MenuTrends DIRECT: Mexican Trends

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food and flavor trends projectable analysis
Gone Mexican!
a MenuTrends DIRECTsample report
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An Introduction definitions and more
This sample report features analysis of over
600,000 from more than 5,800 US menus. All of
the quantitative analysis and ideation examples
contained herein has been conducted using
MenuTrends DIRECT. Please take a moment to
familiarize yourself with the reporting
conventions indicated below, as well as with the
Mexican food terms presented on the following
page.
MenuTrends DIRECT features 25 broad restaurant
cuisine classifications. When the term varied
menu is used in this report, it refers to
restaurants specializing in one of the cuisine
types below marked in orange.
Region Definitions The regions named in this
report correspond the four US Census super
regions, as detailed in the map below.
Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired. This report
features analysis of both Mexican and
Mexican-Inspired dishes. Mexican dishes are
traditional types such as tacos, burritos,
fajitas, and enchiladas. A Mexican-Inspired
dish, on the other hand, it typically a
non-Mexican item that has been infused with
Mexican sauces, flavors, and/or preparation
methods (such as a chipotle chicken
sandwich). Data Timeline. Unless specified
otherwise, all analysis in this report is based
on 2006 menu data. In certain cases, time trend
analysis is presented that compares 2006 and 2005
data to detect projectable changes. Data
Confidence. Care has been taken to include only
projectable findings. A note is provided in
those rare instances where sample size is too
small for projection.
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Food-E-Terms key mexican words
Food-E-Terms, an exclusive feature of MenuTrends
DIRECT includes definitions for over 7,000
foods, ingredients, and culinary items. While
everyone is familiar with tacos and burritos are,
other Mexican items are not as well known. Weve
exported a few key definition from Food-E-Terms,
which are presented here.
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Food-E-Terms key mexican words (cont.)
Food-E-Terms, an exclusive feature of MenuTrends
DIRECT includes definitions for over 7,000
foods, ingredients, and culinary items. While
everyone is familiar with tacos and burritos are,
other Mexican items are not as well known. Weve
exported a few key definition from Food-E-Terms,
which are presented here.
6
Food-E-Terms key mexican words (cont.)
Food-E-Terms, an exclusive feature of MenuTrends
DIRECT includes definitions for over 7,000
foods, ingredients, and culinary items. While
everyone is familiar with tacos and burritos are,
other Mexican items are not as well known. Weve
exported a few key definition from Food-E-Terms,
which are presented here.
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Key Findings the big picture

• Mexican influences are everywhere on menus today.
  Varied menu restaurants in all segments and
  regions are offering dishes with Mexican
  influences. Nearly 60 of Casual Dining varied
  menu restaurants, for example, serve at least one
  Mexican-inspired dish.
• But the trend is less about Mexican dishes, and
  more about Mexican-inspired dishes. Though
  Mexican influences are strong on varied menus,
  traditional Mexican items like tacos, burritos,
  and enchiladas are still relatively rare. In
  fact, these type of Mexican dishes represent just
  1.6 of entrees served at varied menu
  restaurants. Instead, the real growth has been
  in Mexican-inspired dishes such as burgers,
  sandwiches, and salads that feature chipotle,
  salsa, and other Mexican flavors.
• Speaking of chipotle, its growth is absolutely
  off the charts! Chipotle incidence has grown a
  whopping 105 on varied menus in just one year.
  This is truly explosive growth that rivals that
  of any other flavor trend in recent memory. Even
  more astounding is that chipotle is today more
  common in Mexican-inspired dishes at non-Mexican
  restaurants than it is in items served at Mexican
  restaurants. Whats more, the flavor continues
  to grow, as it is still in the proliferation
  stage of the menu adoption cycle.
• Regionality plays a huge role. Mexican
  restaurants, dishes, and influences are far more
  prevalent in the West, and much less so in the
  Northeast. Whereas most trends tend to be
  primarily segment-dependent, Mexican influences
  are more heavily impacted by regionality.
• Mexican appetizers are most common quesadillas
  and nachos lead the way. Mexican appetizers are
  dominated by nachos and quesadillas, with each
  item being served in nearly 35 of Casual Dining
  restaurants. Think about that for a second
  quesadillas and nachos are each found on more
  than one out of every three casual menus!

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offers real projectable analysis. Get the
ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT.
Mexican Dishes
traditional Mexican items what they are, where
theyre served, and how often
the only system featuring projectable menu data
the most accurate reliable results
better reporting with far deeper analysis
more powerful features that make analysis easier
9
Mexican Entrees where they are served

• Mexican entrees are still predominantly found in
  Mexican restaurants.
• As seen here, nearly 90 (86.1) of all Mexican
  entrees (such a tacos, burritos, fajitas, and
  enchiladas) are found in Mexican restaurants.
• Varied menu restaurants (American, burger places,
  etc.) account for another 12 of total Mexican
  entrees.
• When varied menu (non-Mexican) restaurants do
  feature Mexican entrees, they tend to do so in
  numbers. As seen here, varied menu restaurants
  that feature Mexican restaurants menu a whopping
  4.2 of them on average.
• This 4.2 average is on par with other major
  entrée types including burgers, pasta, and
  salads.
• In other words, when Mexican entrees work their
  way onto a menu, they tend to make their presence
  known!

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Mexican Entrees at non-Mexican chains

• Although its rare, top non-Mexican chains do
  occasionally menu Mexican entrees.
• This table shows several top chains that menu
  Mexican entrees (note that this refers to actual
  Mexican items such as tacos and burritos, and
  does not include Mexican-inspired dishes, which
  are covered in the next chapter).
• The Cheesecake Factory and Chilis are among the
  leading menuers of Mexican entrees. Jack in the
  Box, which features tacos and breakfast burritos,
  heads the list of major burger chains.

With MenuTrends DIRECT, you have access to over
2,500 chains (as well as thousands of
independents). Full operator coverage means you
can always find the information you need for any
restaurant from national accounts to regional
chains and emerging concepts.
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Mexican Entrees incidence at varied menu
restaurants

• While the usage of Mexican flavors continues to
  proliferate, Mexican entrees are still
  relatively rare on varied menus.
• As seen here, Mexican entrees represent just 1.6
  of entrée items on varied menus today.
• Furthermore, growth in this respect is flat (from
  1.57 in 2005 to 1.60 in 2006) Mexican entrees
  are no more prevalent today than they were a year
  ago.
• In other words, it is fairly uncommon for a
  non-Mexican restaurant to menu tacos, burritos,
  enchiladas, flautas, or other Mexican-specific
  dishes.
• What is increasingly common, however, is usage of
  Mexican flavors in a broader range of dishes
  from sandwiches to the center of the plate
  (please see the section on flavor profiles for
  details).

n 121,694 entrees at varied menu restaurants
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Mexican Entrees most popular varieties

• Burritos are by far the most common Mexican
  entree at varied menu restaurants, followed by
  tacos, quesadillas (which are also often menued
  as appetizers), fajitas, and enchiladas.
• Interestingly, the types of Mexican entrees
  served at varied menu places are different than
  those served at Mexican restaurants burritos,
  quesadillas, and nachos are more common at varied
  menu places while enchiladas, chimichangas,
  tamales, and chile rellenos are less so.
• Segmentation also plays a major role in whats
  served burritos dominate in QSRs, for example,
  while chimichangas are stronger in full-service
  restaurants.

Share of All Mexican Entrees Those entrees much
more common in varied menu restaurants are shown
in blue those that are less common are shown in
red.
n 15,273 Mexican entrees at varied menu
restaurants
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Overall Penetration segment specifics

• Nationally, the two most commonly menued
  traditional Mexican dishes are both typically
  appetizers quesadillas (22.2 penetration) and
  nachos (21.1).
• Note that these are big numbers, as each item is
  served in nearly one out of four restaurants
  across the US even more impressive is that
  penetration rates for quesadillas and nachos jump
  to nearly 35 in the Casual dining segment.
• As far as Mexican entrees go, its tacos that
  head the list (19.9 total US penetration),
  followed next by fajitas (17.5) and then
  burritos (15.4).
• Penetration rates for all of these items are
  highest in the Casual dining segment (which has a
  higher concentration of varied menu concepts).

Note that these rankings are noticeably different
from those observed for just varied menu
restaurants. Once Mexican restaurants are thrown
into the mix, tacos take over as the top entrée,
with several other items jump around as well.
n 441,109 appetizers, entrees, and sides
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Mexican Appetizers nachos quesadillas

• At varied menu restaurants, Mexican items are
  more likely to be found on the appetizer section
  of the menu. This owes almost exclusively to two
  items in particular nachos and quesadillas.
• Nachos and quesadillas account for nearly 90 of
  all Mexican appetizers served at varied menu
  restaurants, and have been mainstays in casual
  dining for several years.
• The influence of nachos and quesadillas in casual
  dining in particular is unmistakable over 50
  of varied menu casual dining restaurants serve at
  least one of the two appetizers.
• Quesadillas are given the upscale treatment as
  well, penetrated in a surprisingly high 15.6 of
  upscale varied menu restaurants. So how do
  high-end operators do quesadillas? A few examples
  are shown to the right.

With coverage of over 1,000 innovative fine
dining operators, MTD gives you the power to
detect trends at their infancy. Culinary trends
typically trickle down from white table cloth and
ethnic restaurants to major chains. Use MTD to
get a jump on the competition by identifying key
trends early.
n 25,929 appetizers at varied menu restaurants
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Mexican Dishes Overall a full listing by segment
region

• While Mexican entrees can occasionally be found
  at varied menu restaurants, its the Mexican
  appetizers (quesadillas and nachos) that are most
  common. That said, consumers today are most
  accustomed to seeing Mexican dishes on appetizer
  menus.
• Segmentation is a key consideration, with Casual
  dining seeming to represent the greatest
  opportunity (note the much higher penetration
  rates for the top items below).
• Regionality also plays a role, as restaurants in
  the West are far more likely to feature burritos
  tacos, and taquitos, while nachos are
  considerably more popular in the Midwest.

penetration at varied menu restaurants ( of
restaurants serving each item)
n 171,368 appetizers, entrees, and sides at
varied menu restaurants
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Accurate results require reliable data. With
more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT
offers real projectable analysis. Get the
ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT.
Mexican-Inspired Dishes
how operators today are infusing Mexican flavors
to create more compelling dishes
the only system featuring projectable menu data
the most accurate reliable results
better reporting with far deeper analysis
more powerful features that make analysis easier
17
Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired broadening the
horizon

• The influence of Mexican cooking on varied menu
  restaurants has less to do with Mexican dishes,
  and much more to do with Mexican-inspired
  dishes.
• These are dishes that are outside the realm on
  traditional Mexican items such as tacos and
  burritos, but that have been strongly influenced
  by Mexican flavors, ingredients, and preparation
  methods.
• Examples include chicken sandwiches with chipotle
  salsa, Mexican-style fish entrees, Tex-Mex
  salads, and a host of other dishes.
• As seen here, Mexican-inspired dishes are far
  more penetrated than regular Mexican dishes.
  Within the entrée category, for example, nearly
  60 of casual dining restaurants feature a
  Mexican-inspired dish twice as high as the 29
  that menu a regular Mexican dish.
• As Mexican influences continue to grow, its
  important to ask, how are Mexican trends
  impacting non-Mexican dishes?

n 3,647 Mexican-inspired entrees at varied menu
restaurants
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Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired a regional look

• Here we again see the importance of
  Mexican-Inspired dishes. Notice that in each
  region, the penetration of Mexican-inspired
  entrees is nearly double that of regular Mexican
  entrees (in varied menu restaurants).
• As previously observed, Mexican tends to be most
  popularly favored in the West where it holds a
  major lead over all other regions.
• And while Mexican is least favored in the
  Northeast and South, still an impressive
  one-third of varied menu restaurants in those
  regions carry Mexican-inspired dishes.

MTD makes analyzing ethnic trends a snap. With
25 cuisine filters, you can always get just the
level of detail you need. You also have the power
to analyze ethnic-influenced items, such as
chipotle burgers, teriyaki fries, and tandoori
sandwiches.
n 3,647 Mexican-inspired entrees at varied menu
restaurants
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Time Trends areas of mexican influence

• The growth of Mexican influences at varied menu
  places is driven largely by the use of Mexican
  flavors in non-Mexican dishes.
• In just one year, several non-Mexican dishes made
  large gains as a percentage of Mexican-inspired
  dishes meanwhile, real Mexican dishes such as
  tacos and burritos lost ground.
• In other words, diners who want Mexican flavors
  today have a greater opportunity to find them in
  items like pasta, sandwiches, and burgers. And
  while tacos, burritos, and enchiladas are still
  available (and often common) choices, they are no
  longer the only way to enjoy Mexican flavors on
  non-Mexican menus.

n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and sides
MTD is the only system that offers reliable and
projectable time trend analysis. Other systems
use 90 less data and generate wildly inaccurate
results that are often more a function of
statistical aberrations rather than real
trends. With MTD, you get trends that you can
rely on.
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Time Trends growing items at mexican restaurants

• Interestingly, much of the item growth at Mexican
  restaurants has come from non-Mexican categories.
  
• Wraps, sandwiches, and omelettes are all areas of
  growth, while traditional Mexican items such as
  tostadas, burritos, and fajitas are growing
  slower.
• To generalize, then, we can say that Mexican
  influences are proliferating on varied menus
  through the use of Mexican flavors and
  ingredients. Meanwhile, Mexican restaurants
  themselves are diversifying their menus by
  introducing traditional American fare.
• Thus, Mexican and non-Mexican restaurants are
  becoming more similar albeit in very different
  ways.

n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and sides
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Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired examples sandwiches

• Mexican cooking has made a big impact on
  sandwiches, from those that feature Mexican
  flavors prominently (such as a chicken fajita
  rollup) to others that use them more subtly
  (such as a sandwich with Mexican chiles or
  guacamole).
• Chipotle is a key driver of Mexican flavor
  growth, and it shows here notice the frequent
  use of the flavor in these examples.

n 34,675 sandwiches at varied menu restaurants
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Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired examples appetizers

• Appetizers are a major target for Mexican flavors
  with diverse ingredients including cilantro,
  beans, guacamole, chipotle, and salsa commonly
  added.
• From poppers to pizzas, appetizer menus are
  peppered with examples of Mexican influences.
  Today, even egg rolls are a common application
  for Mexican flavors.

n 1,290 Mexican-inspired appetizers
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Mexican vs. Mexican-Inspired examples appetizers

• More Mexican-inspired appetizer examples.

MTD offers you unparalleled access to real-world
dishes on menus today. With more than 600,000
dishes included in each period, you have the
worlds deepest resource for ideation and
culinary development.
n 1,290 Mexican-inspired appetizers
24
Accurate results require reliable data. With
more than 5,800 menus, only MenuTrends DIRECT
offers real projectable analysis. Get the
ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT.
Flavor Trends
the ingredients, sauces, seasonings, and more
that define Mexican trends today
the only system featuring projectable menu data
the most accurate reliable results
better reporting with far deeper analysis
more powerful features that make analysis easier
25
Essential Ingredients traditional mexican item
types

• Mexican dishes (as opposed to Mexican-inspired
  dishes) are characterized by a handful of common
  ingredients.
• These top ingredients provide an excellent
  blueprint for developing Mexican menu items that
  are more traditional in nature.
• In the protein arena, chicken and beef lead the
  way, with pork (carnitas) and shrimp also showing
  up but much less frequently so.
• Beans, rice, and tortillas are also essentials,
  often in conjunction with one another.
• Essential toppings and fillers include sour
  cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion and
  salsa. All are very common and can be broadly
  applied to Mexican product ideation.

SOLID BARS denote INCIDENCE ( of all Mexican
entrees containing that item) SHADED BARS denote
PENETRATION ( of places that serve Mexican
entrees that feature a Mexican entrée containing)
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Essential Ingredients segmentation impact

• While the frequency of traditional Mexican
  ingredients varies somewhat by segment, these top
  items remain fairly consistent across the board
  and thus form the essentials of Mexican dishes.
  This is an important point the most common
  ingredients in QSR closely mirror those in casual
  dining which indicates that traditional Mexican
  dishes tend to be prepared with the same main
  ingredients, regardless of the type of venue.
• Shrimp is surprisingly well-penetrated in casual
  dining restaurants that offer Mexican entrees
  (note that this includes both Mexican and varied
  menu places).

n 17,732 Mexican entrees
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Essential Ingredients regional impact

• As with segmentation, regionality has a notable
  but not overly powerful influence on the top
  ingredients found in Mexican entrees. For the
  most part, the usage of the essential proteins,
  carriers, fillings, and toppings is roughly
  similar across regions, with just a few notable
  exceptions.
• While beef is considerably less common in the
  Northeast, salsa is particularly strong in that
  region. Beans are more common in the South.
  Also, while Pico de Gallo (essentially a tomato
  relish) is more popular in the South, salsa is
  less so (perhaps an indication of
  cannibalization, as some diners may use the
  condiments interchangeably).

n 17,732 Mexican entrees
Regional tastes can have a huge impact on menu
trends. With thousands of regional chains and
independent restaurants, only MTD offers
representative and accurate regional analysis.
28
Overall Top Flavors mexican-inspired dishes

• Salsa and sour cream top the list of most popular
  Mexican flavors, present in 36.2 and 34.7 of
  Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu
  restaurants)
• Chipotle, a relatively new mainstream flavor, is
  specified in an impressive 15.1 of
  Mexican-inspired dishes, nearly reaching the
  level of the far more mature guacamole (18.3).

n 5,408 Mexican-inspired dishes
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Top Flavors by Segment mexican-inspired dishes
INCIDENCE of all Mexican-inspired dishes that
contain

• Segmentation is a critical determinant of flavor
  application. Chipotle, for instance, is most
  heavily utilized in fine dining and casual
  dining, somewhat less so in quick service, and
  least often in midscale dining.
• This perfectly follows the menu influence cycle
  which predicts the direction and velocity of
  trends. The high utilization of chipotle in fine
  dining indicates that the trend is still
  trickling down first to casual dining, then to
  QSR, and finally to midscale restaurants. (see
  next page for an overview of the menu influence
  cycle)
• Also worth noting about chipotle is its strength
  in the important casual dining sector where
  nearly 30 of restaurants that offer a
  Mexican-inspired dish feature chipotle on their
  menu. This marks a huge footprint for a
  relatively new flavor.

PENETRATION of those restaurants that serve
Mexican-inspired dishes, the that serve at
least one containing
n 5,408 Mexican-inspired dishes
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The Menu Influence Cycle a brief overview
Today, menu trends follow a path of four distinct
phases
Inception
Adoption
Proliferation
Ubiquity
Here we witness the birth of a trend typically
started in the fine dining segment and often
borrowing from ethnic cooking. In the past,
high-end dining consisted of an American, French
or Italian meal of dishes prepared in the
traditional manner. Today, chefs have the
opportunity to re-position and question every
aspect of a meal priming the pump for the next
great innovation.
Taking a cue from new upscale trends, casual
dining independents in this phase adopt
cutting-edge flavors and ingredients onto their
menus. Particularly with the influence of cooking
shows, magazines, and the internet, independent
operators today have much greater access to the
latest trends and can quickly jump on board
with the ones that make the most sense for them.
In this phase, the trend spreads to casual dining
chains and the QSR segment, who have monitored
its movement through the Adoption phase to verify
its potential appeal. As consumers continue to
seek greater variety and newness in the foods
they eat, casual dining and QSR chains play the
primary role in helping flavor trends proliferate
across a mass audience base.
Finally, a trend will reach ubiquitous status as
it penetrates the countrys midscale
restaurants, whose patrons tend to prefer more
traditional fare. Even in todays climate of
fast-paced change, newer ingredients are spotty
on midscale menus it takes time and a
successful push through the proliferation phase
before a trend achieves ubiquity, establishing
itself firmly in the American mainstream.
With highly projectable data at the individual
segment level, MTD is a predictive analysis
system. The Menu Influence Cycle enables you to
use information on current trends to forecast
where they are most likely headed in future
periods.

• As evidenced by the incidence and penetration
  figures on the previous page, chipotle is clearly
  in the proliferation stage, and can thus be
  counted on to continue growing in the periods
  ahead.

31
Top Flavors by Region mexican-inspired dishes
INCIDENCE of all Mexican-inspired dishes that
contain

• Looking at the data regionally offers some
  particularly instructive insights. Restaurants
  in the West, for example, are notable more likely
  to feature guacamole in their Mexican-inspired
  dishes (note that since these figures are taken
  as a percentage of Mexican-inspired dishes, any
  regional bias with regard to overall Mexican
  popularity has already been factored out).
• In other words, not only are Western restaurants
  more likely to menu Mexican-inspired dishes (as
  we have previously observed), those that do are
  also more likely to feature guacamole in those
  dishes (this double-whammy indicates that there
  is a lot more guacamole served in the West).
• A similar observation can be made for Chipotle,
  which is much more popular in the West and far
  less so in the Northeast.
• The South, meanwhile, is far more prone to use
  Picante and Pico de Gallo.

PENETRATION of those restaurants that serve
Mexican-inspired dishes, the that serve at
least one containing
n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and side dishes
32
Top Proteins at mexican varied menu restaurants

• No surprise here chicken leads the protein pack
  for both Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu
  restaurants) as well as those dishes served at
  Mexican restaurants.
• In general, the proteins found in
  Mexican-inspired dishes and real Mexican dishes
  are typically the same, with just a few notable
  exceptions
• Bacon and turkey, for example, are much more
  common in Mexican-inspired dishes (bacon largely
  because of breakfast burritos, and turkey owing
  heavily to sandwiches).
• Likewise, pork and carne (the Spanish word for
  meat, but typically in reference to grilled
  steak) are more common at Mexican restaurants.
• Surprisingly, chorizo (a spicy sausage) is
  actually more common in Mexican-inspired dishes
  which suggests a compatibility with Americanized
  tastes.

n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and side dishes
33
Time Trends category proteins

• Surprisingly, ham leads the list of fastest
  growing proteins in Mexican-inspired dishes (at
  varied menu restaurants). Much of this growth
  owes itself to the breakfast day part, where
  burritos, tacos, and even quesadillas are
  becoming more commonplace.
• Asada is also a major mover, up 26.8.
  (technically, asada is a preparation method that
  refers to grilling in Mexican cooking, however
  it helps distinguish protein are served, such as
  the difference between beef and steak)
• Salmon and fish in general are also on the rise,
  with impressive one year growth rates of 25.7
  and 19.6 respectively.

DEFINITIONS 2006 / 2005 the percentage of
Mexican-inspired dishes on varied menus that
contain that item, for each year. NET CHANGE the
change between the 2006 and 2005 incidence
numbers 2006 COUNT the total number of
Mexican-inspired dishes featuring that items at
varied menu restaurants for the most recent
year. COMMONALITY how frequently that item is
found in Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu
restaurants. VARIED MENU RANK where that item
ranks relative to all others in the category,
looking only at Mexican-inspired dishes at varied
menu restaurants. MEXICAN RESTAURANT RANK where
that item ranks relative to all others in the
category, looking only at Mexican restaurant
menus.
n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and side dishes
34
Top Cheeses at mexican varied menu restaurants

• The cheeses that are most popular at Mexican
  restaurants are not always the same as those in
  Mexican-inspired dishes (at varied menu places).
• Whereas Jack is tops in Mexican places, cheddar
  heads the list in varied menu places.
• On a grand scale, however, the two lists match up
  fairly consistently the top four cheeses are
  the same for both Mexican-inspired dishes and
  Mexican restaurant cheeses (although the rankings
  do shift).

35
Time Trends category cheeses

• Although it is only the 6th most common cheese in
  Mexican-inspired dishes, Pepperjack is by far the
  one thats growing fastest on varied menus today
  with a 67 increase in relative incidence over
  the past year.
• Other big gainers include parmesan (26.1),
  American (18.2), Monterey (13.7), Jack
  (12.9), and Queso (9.5).

DEFINITIONS 2006 / 2005 the percentage of
Mexican-inspired dishes on varied menus that
contain that item, for each year. NET CHANGE the
change between the 2006 and 2005 incidence
numbers 2006 COUNT the total number of
Mexican-inspired dishes featuring that items at
varied menu restaurants for the most recent
year. COMMONALITY how frequently that item is
found in Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu
restaurants. VARIED MENU RANK where that item
ranks relative to all others in the category,
looking only at Mexican-inspired dishes at varied
menu restaurants. MEXICAN RESTAURANT RANK where
that item ranks relative to all others in the
category, looking only at Mexican restaurant
menus.
n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and side dishes
36
Top Flavors at mexican varied menu restaurants

• Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes are menued
  with a broad array of sauces and flavors.
• Sour cream, salsa, pepper, and guacamole are the
  mainstays each making the top list of top four
  flavors for both Mexican and Mexican-inspired
  dishes.
• Chipotle, a relative newcomer to varied menus,
  shows amazing strength as the fifth most common
  flavor in Mexican-inspired dishes.
• Particularly interesting is the large disparity
  between Chipotles incidence rates for
  Mexican-inspired and Mexican dishes (11.7 in
  varied menu, versus just 1.3 in Mexican
  restaurants).
• This indicates that US restaurants are making big
  bets on chipotle, relying on it far more than
  even Mexican restaurants do.

n 5,408 Mexican-inspired appetizers, entrees,
and side dishes
37
Time Trends category sauces flavors

• A number of Mexican flavors are literally
  exploding onto varied menus, growing dramatically
  in just one year. Chipotle leads the charge with
  an astounding 104.5 growth rate (buffalo, often
  with Mexican-flavored wings, also grew quickly,
  but is much less common overall).
• As Mexican flavors are now being used more
  commonly in non-Mexican dishes, many non-Mexican
  flavors are also growing rapidly as well
  (buffalo, bleu cheese, mayonnaise, etc.) this is
  a testament to the versatility of Mexican
  flavors, which complement many other types as
  well.

DEFINITIONS 2006 / 2005 the percentage of
Mexican-inspired dishes on varied menus that
contain that item, for each year. NET CHANGE the
change between the 2006 and 2005 incidence
numbers 2006 COUNT the total number of
Mexican-inspired dishes featuring that items at
varied menu restaurants for the most recent
year. COMMONALITY how frequently that item is
found in Mexican-inspired dishes at varied menu
restaurants. VARIED MENU RANK where that item
ranks relative to all others in the category,
looking only at Mexican-inspired dishes at varied
menu restaurants. MEXICAN RESTAURANT RANK where
that item ranks relative to all others in the
category, looking only at Mexican restaurant
menus.
38
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Product-Specific Flavors
a look at the proteins, cheese, sauces, and other
ingredients by major item type
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39
Menu Part Analysis appetizers sides vs. entrees
Figures based on all incidences of the named item
categories including those found on both
Mexican and varied menus.

• Appetizer applications are rare for the most
  common item types. As seen here, tacos,
  burritos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, and
  chimichangas are served as entrees the vast
  majority of the time. Tamales, taquitos, and
  flautas, are more often menued as appetizers
  but these are less common items overall.
• This introduces an interesting situation the
  dishes consumers know best are rarely offered as
  appetizers while lesser known dishes often are.
  As many consumers tend to be drawn to what they
  know, less adventurous diners may pass over
  appetizers they have no experience with, such as
  flautas and taquitos.
• This relative dearth of appetizer / mini tacos
  and burritos offers a potential opportunity
  these items are well known to consumers and have
  several characteristics that make them very
  adaptable as appetizers (can be a finger food,
  can feature a dipping sauce, can be portioned for
  sharing, etc.).
• That said, focusing on flautas, taquitos, and
  tamales, may offer a way to leverage more
  progressive appetizers. Meanwhile, offering mini
  tacos and burritos could be a way to open a new
  market entirely, using products that consumers
  already know.

40
Tacos top ingredients, flavors, and prep methods

• While tacos are predominantly either beef or
  chicken (the two are in a virtual first place
  tie), other proteins including steak, fish, pork,
  are somewhat common as well.
• Cheddar is the most often menued taco cheese.
• Guacamole tops the list of sauces and flavors,
  edging out sour cream.
• Operators use several different prep methods and
  descriptors for their tacos from topped and
  filled to covered and sauteed.

41
Burritos top ingredients, flavors, and prep
methods

• Again, beef and chicken run neck and neck for the
  protein lead, with steak, pork (carnitas), egg
  (largely from breakfast burritos), shrimp, and
  fish also somewhat common.
• Beans are a key ingredient, found inside or
  alongside 50 of menued burritos.
• Here, sour cream finishes ahead of guacamole
  (whereas the reverse is true for tacos). Topping
  sauces such as ranchero (4.1) also turn up.
• Burritos are often topped with an item (22.6)
  such as a sauce or melted cheese.

42
Topped Burritos a few interesting examples

• Ranchero sauce (which consists of tomatoes,
  onions, green chilies, and seasonings) is a
  favorite topper for burritos, and it present in a
  few of the topped burrito examples shown here.
• Melted cheese is also a frequent topper often
  along with a sauce transforming the burrito
  into a fork knife dining experience.

43
Enchiladas top ingredients, flavors, and prep
methods

• Here again we witness the dominance of chicken
  and beef which lead all other enchilada
  proteins by a very wide margin.
• Whereas cheddar is the top taco cheese, Jack
  springs to the head of the list among enchiladas
  where it is nearly twice as popular as the next
  closest variety.
• Sour cream is very common with enchiladas, while
  guacamole is not nearly as much so. Various
  sauces including red, mole (a spicy red sauce
  made from chiles and Mexican chocolate),
  tomatillo, ranchero, and a variety of others.

44
Tamales top ingredients, flavors, and prep methods

• Whereas chicken and beef dominate several other
  types of Mexican dishes, pork is roughly on par
  with those proteins in the world of tamales.
• Corn is a primary ingredient in Tamales (made
  from a cornmeal porridge and served in a corn
  husk), and are appropriately the most often
  specified vegetable.
• Sour cream and guacamole which typically head
  the list of sauces and flavors, drop down a few
  notches here, as they are a comparatively rare
  tamale condiment. Instead, spicy chilis / chiles
  take the top spot.

45
Ingredient Summaries proteins

• Chicken and beef are strong in every category,
  and particularly so with less common items such
  as chimichangas, taquitos, and flautas.
• Fish, while popular with tacos, is not nearly as
  strong in any other category.
• Chile rellenos, while occasionally containing a
  meat, are more often meatless as evidenced by
  the low protein incidence rates shown below.

Items with low incidence are represented as a
-. Note that this does not indicate a 0
incidence rate instead, it simply means that the
item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.
46
Ingredient Summaries cheeses other items

• The types of cheese utilized are largely
  dependent on the type of item. For example,
  while Jack is typically the most common cheese in
  these categories, cheddar rises to the top in
  tacos, burritos, and chalupas.

• Beans, rice, and tortillas are mainstays with
  virtually every category either as an
  ingredient or served alongside the main item.
• Beans reach a zenith in burritos, chimichangas (a
  fried burrito), and chalupas (a fried, stuffed
  corn tortilla).
• Both beans and rice are considerably less common
  with skinnier items such as taquitos and flautas,
  which not only have less room to hold fillings
  but are also more likely to be served as
  appetizers (and thus are less likely to feature
  beans and rice on the side).

47
Ingredient Summaries vegetables

• As far as vegetables go, these Mexican items most
  often contain lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.
• Specialty vegetables (such as eggplant or other
  vegetables that fall outside the realm of the
  ordinary) are rare and have yet to penetrate
  Mexican dishes with any significant impact.

Items with low incidence are represented as a
-. Note that this does not indicate a 0
incidence rate instead, it simply means that the
item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.
48
Ingredient Summaries sauces and flavors
Items with low incidence are represented as a
-. Note that this does not indicate a 0
incidence rate instead, it simply means that the
item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.
49
Ingredient Summaries preparation methods and
descriptors
Items with low incidence are represented as a
-. Note that this does not indicate a 0
incidence rate instead, it simply means that the
item is far beyond the bounds of mass popularity.
50
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offers real projectable analysis. Get the
ORIGINAL. Get the BEST. Get MenuTrends DIRECT.
Pricing Opportunities
how Mexican items are priced from budget to
premium
the only system featuring projectable menu data
the most accurate reliable results
better reporting with far deeper analysis
more powerful features that make analysis easier
51
Entrée Price Distribution all segments

• As expected, prices tend to scale with segment
  items are less expensive in QSR and priced higher
  in Casual Dining.
• Taco prices scale the most, from an average of
  3.70 in QSR to 6.75 in Casual Dining (an
  increase of 82). Burrito prices, meanwhile,
  increase 58 from QSR to Casual.

Item in red indicate a small sample size (fewer
than 100 data points)
READING THIS GRAPH This chart plots the
cumulative percentage of dishes that are priced
UNDER a certain dollar amount. It provides
greater fidelity than a simple average price
analysis, showing how prices are actually
distributed on menus. The yellow line (tacos),
for example, crosses the 3 point at the 30
threshold. This means that 30 of tacos are
priced at or below 3. By contrast, only 10 of
burritos (the green line) meet the same
criteria. Median prices are represented in the
middle of the graph this is the price level at
which 50 of dishes are priced higher, and 50
are priced lower.
52
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Ideation Examples
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other insights to spur ideation
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53
Mini Tacos excerpts of the few

• Mini tacos are still relatively rare on menus
  (although taquitos are themselves similar to mini
  tacos, restaurants tend to market them
  differently mini tacos are presented in a way
  thats more familiar to customers, while
  taquitos may be a more advanced dish).
• When mini tacos are menued, they are often done
  so in combination plates, alongside either other
  Mexican items (such as mini burritos) or other
  mainstream appetizers (cheese sticks, etc.).

54
Appetizer Taquitos menu excerpts

• With their greater appetizer legacy, taquitos
  tend to be far more innovative than mini tacos
  (which are typically very plain).
• Novel ingredients and flavors including lobster,
  jalapeno jelly, oaxacan guacamolito salsa,
  shrimp, and papaya-lime sauce make these taquitos
  more interesting for the progressive diner.

55
Mini Burritos Chimichangas menu excerpts

• Operators tend to be more creative with mini
  burritos and mini-chimichangas than they are with
  mini tacos.
• Here we see a few hints of interesting
  ingredients including seafood, jalapeno cream
  cheese, and avocado cilantro sauce.
• Again, mini-burritos and mini-chimichangas are
  largely offered as a component in a sampler
  platter, which can include other Mexican and
  non-Mexican appetizers.

56
Chipotle menu excerpts

• Chipotle has exploded onto menus over the past
  five years, and continues to grow today.
• A key enabler of this growth is chipotles
  versatility its used to enhance mayo, flavor
  meats, spice up dressings, and even make
  tortillas more interesting.
• Chipotles diversity is in clear effect here
  notice the broad variety of item types, proteins,
  and other ingredients it is combined with.
• Whats more, restaurants often make chipotle the
  star attraction of the dish, using chipotle in
  the name of the item itself.

57
Chipotle menu excerpts

• Additional notable chipotle examples

58
Breakfast Burritos menu penetration

• Breakfast burritos are fairly common, served at
  17.2 of restaurants that offer breakfast.
• Penetration is particularly strong in QSR
  (22.4), with good overall availability in
  midscale (14.0) and casual dining (17.4) as
  well.
• Breakfast burritos skew extremely heavily toward
  the West, where they are three times as commonly
  menued as in any other region.

59
Breakfast Burritos top ingredients examples

• Eggs and breakfast meats form the heart of a
  breakfast burrito. Bacon and sausage are most
  common, while chorizo and ham make strong
  showings too.
• While most breakfast burritos are similar in
  design, a few of the more interesting varieties
  are shown here (notice also that breakfast
  burrito naming isnt terribly creative almost
  all are menued simply as breakfast burrito).

60
Dessert Items flan segmentation, regionality
examples

• Flan is the most common Mexican dessert,
  available on over 10 of all US menus.
• It is most readily available in Casual Dining,
  where it achieves an impressive penetration rate
  of 17.8.
• Flan is most popular in the South and West, and
  is less commonly available in the Midwest and
  Northeast.

- a few examples -
61
Dessert Items sopapillas segmentation,
regionality examples

• Though not quite as common as flan, dessert
  sopapillas (sometimes spelled sopaipillas) also
  appear with some regularity on US menus.
• Again, the greatest overall incidence is in the
  Casual Dining segment, where nearly 10 of
  restaurants that offer dessert menu sopapillas.

- a few examples -
62
Dessert Items dessert tacos chimichangas

• Dessert tacos, burritos, and chimichangas are
  extremely rare. In the case of dessert tacos,
  most are choco tacos, similar to those examples
  shown here.
• Whereas dessert tacos are heavily focused on
  chocolate, dessert chimichangas often incorporate
  other flavors as well. Fruit is particularly
  popular, with banana and apple most common.
• Again, while examples of dessert tacos and
  chimichangas do exist, these items are extremely
  rare on menus (each has a less than 1
  penetration rate).

63
Dessert Items overall flavors

• When developing dessert items, it is helpful to
  be aware of the most common sauces, fruits,
  flavors, and ingredients used in dessert dishes
  overall.
• The three tables below show the incidence rates
  of the most popular dessert ingredients.
  Although they are not Mexican in nature, they are
  suitable candidates for inclusion in
  Mexican-themed desserts, as these are the flavors
  that consumers know best.

64
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