Over the last 18 months, fast casual/QSR restaurant brands have strived desperately to own customization, following the footsteps Mexican grills and many frozen yogurt brands have been successful at building. Now, as calorie watchers and the health-conscious begin to scream for options, brands are vying for ownership of the calorie-friendly menu and starting to listen to their consumers.
In a segment not traditionally seen as health-focused, MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes has taken a giant step toward owning the burger category market with the launch of its Under 600 Calories menu.
“We have designed a menu that speaks to our female and health-conscious audiences. We felt, as a brand, that they were saying loud and clear that they were ready for smarter options, while still maintaining the customized relationship we have already established with them and their families. We see this audience as a crowd with huge potential. We needed to listen to them and then speak with them,” said Alexis Barnett Gillette, director of marketing.
The menu features everything the crowd already loves, just paired in a calorie-friendly way, Barnett Gillette added.
MOOYAH’s Under 600 Calories* menu features:
- Little MOOYAH Iceburger, Avocado, Mustard, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Small Sweet Potato Fries, Coke Zero (568)
- MOOYAH Iceburger, Avocado, Mustard, Ketchup, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Coke Zero (432)
- Turkey Iceburger, Avocado, Swiss Cheese, Bacon, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Diet Coke (568)
- Turkey Iceburger, BBQ Sauce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Small Sweet Potato Fries, Coke Zero (549)
- Veggie Iceburger, Avocado, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Small Sweet Potato Fries, Diet Coke (519)
Naturally, one of MOOYAH’s lowest calorie options is the MOOYAH Iceburger, the smallest portion size of the brand’s award-winning burger, without the bun for only 432 calories.
“Calorie counting is just a form of measurement,” Barnett Gillette said. “Education is the critical marketing tool for the segment as well as fast casual/QSR chains in general. We felt that it was extremely important to educate our guest on options that still cater to their favorite flavors while also keeping in mind portion-control and dietary plans, and with seven toppings and a couple sauces with low to no calories, we’re doing just that. ”
MOOYAH spent months collecting data from its guests via focus groups, Social Media and customer surveys to identify exactly what they wanted.
“A brand is not what you say it is, it is what your customers say it is,” she said. “This is us saying that we listened, evaluated, and responded.”
The next step for MOOYAH’s better-for-you, Under 600 Calorie options is continued review of its Burgers in a Bowl (salads), potentially expanding the under 600 calorie meal list. In fact, MOOYAH already began working with the crowd for Burger in a Bowl combination ideas and names through a Social Media contest hosted on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mooyah) in April.
For MOOYAH franchise information, please visit http://mooyah.com/franchise-info/.
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is a fast-casual, “better burger” concept serving mouth-watering made-to-order burgers, hand-cut French fries made from high-quality Idaho potatoes, and handcrafted 100-percent ice cream shakes. Founded in 2007, the Plano, Texas-based company only uses fresh, American lean beef and all-natural Jennie-O turkey burgers, buns baked in house, real cheeses and toppings made from garden-fresh ingredients. It offers online ordering, and a cookout trailer for corporate, social and fundraising events. MOOYAH has been ranked 1st overall in Restaurant Business’ 2013 Future 50 list, in the top ten of FastCasual.com’s annual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list for several years in a row, and BurgerBusiness included MOOYAH in its list of “11 Burger Chains to Watch in 2011.” For more information on the brand, its menu or franchising opportunities, please visit www.mooyah.com. Follow MOOYAH on Twitter @MooyahBurger and connect with MOOYAH on Facebook Fan page.
*Nutrient values above do not include seasonings as this varies at each restaurant. Sweet potato fries calorie count based on a 4.5 oz portion (approximately 40-55 fries).
