ flatbread sandwiches ...

Buca di Beppo’s Bucacini ...

and Carrows’ tortas.

To stay fresh and relevant while taking these tough standards—not to mention their own mounting costs—into account, Top 400 companies and other chains are tapping a multitude of menu strategies, from exploring snack items and smaller portions to adding intriguing ingredients, healthful choices and of course, pocket-friendly fare.

“Customers are always looking for new news to drive them into stores,” says Scott Hudler, senior director of brand marketing for Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’ Donuts. “What will really drive traffic in the next six months—if not longer—will be whoever’s most in touch with consumers’ economic needs.”

At Dunkin’ Donuts, new “Oven Toasted” flatbread sandwiches and personal pizzas are priced around $2.49 for sandwiches and from $2.39 to $2.59 for pizzas. The hot, portable products target all-day grazers—a segment whose increasing importance is evident in the spate of snack-themed introductions that has followed the success of Snack Wraps at Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s.

Columbus, Ohio-based Wendy’s and Oklahoma City-based Sonic added similar tortilla-wrapped chicken products, while Denver-based Quiznos Sub introduced downsized, folded flatbread sandwiches called Sammies. Lakewood, Colo.-based fast-casual chain Einstein Bros. Bagels is testing a Snack-Out menu that features mini bagel burgers, wraps or chicken quesadillas for $3.99 with a beverage.

“We’ve seen a growing trend of guests, specifically teenagers and moms, looking for a tasty selection of food in that snack period from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.,” says Jim Hood, chief marketing officer for Einstein Noah Restaurant Group. “This test is designed to give guests a higher-quality option during that period.”

A recent menu redesign at Glenview, Ill.-based Bar Louie was crafted around two goals: protecting margins against rising costs while adding more entrées and new proteins to broaden the concept’s appeal beyond lunch and appetizers.

“What we’re going for is more of the gastropub theme,” says Corporate Chef Marc Wuenschel, who priced choices such as 6 ounces of seared ahi tuna coated in sesame seeds and Cajun spices and an 8-ounce flat-iron steak marinated in Worcestershire sauce, mustard and soy sauce at $14.99, a few notches higher than previous items.

“The flavor profiles are there, so people say, 'For $15, I’m getting a great steak,’ and for me as a restaurant person, I’m getting a little higher check average and still keeping [food costs] under 30%,” Wuenschel says.

Cross-utilization plays a key role as well. Yankee Pot Roast, a new entrée, does double duty in pot-roast sliders, while blackened Ahi Tuna Bites offer an alternative to fried starters. Crabmeat stars in a crab-cake sandwich and makes cameos in spinach dip and bruschetta as an optional add-on.

Dallas-based fast-casual chain Corner Bakery Cafe brought in nearly a dozen new ingredients for its latest round of introductions. Most are produce items featured in three new recipes, among them Asian Edamame Salad with asparagus, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, basil and cilantro in ginger-citrus dressing, and Ginger-Asparagus Couscous with asparagus, red peppers, dried cranberries, toasted almonds, green onions and orange zest.

“Adding these ingredients gives me a great base for some really cool ideation in the next year or so,” says Vice President of Food and Beverage Ric Scicchitano. “Produce is inherently expensive, and it’s perishable, so there’s risk, but it’s not seeing the tremendous run-ups [in price] like everything else.”

Guest feedback, garnered directly or via sales figures, often inspires the menu updates that make the most impact. When a customer survey told Margate, Fla.-based Salad Creations that portions were too large, the company responded with the Sensible Sizing menu.

Signature and create-your-own salads now are available in sizes 25% to 30% smaller than before, with prices starting at $1 less. Surprisingly, check averages have gone up, says CEO Jeff Levine, who attributes the increase to more purchases of add-ons such as chips or bottled water.

“We decided we could be the antithesis of supersizing,” he says.

In the wake of Carrollton, Texas-based T.G.I. Friday’s success with its Right Portion, Right Price menu, other chains are rolling out their own downsized offerings. Pittsburgh-based Eat’n Park’s Smaller Portions at Smaller Prices menu spans all dayparts, with choices including Bananas Foster French Toast and Baked Lemon Sole, while San Francisco-based casual-dining chain Pomodoro offers new dishes such as Risotto Salsiccia (sausage) in two entrée sizes.

Interest in smaller portions reflects consumers’ continued shift toward health-conscious dining. Chains are paying heed, with recent examples including Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A’s new multigrain wraps and wheatberry bread; Louisville, Ky.-based Papa John’s whole-wheat pizza crust and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Bonefish Grill’s Mediterranean Diet-themed promotion.

“A lot of restaurants do things like serving chicken sausage instead of regular sausage, but we decided that if we’re going to step into the healthy category, we’re going to take a full step, not a half step,” says Heather Gardea, vice president of food and beverage at Carlsbad, Calif.-based Carrows Restaurants.

The family-dining chain will launch several menu selections with reduced fat, calorie and sodium counts in September.

Carrows’ latest menu additions also respond to diners’ cravings for foods they can’t or won’t make at home. That’s one reason the company bolstered its seafood offerings, introducing easy-to-execute choices such as fillet of sole seasoned with lemon pepper, blackened or broiled salmon, and a Fisherman’s Combo with pineapple-teriyaki grilled shrimp, beer-battered fish and breaded clams.

A spring Mexican promotion also performed well, as guests showed their willingness to explore more-authentic preparations, Gardea says. The menu included carnitas (slow-cooked pork shoulder with warm tortillas) and tortas, sandwiches of shredded beef or chicken with avocado, pico de gallo and chipotle aïoli on traditional bolillo rolls.

Emerging ethnic flavors are a common theme on contemporary chain menus. Dartmouth, Mass.-based upscale-casual chain Not Your Average Joe’s debuted Cedar Wrapped Salmon with Moroccan tomato relish and romesco, a Spanish sauce typically made with red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, garlic and olive oil, while T.G.I. Friday’s featured Peruvian Herb-Roasted Chicken with spicy aji chile sauce.

At Minneapolis-based Buca di Beppo, Tuscan-style fennel salami headlines a new entrée called Scampi Finocchiona, which also features roasted peppers, garlic, tomatoes and fresh fennel. An appetizer called Bucacini (fried risotto balls stuffed with a variety of savory fillings) is a take on Sicilian arancini.

“When you’re doing a specialty cuisine, whether it’s Italian or Asian or Mexican, the more authenticity and indigenous ingredients you can bring to the table to make it exciting for the guest, the more success you’re going to have,” says Carron Harris, Buca di Beppo vice president of food and beverage.

Contact writer at aperlik@reedbusiness.com

Trendy menu additions include Dunkin’ Donuts’ flatbread sandwiches (opposite, bottom l.), Buca di Beppo’s Bucacini (far l.) and Carrows’ tortas.