New Jersey Restaurants Benefit From Barbell Pricing

Restaurants in New Jersey are always looking for ways to stay afloat in a down economy or when inflation is at an all-time high. It’s not easy, so when restauranteurs find something that works, they will stick with it, and take advantage of its success to keep customers happy and coming back to enjoy the restaurant and keep it profitable.

According to Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), Chili’s Grill and Bar’s parent company Brinker International Inc., is doing exactly that with all of their eateries including their more than twenty locations in New Jersey. The Central Jersey spots include New Brunswick, Flemington, Edison, East Brunswick, Hamilton, Freehold, and North Brunswick.

They’re continuing something that is called “barbell pricing.” This method worked well for the company and restaurant locations late last year so they kept it going into this year.

Barbell pricing is when they will promote both high and low priced menu items. For instance, they may have a $9.99 burger special while also advertising a $15.99 specialty burger.

To me, it almost seems like a "bait and switch" strategy, but it certainly isn’t. The customer is choosing to make the switch when they come in for the lower specially priced item, but decides they would rather spend a little more to get a little more.

Related: New Jersey Top-Rated Tapas Restaurant

The important thing is that it’s getting people into the restaurant, and once they’re in they will be spending money. This strategy has proven to save Chili’s and other restaurants from financial losses, bankruptcy, or having to close permanently.

Last week, the company’s CEO and president Kevin Hochman said, “The past two years of our Chili's turnaround was all about improving the guest experience and creating a traffic driving model to build sustainable momentum in our business.”

The “Mom and Pop” or individually owned eateries are what my family prefers when we go out to eat. However, Chili’s is one food chain that we’ll enjoy occasionally. It’s good to know they’re doing something that seems to work for everybody.

What do you think are some fast-food items that need to make a comeback? Some of our favorite menu items are missing from our go-to restaurants, and it's time they make their return.

Menus are constantly changing, and that's understandable. You need to adjust with the times and keep up with what the customers want. However, sometimes you just need to listen. The people are asking for these fast-food items to make a comeback. Can you think of any you'd like to see make a return to the menu? We've thought of 5 (once) popular fast-food items that need to make a comeback!

Right now, the popular craze in fast-food is Bargain Bundle Meals. It seems like every restaurant is coming out with a new menu bundle aimed at saving you money. McDonald's has a $5 meal deal, as does Burger King. Taco Bell has a new $7 combo bundle, and even Sonic recently debuted a $1.99 Value Menu. That's great that they're thinking about our wallets during this time, where even fast food seems to cost a ridiculous amount of money. However, is it enough? There's still a lot more these restaurants can do for us. All they need to do is pay attention. I'm sure you've seen people calling for certain items to come back on social media. Chances are you even have a couple of examples in mind yourself.

Admittedly, some fast-food items leave the menu for a good reason. If people aren't buying the product, then you should probably remove it from the menu. That makes sense financially. Also, I think these restaurants should stay in their lane. I don't need a burger from Taco Bell and I don't need a taco from McDonald's. Focus on what you do best and execute. What doesn't make financial sense is when you know people are clambering for one of your delicious items to return to the menu, but you don't make it happen. Seriously, fast-food chains would make so much more money than they already do if they re-introduced these five items to the public.

We've been asking... nay, we've been demanding and yet our voices have gone unheard. So, I'm trying again. Here are five once-popular fast-food items that need to make a comeback! If you can think of any that didn't make the list, make sure to let us know!

https://youtu.be/wy9lMmxNh-o?si=e9WXL-ksKNEXOm4i You probably expected to see this on the list and I can't not include it. Seriously, people don't talk about fast-food items that need to make a comeback without talking about McDonald's Snack Wraps. They were a COVID casualty and the restaurant chain has blamed supply chain issues for it not making its return to menus across the country. People keep asking and asking but it hasn't happened yet. They'll create a new value bundle but won't give us our Snack Wraps. It's going to happen one day, I just hope it's soon.

https://youtu.be/1oNf6NOQCFU?si=J1_VPlwNYiv56sUT The Twister at KFC might have been one of my favorite fast-food menu items of all-time and sadly you can't get them anymore. They were different than your ordinary Chicken Wraps and even better than the previously mentioned Snack Wraps, if I do say so myself. The chicken was crispy and delicious, the lettuce was also crispy and delicious, but it was that spice that got your attention. It wasn't overwhelming but you knew it was there. It was the perfect flavor. I miss it every day.

https://youtu.be/_oT3VHK0X2w?si=Zix2uBa5G56-WNn7 Saving Silverman is one of my favorite movies and every time I watch it I'm reminded of the monster roast beef sandwich that was Arby's Big Montana. It always looks so tasty when Amanda Peet's character Judith eats one. Sure, Amanda adds to why it looks so good, but you can't help but to want a bite. This thing was huge! It was a half-pound of Roast Beef! That's probably why they ended up having to pull it off menus. They still have the meats, but back then they REALLY had the meats.

https://youtu.be/eQkFvfiWNpI?si=eVEoQlnRYPwm0XMU It wasn't very long ago that we were enjoying Double Chalupas at Taco Bell. They were seemingly double the size of an ordinary Chalupa and resembled a boat. Yes, a taco boat! How tasty is that? It also had Nacho Cheese on it, which makes me miss their Nacho Cheese Chalupa. I loved the big version of the popular taco. It wasn't long ago that they had it on menus, and it always could make a comeback. I wouldn't be surprised. Taco Bell seems to understand the assignment and give people what they want.

Of course Szechuan Sauce makes the list! The people need it to come back! It's one of the best sauces not only that McDonald's has ever released but in all of fast-food! The sauce made its debut in 1998 as a promotion for Disney's Mulan and then took a nearly 20-year hiatus before coming back thanks to a Rick and Morty promotion. People again went crazy for it during its limited release and would horde the sauce. Hopefully it will return for good one day because it's that good. Mmm how I miss that garlicky spicy goodness. It's truly one-of-a-kind.