Dollars after dark
Daypart: Late night
Opportunity: Snacks
Overall, few operators in our survey expected growth in snacking, and that fact was true across all segments, including restaurants, c-stores and noncommercial in general.
However, 26% of college and university operators reported that they expect to see growth in late-night snacks. And C&U operators were significantly more optimistic about late-night snacks than any other segment was.
To boost sales in the wee hours, college operators may want to borrow a page from QSRs and other restaurants offering marketing promotions, specifically for late-night noshing. Jack in the Box, for example, has been boxing up off-beat mashups of menu items for a single price in its Jack’s Munchie Meal, offered after 9 p.m. Clover Food Lab in Massachusetts updates its menus—including a late-night menu—on its website daily, giving customers a reason to come back and engage.