According to Ad Age, this breakfast idea is a way to address shrinking breakfast sales. After it announced all-day breakfast in 2015, overall sales have weakened at the global fast food chain.
“We took our eye off the ball on breakfast,” says McDonald’s Chief Financial Officer Kevin Ozan. “With everything else going on, we just lost a little focus on that breakfast day part.”
The muffin top idea became popular in 1997 after being featured in an episode of the iconic sitcom Seinfeld. In it, the Elaine Benes character devises a plan to sell only the best part of the muffin. While the idea on the show ultimately encountered some problems, McDonald’s is hoping otherwise for its muffin tops.
The all-day breakfast trend continues to grow in America, as retailers look for ways to stand out and satisfy consumers’ free-form dining habits.
“This is an age of all-day breakfast selections that can shapeshift their way through the day, multipurposing for breakfast, lunch, post-work drinks and takeout, dinner and midnight snacks,” says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts. “Breakfast food menus and retail products can appeal to all budgets, all levels of appetite and all food preferences and dietary requirements.”
