Mini Foods: A Big Hit

Worldwide, restaurants are struggling to come up with new and exciting ways to keep their business booming during this tough economic time. It seems many restaurants have found a big hit in the form of small food. As consumers look for greater value for their food dollar, mini foods have proven to be a huge success. Mintel, a market-research firm, claims that 28 major restaurants have added sliders, a mini burger, to their menus in 2008 alone. Mini foods provide the illusion of value for consumers, which equals greater sales for restaurants. However, these "deals" are often not as great as they seem, as the mini foods can contain just as many, if not more, calories from fat as larger, conventional foods.

Fast-food establishments, such as McDonald's & Burger King are offering deals on mini-foods with great success. Casual dining restaurants such as Applebee's have also gotten in on the deal, offering dessert "shots" served in shot sized glasses. Maria Caranfa from Mintel says that mini foods are such a hit because they are "fun and frivolous, yet reasonably priced" and are the "perfect balance between sensibility and satisfaction." This balance between fun and food may prove to be a fad, or it could become a staple in the restaurant industry, at least until economic times begin an upward trend. Regardless, give the new mini foods a try...you just might like them!