Fast-Food Value Menus Appeal To More Than Just Bottom-Feeders

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , July 11, 2018 (Industry Intelligence Inc.) – I’m writing this blog on my iPhone, sitting on a bench at a car wash with my Uncle Barry, both of us snacking on 1/2-pound bean and cheese burritos from Del Taco as we wait for my car to be washed.

It’s not a scene I anticipated prior to my uncle visiting from Manhattan. For as long as I’ve known him, Barry has had very fine taste in just about everything, from clothing to art to, yes, food. Some of the finest cuisine can be found in Manhattan if you know where to look, and as a lifelong Manhattanite, Barry is a man who knows how to look.

So it surprised me when he suggested that while we waited for my car to get clean, we walk next door to Del Taco to get a snack. A man of such refined taste suggesting we get a greasy burrito off a fast-food value menu--I couldn’t help but ask why. 

“What you have to understand,” Barry said, “is that no matter how fine my taste might be, there’s always a place in my life for fast food. In Manhattan, you’re always on the go, and often you only have time for a quick snack. So unless you’re someone who always carries around protein bars, a quick snack off a value menu is perfect.”

It was an interesting concept: Besides value menus appealing to fast-food lovers like myself, they would also appeal to those with usually higher-quality tastes who were on the go. 

But then I had a question:

“Barry, isn’t taste an issue? I mean, if you normally eat fine dining, how can the taste of  a one-dollar burrito be at all appealing to you?” I asked.

“Because,” Barry explained, “I’m not expecting anything much for a dollar. My expectations are low. So even if I really hate something, I’m not disappointed, and I’m willing to try something else later on.”

Fast-food value menus: appealing to foodies and bottom-feeders alike.

Nevin Barich is the Food and Beverage analyst for Industry Intelligence, which can help YOU better address your own industry challenges. We invite you to come take a look at our service. Call us today at 310-553-0008 and we’ll schedule you for a 15-minute demo.

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