1851

When a restaurant chain debuts a new menu item, it often does so with the kind of fanfare typically reserved for the births of new monarchs. Got a new spicy chicken sandwich on the way? Let&#8217;s hold a parade! Launching a new dessert? Let&#8217;s hire the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH7j185hotE&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blue Angels</a> to paint a picture of a sundae in the sky using contrails! While this is all well and good, franchises could be missing out on the unique mystique that comes with not publicizing a menu item. It sounds crazy, I know (not to mention the fact that it gives publicists and PR firms cold sweats), but the allure of the &#8220;secret menu&#8221; is well-documented, an irony for the ages, to be sure. Most secret menus develop organically over time, <a href="http://www.qsrmagazine.com/consumer-trends/secret-s-out?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">as was the case</a> for Boston-based burrito chain Boloco. &#8220;We love having [secret] things our customers and team members have made with ingredients we already offer,&#8221; Allison Doyle, director of marketing for Boloco, told QSR. &#8220;We like to say we are all about options. Our secret menu comes from constantly evolving [and] simple menu edits customers have asked for.&#8221; More established brands have gotten in on the act, as well. Digital news outlet Quartz previously highlighted how Starbucks&#8217; <a href="http://qz.com/241826/the-real-story-behind-secret-menusis-the-key-to-hacking-them/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">secret twists</a> on Frappuccinos helped the brand appeal to younger consumers. The news source detailed how small children knew to ask baristas to add a little raspberry syrup to a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino to create a cotton candy-flavored brew. &#8220;I&#8217;m stunned and amazed at the concoctions that people order with our Frappuccino,&#8221; Starbucks CEO Howard Schulz was quoted as saying <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2014/06/starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-shares-his-surprising-guilty-pleasure/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">by ABC News</a>. &#8220;I never imagined it and the secret menu that has developed as a result.&#8221; As The New Yorker has <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/fast-food-chains-love-deny-secret-menus?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">already detailed</a>, it&#8217;s difficult to throw a rock without hitting a franchise that has a secret menu item or two. McDonald&#8217;s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Arby&#8217;s, Jamba Juice &#8211; you name it, they&#8217;ll deny it and then make you a secret item anyway. That&#8217;s part of the fun, after all. These giant companies claim they don&#8217;t have secret menus, which makes people in the know feel special for proving them wrong. It&#8217;s also a great way to give public interest a boost. A story about a new menu item at a fast food restaurant isn&#8217;t exactly the cure for cancer. But a story about a shadowy menu filled with secret foodstuffs? Now that&#8217;s an article people want to read &#8211; just ask <a href="http://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/secret-menu-items-testing-secret-fast-food-menu-items-at-8-chains-thrillist-nation?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thrillist</a>, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/angelameiquan/19-secret-menu-items-to-conquer-at-fast-food-chain-70fn?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buzzfeed</a>, <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/14417f3e-f742-11e3-8ed6-00144feabdc0.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340#axzz38m0s7jXF" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Financial Times</a>, <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/14417f3e-f742-11e3-8ed6-00144feabdc0.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340#axzz38m0s7jXF" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Business Insider</a> and, yes, now us. Hell, there&#8217;s even a special website dedicated to secret menus: <a href="http://hackthemenu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus-1340" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HacktheMenu.com</a>. Of course, secret menus can come with their own particular downsides. Dennis Lombardi, executive vice president of foodservice strategies for WD Partners, spotlighted some of the potential complications to QSR. &#8220;No. 1, there is an increased complexity of offering a higher number of menu items &#8212; meaning more SKUs and possible waste &#8212; and two, it will put more stress on kitchen employees,&#8221; Lombardi said. &#8220;Can you respond in terms of skill base and equipment without compromising throughput speed of service?&#8221; The other roadblock to keep in mind is that secret menus typically must develop of their own accord. A franchise can&#8217;t really create a separate menu, keep it a secret and then expect people to know about it. Off-the-books menu items are created when cheeky customers take their ability to customize dishes to the limit. Therefore, only chains that are willing to give consumers a bit more leeway over how food is prepared will be able to benefit from the unique allure of secret menus. From there it&#8217;s a whisper campaign, one that can gain considerable steam thanks to social media. Secret menus create a club for people in the know, men and women who are able to order a special dish with a wink and a smile for the person behind the counter. It may not be as quantifiable as traditional marketing, but there&#8217;s nothing people love more than learning a secret and promptly sharing it with someone else.

1851 Franchise

Secret menu items can provide franchises with an attractive mystique.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

The Very Public Benefits of Secret Franchise Menus

the-very-public-benefits-of-secret-franchise-menus

Woodhouse Spas

Photo of exterior of Woodhouse Spa location

How Woodhouse Spas Leverages Learning Management Systems

woodhouse-spa-franchise-training-lms

Image Studios

image of studios salon suites stylists business owners

Finding Freedom: Why Beauty and Wellness Professionals Build Their Dream Careers With IMAGE Studios

benefits-image-studios-salon-suites

IMAGE Studios Offers a Scalable, Real Estate-Focused Franchise Opportunity in an Industry Projected to More Than Double Within a Decade

image-studios-franchise-opportunity

ServiceMaster Restore

ServiceMaster Restore - Disaster Response - 1851 Franchise

When Disaster Strikes, ServiceMaster Restore Moves

servicemaster-restore-disaster-response-carmen-coleman

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Stands Out Among Other Children’s Education, Childcare, and Daycare Franchises

how-childrens-lighthouse-stands-out-among-other-childrens-education-childcare-and-daycare-franchises

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Design with American and Federal Reserve flags against light blue background

Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Rates by Quarter Point, a Move That Could Boost Franchise Growth

fed-rate-cut-boosts-franchise-growth

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

The Very Public Benefits of Secret Franchise Menus

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS