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IHOP just brought its Stuffed French Toast out of retirement after six years, calling it “the number one requested item on social media.” The idea for Chipotle’s new Chili Lime Chips came from watching customers crush bags of chips over their burrito bowls. Taco Bell now lets loyalty members build, name and share their own custom orders through a “Fan Style” menu.
None of this is an accident. Franchises are turning viral customer hacks into official menu items — and it’s paying off, according to Restaurant Business. IHOP’s same-store sales rose 1.5% in the second quarter. Its Dubai Chocolate Pancakes, which went nationwide this year after a sold-out test, were also thanks to social media.
Says Chipotle’s Chief Brand Officer Fernando Machado: “We saw guests hacking their Chipotle orders with packaged chips and asked what would this look like done the Chipotle way?” McDonald’s has been doing this since 2022 with mashups like its “Land, Air & Sea” combo, and Burger King’s “Whopper by You” platform has become a real driver of the brand’s turnaround.
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski summed up why the old model stopped working. “It’s no longer what we describe as our brand,” he said. “It’s the customers’ brand.”