Favoring familiarity over complexity, foodservice operators are focusing efforts on down-home, affordable and operationally efficient meatloaf. While consumer demand for meatloaf is high—with 43% saying they would order it for dinner, according to Technomic’s Center of the Plate: Beef & Pork Consumer Trend Report—meatloaf has been popping up on menus with renewed frequency in recent months.
This season, operators are featuring the hearty, protein-packed comfort food it as a limited-time item that stays within the bounds of their menus, so as not to overextend their offerings. Operators sticking to archetypal American favorites are unveiling meatloaf in its classic format, while those with more eclectic positionings are using the item to test nontraditional formats and flavors, including new proteins and ethnic ingredients. Here’s how.