How to create an LTO: What we can learn from Arby’s latest sandwich

Photo from Nation’s Restaurant News article, courtesy of Arby’s

As you might have read in Nation’s Restaurant News, Arby’s has a new limited time offer: a venison sandwich. Maybe that makes your mouth start to water or maybe that’s not your cup of tea; either way, there are some best practices that can be gleaned from the launch of this sandwich.

Test it out. Arby’s is launching this sandwich in only 17 of their stores, and all of those restaurants are corporately owned — giving them more control and ability to better manage the smaller-scale rollout.

Make it timely. Arby’s launched this sandwich to coincide with deer hunting season, making it top of mind for those in their target market.

Tie it to location. The stores where Arby’s chose to feature the sandwich are in states where hunting is popular, again targeting their key demographic.

Stay on brand. Arby’s current well-known slogan is “we have the meats.” This new sandwich fits perfectly within their brand, and although a stretch from their traditional menu, it doesn’t deviate too far from their core focus.

Stand out. Arby’s venison sandwich not only offers a protein that no other national QSR chain has on their menu, but features “free-range, grass-fed” meat, which is a unique differentiator for this market as well.

From geographic and seasonal ties to unique ingredients that follow the brand, Arby’s made smart decisions when developing with this limited-time offering. Foodservice operations that take these best practices into account are more likely to set themselves up for LTO success.

What do you think makes a good LTO? Is there one that stands out in your mind?