In March, Sonic introduced two temporary menu items -- hamburgers with a beef and white-button-mushroom patty, one with and one without bacon. The bacon-free burger has 340 calories, compared with 710 for a regular Sonic cheeseburger, and the chain says it has all the flavor “with none of the guilt.”
Two Years
The burgers were more than two years in the making, created and tested at Sonic’s Oklahoma City headquarters with the help of the Mushroom Council. Sonic had to figure out how to hawk them, said Scott Uehlein, vice president of product innovation and development at the 3,500-location chain.
“It’s a tough story to sell,” Uehlein said. “But it’s a cool thing.”
“The consumer wants something that’s better for you,” he added. “They want things that are indulgent. It checks all the boxes.”
The Mushroom Council likes to say it’s also inspired chefs at Cheesecake Factory Inc., Shake Shack Inc. and Darden Restaurants Inc.’s Seasons 52 chain.
Recently, blueberries landed on the menu at steakhouse chain Sizzler USA Inc. in the form of a blueberry lemonade -- considered a big win for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, which worked on bringing the refreshment to the chain’s menu. Sizzler had 123 outlets as of last year, according to Technomic.
Because the fruit isn’t in season during the winter, Mission Viejo, California-based Sizzler is getting them from Peru. In May, the company will add more blueberries, as part of a spinach salad with almonds and feta cheese.
“Because the growers all pay into this fund, they want to know what the council is doing for them,” said Andrew Hunter, a chef who works with the mushroom, egg and blueberry marketing programs. “This is a tangible way for boards to say, ‘This is what we’re doing for you.’ Sizzler’s blueberry lemonade. That’s tangible.”
Higher Demand