Fast food menus balloon 6% over the last year

By assortment size, drinks are leading the way.

Fast-food menus, in general, have seen an average increase of 6% in their assortment size, with the most significant area of growth in the assortment size to be found amongst the drink offerings of the typical menu, which have increased by 8% in the last year, primarily driven by the addition of a wider selection of cold сoffe varieties.

Meaningful Vision collates and analyses this data, which reveals some trends in the menus of key fast-food players.

The number of items available on the typical fast-food menu has remained steady over the last 12 months but with some notable shifts in certain areas. According to Meaningful Vision’s recent report, pizza chains lead with an average of over 320 items, coffee shops are offering around 190 items, whilst burger and chicken outlets hover at around 160 items. 

“The strategy for rotating menu items differs across segments. On average, 20% of a typical fast-food menu is refreshed for a year. Coffee shops usually employ the most changes to their menu during the year, sometimes completely overhauling their offerings seasonally. In contrast, other fast-food outlets generally offer a core selection which remains relatively unchanged over time. Whichever market segment may be your focus, it remains crucial to stay agile and responsive to consumer demands, especially during the period of economic challenges the fast-food industry is currently facing," Maria Vanifatova, CEO of Meaningful Vision LTD, said.

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