It’s up to restaurants to market their dessert items to make the most of the trend.

While it’s not uncommon for limited-service restaurant concepts to offer some form of dessert on their menu, it’s often listed at the bottom. However, according to an article in QSR Magazine, franchises might want to rethink that strategy.

By adding more sweet treats and baked goods to their line-ups and highlighting them as a focal point, restaurants have the opportunity to create a complete meal experience for their guests. That’s why baked items in limited-service restaurants have grown 8 percent over the past two years, according to market research firm Euromonitor. But until chains are more creative with their approach to marketing and publicizing their baked good selection, sales will likely stay at their current flat rate, which has been tracked by market researcher Datassential.

In an interview with QSR Magazine, Jesse Gideon, executive chef and chief operating officer for Fresh to Order, said, “They are as important as any other menu category.” He later added, “The ability to make a [dining] experience a complete one in our four walls and not have a guest make an additional trip to complete their meal expectations is extremely important for us.”

Click here to read the original article.