For truckstops and travel plazas, restaurants are among the most important profit centers at the locations. Sit-down and quick-service restaurants alike attract four-wheeler traffic, professional drivers and locals. Even better, restaurant and foodservice sales are expected to reach a record high of $660.5 billion this year, the National Restaurant Association reported. That’s a 3.8 percent increase from 2012.
Growth is good, and staying current on the industry’s latest trends can help operators maintain current sales and even tap into new customers.
Consumers Make Ease And Convenience A Top Priority
Within the truckstop and travel plaza industry, which primarily serves customers who are on the go, ease and convenience is as important as providing a quality product.
Chris Rose, who oversees restaurant operations for Iowa 80 Group, said he is seeing an increase in the company’s quick-serve offerings.
“A good portion of that is because of the hours of service the drivers adhere to. They have a limited amount of time they can drive for, and if they’re going to stop during that time frame, it is for something fast,” Rose said...