Marketing

Here's why restaurant chains are selling one another's products

Restaurant Rewind: The lines between segments aren't the only traditional boundaries that are being smudged in today's competitive environment. Contrary to the old rules, concepts are tapping the drawing power of competitors for share of stomach.

A&W fast-food restaurants in Canada will start serving Pret A Manger-branded products this fall, under a just-announced 10-year collaboration deal.

A cross-selling situation like that might have been inconceivable 20 years ago, as this week’s episode of Restaurant Rewind reports. But, as the podcast installment explains, the lines of competition have been blurring for some time as restaurant licensing expands beyond consumer packaged goods to ready-to-eat fare prominently featured on another concept’s menu. Cinnabon-branded products, for instance, are available at chains ranging from Wendy’s to Subway to The Cheesecake Factory.

Tune into this week’s episode for a look at why and how chains are increasingly relying on the drawing power of other chains’ products to increase their own allure.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Restaurant buyers have little interest in actual restaurants

The Bottom Line: There is a clear line in what restaurant chain buyers want right now. They want franchisors, not the restaurants themselves.

Workforce

Want happy restaurant employees? How's a relocation to Sweden sound?

Reality Check: New research shows how far the U.S. industry still has to go in improving its image—and what a difference an upgrade could make when it comes to retention.

Financing

Most customers think restaurants are getting expensive

The Bottom Line: A pair of studies by Revenue Management Solutions provide a sobering look at the views of consumers on restaurant prices and their dining habits.

Trending

More from our partners