Franchises Thinking Inside the Box

Kraft Lunchables no longer has a death grip on the pre-packaged lunch market. According to a recent report from QSR, franchises have started getting in on the action.

From catering options to high-quality grab-and-go products, franchises are finding that men and women across America are fans of the extra convenience boxed lunches provide.

“Operators can exploit their existing space and team to prepare the food before or after the typical rush times,” said Melissa Wilson, a principal at market research firm Technomic.

Wilson went on to point out how popular box lunches are for office workers in particular.

“If you think of a corporate office and presentation going on, a box lunch is preferable,” she told QSR. “You can eat during the meeting without getting up and down for the food.”

Brands like Which Wich are seeing the demand firsthand. Lindsay Macedo, operations support specialist for the company, said that while Which Wich catering includes both box lunches and platters, the former is more popular than the latter.

“The box lunches are more portable and more customizable,” Macedo said.

Meanwhile, franchises like Pita Pit are putting a diverse twist on lunch options, including healthier alternatives.

“As eating trends evolve, people look for healthier options,” Benjamin Drake, vice president of research and development at Pita Pit, told QSR. “That’s our niche. It may be cheaper to bring in pizza, but cheaper isn’t always better.”