Turning on the Off-Hours

It’s been a few years since Taco Bell created The Fourth Meal for late-night dining occasions, built around midnight munchies and quick trips to the drive-thru. For the earlier hour snack crowd, Jack in the Box has now coined a new daypart: “brunchfast.” BurgerBusiness.com reports that brunchfast is nothing more than a trademark registration, but the move shows that breakfast-all-day still looks like a viable way to boost sales during otherwise slow times of the day.

Scott Hume, editor of BurgerBusiness.com, points out that “brunchfast” is not the first daypart Jack in the Box has created. “The brand built its late-night business to what now accounts for 15.3 percent of its sales not simply by being open 24/7 but by creating a separate late-night menu called 'Jack’s Munchie Meals,' available only between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.”

In case there are a couple of hours in the afternoon that might not be covered by an official daypart, Starbucks wants to own that window of time with its new Sunset Menu, available after 3 p.m. in participating stores in the United States and Canada throughout the summer.

The afternoon menu introduces Starbucks Granitas, made with a scoop of finely shaved ice, lightly sweetened and topped with espresso, white tea or limeade and available in three flavors: Caramel Espresso, Teavana Youthberry White Tea, and Strawberry Lemon Limeade. Trifles, modestly sized brownies or strawberry shortcakes layered with whipped cream and a mocha or strawberry drizzle, round out the simple menu.

Grocerant-Ready Ideas:
•    Drink and snack pairings that encourage anytime snacking
•    Comeback receipts to entice customers into new dayparts
•    Happy Hour promotions as a fun way for shoppers to have an instore treat and pick up prepared dinner options