Chain Leader

Lane Cardwell

Mini Desserts? No Sweatt!
February 22, 2008

I attended the Cowen Consumer Conference in New York last month and got to hear about 20 restaurant companies present their results, and discuss their various strategies for sales building. The most acknowledged executive in the room never made a presentation. He simply nodded his head when thanked by several companies for his contribution to their new product line of mini desserts.

Blaine Sweatt, the creative force behind Olive Garden, China Coast, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones and Seasons 52, seems to be getting a lot of attention for his smallest idea to date: the mini dessert. Blaine and the Seasons 52 team introduced their nine Mini Indulgences in 2002. Served in a shot glass, and presented to the table in a stunning array of choices, these desserts are available for $2.25 each.

As is customary in the restaurant industry, we will see a great new idea in someone’s operation, watch it for a few years, and then if it is still working well, we will pounce on it. In the past 12 months everyone has pounced. Chili’s, Applebee’s, TGI Friday’s and P.F. Chang’s are some of the larger chains to introduce these shot glass sized servings of desserts. It became almost humorous in New York when the fourth company thanked Blaine for the innovation.

An idea that only the large chains are participating in? I think not. The 2008 Restaurant Industry Forecast by the NRA named “bite-sized desserts” as the number one trend in dining. It’s been a while since a dessert led the pack in any trend.

I haven’t seen this much “flattery by adoption” since Tim Gannon, of Outback fame, brought the Onion Mum to Copeland’s. It then followed him to Outback as the Bloomin’ Onion.  Not long after that Chili’s added a version to their menu as the Awesome Blossom. It has become a staple in casual dining restaurants today. However, I don’t remember a large fried onion ever being named the number one trend in dining.  

When it comes to small, sweet and inexpensive, some ideas just resonate with the guest. It’s nice to see Blaine getting the attention he deserves, even if it’s not for his enormous contribution to the casual dining landscape.

Posted by Lane Cardwell on February 22, 2008 | Comments (2)