Kick Up the Comfort

Comfort food always holds a cherished spot on menus, yet an innovation refresh is necessary that integrates tradition with trend. Right now, that would include incorporating globally inspired flavors, expanding on snackability and highlighting health-forward ingredients. This “what’s old is new” approach preserves the nostalgic appeal of comfort food while aligning with the modern consumer’s desire for fresh experiences and quality. 

Globally inspired

If you aim to draw the coveted younger Gen Z and Millennial demographics, note that they are the most likely to find comfort when eating Mexican, Japanese and Korean cuisines in a global sense, according to a Datassential consumer survey.¹ Bonus if it is fried. More than one-third (38%) of consumers overall consider fried fast foods their go-to comfort foods.¹ Popular fried chicken sandwiches are evolving with international variations like Japanese katsu sando, in the early stages of menu introduction, and German schnitzel, now in the menu adoption phase.²

Perhaps consumer craving for fried food combined with trendy Korean comfort fare inspired Shake Shack to enter into 2024 with bold flavors via a Korean Style Fried Chicken sandwich. It featured crispy, white-meat chicken breast coated in a spicy and sweet Gochujang glaze, sprinkled with sesame seeds and topped with white kimchi slaw on a toasted potato bun. The limited time offer also included a Korean BBQ Burger, Spicy Korean BBQ Fries and Spicy Korean BBQ Cheese Fries.

Indulge in Snacks

With the potential to increase profitability, tap into the coveted afternoon and evening snack dayparts. When consumers are in the mood for comfort food, 57% crave small snacks and drinks, according to a Datassential survey of 756 U.S. consumers. After dinner/late night is when 21% of those same consumers say they most crave comfort food.¹

Fried chicken, chicken fingers and fries might be the most ubiquitous comfort snack options currently menued.² Add new life with toppings, sauces and loaded versions.

In June 2024, Wendy’s launched a line of Saucy Nuggs with Gen Z in mind, who the chain identifies as “obsessed with chicken.” ³ The fast food giant already offered comfort-centric chicken nuggets, but in a quest for the bolder flavors customers were asking for, it spent a few years developing seven sauces: honey bbq, garlic parm, buffalo, spicy honey bbq, spicy garlic parm, spicy buffalo and spicy ghost pepper. For snacking or a meal, the Saucy Nuggs are available in quantities of four, six, 10 or 20.³

Also in June, Dave’s Hot Chicken targeted snack enthusiasts with the rollout of Dave’s Bites. The crunchy nuggets come in three spice levels (no spice, medium and hot) as a 10-piece serving.⁴ 

Make it health-forward

Using and marketing notable healthful premium ingredients is a great way to draw attention to your comfort fare. Incorporate first-rate ingredients into staples like soups, stews, mac & cheese and pot pies to create a distinctive edge over others in your segment.

Part of Boston Market’s ethos and marketing message centers on quality and flavor. That includes the rotisserie chicken in its Chicken Pot Pie. Its website states: “We believe that you shouldn’t have to compromise taste for health, which is why our chicken is not only delicious but also a healthier choice. Our rotisserie chicken is prepared without any added hormones, steroids, or antibiotics.” 

Consumers likely appreciate this. Weighing in on the poultry claims they think are most important, Clean Label ranks No. 1 (53%), followed by No Antibiotics Ever (50%), Humanely Raised (40%), Raised in the USA (40%) and Organic (38%), according to an online survey of 1,000 consumers representing the general population.⁵

Remember, to stay competitive and appealing to the evolving tastes of discriminating guests, continuously innovate your comfort food offerings. Incorporate international flavors, expand snack options and emphasize wholesome ingredients to drive traffic, sales and good will.

Sources

1. Datassential’s “Comfort Food Defined” report, 2023
2. Datassential’s “The World of Comfort Food,” September 2023
3. “Wendy’s Ups Chicken Game with Saucy Nuggs,” qsrmagazine.com, May 31, 2024, https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/wendys-ups-chicken-game-with-saucy-nuggs/
4.  “Dave’s Hot Chicken Adds Chicken Bites to Menu,” qsrmagazine.com, June 4, 2024, https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/daves-hot-chicken-adds-chicken-bites-to-menu/
5. Perdue Proprietary Research May 2022