Dive Brief:
- TravelCenters of America has augmented the menu at some of its proprietary full-service restaurants with a handful of limited-time offers (LTOs) for the summer, according to a recent company announcement.
- New menu additions include three variations of a traditional hot dog, as well as salmon and chicken options. The latter two were recommended by the Cleveland Clinic, TA’s health and wellness partner.
- TA is one of many c-store retailers to recently debut foodservice LTOs as summer deals continue to emerge around the industry.
Dive Insight:
TA’s latest foodservice revamp is the work of Maira Isabel, who joined the retailer as its corporate executive chef back in February. At the time, TA said Isabel would focus her efforts mainly on the lineup for its Country Pride and Iron Skillet proprietary restaurant brands, adding “flavorful, healthy offerings and integrating food trends and regional specialties into the menus.”
Isabel’s new items include the Classic Big Dog, a footlong hot dog on a toasted bun; the Mac’n Bacon Big Dog, a footlong hot dog topped with mac and cheese and bacon on a toasted bun; the Chillin’ Big Dog, a footlong hot dog with chili and cheese; and the Tango Mango salmon or chicken, which features either of the grilled proteins topped with mango salsa.
Each hot dog option is served with a side of fries, while the salmon or chicken comes with steamed vegetables.
“Our very own Chef Maira Isabel is excited to infuse the comfort foods and celebratory zest of summertime into restaurants nationwide,” TA said in its latest announcement.
Convenience retailers have tapped foodservice LTOs for years, but these short-term deals have appeared this summer on what seems like a daily basis. Korean BBQ boneless wings rolled out at 7-Eleven just a week ago, in addition to summer flavors of its signature Slurpee. Rutter’s debuted a few items in its rotating food menu, while Stewart’s Shops unveiled five new ice cream flavors.
Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America operates 282 travel centers in 44 states between its TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express brands. The company also operates over 600 full-service and quick-service restaurants and several proprietary brands, including Iron Skillet and Country Pride. In addition to Iron Skillet and Country Pride, TA unveiled a new full-service dining option called Fork & Compass earlier this year.
