If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then fast-food chains really like to flatter each other.
When one restaurant chain creates something popular, it almost always ends up being knocked off by its rivals. For example, before Starbucks launched the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) in 2003, that product did not exist.
Once it became a hit for the coffee chain, it’s now a staple not just at coffeehouses, but at fast-food chains, convenience stores, grocery store shelves, and pretty much anyplace you could even consider buying coffee.
That makes it somewhat odd that McDonald’s Shamrock Shake, a seasonal favorite once promoted by Grimace’s green uncle, the aptly-named Uncle O’Grimacey, has largely remained exclusive to the Golden Arches.
Wendy’s and Burger King have traditionally not offered minty seasonal shakes for St. Patrick’s Day (Wendy’s does have a Girl Scout cookie Thin Mint Frosty this year, although it’s not being sold as a holiday promotion).
Costco, however, has decided to get in on the St. Patrick’s Day action with a limited-time edition to its food courts.
Costco adds a minty new food court item
A day before McDonald’s brought back the Shamrock Shake, Costco added its new Double Chocolate Mint Sundae. By launching on Feb. 16, instead of Feb. 17, Costco’s new minty creation got a bit of a jump on its more established rival.
While it’s not a shake, the Double Chocolate Mint Sundae offers mint ice cream, chocolate sauce, and a chocolate cookie crumble on top.
It’s not available at every Costco (at least for now), but social media reports show that it has appeared all over the country.
Costco charges $2.99 for the Double Chocolate Mint Sundae, $0.50 more than the price of classic chocolate or strawberry versions. The soft-serve treat weighs in at 790 calories.
Costco rarely makes food court changes.
How does the new Costco sundae taste?
The Daily Meal’s ice cream aficionado Garrett Palm generally liked the Double Chocolate Mint Sundae.
“My initial thought was that the commenters saying they could barely taste the mint must prefer an overwhelming hit of the flavor. It’s certainly the taste of mint flavoring as opposed to fresh mint leaves, but that’s what I want when chocolate is involved,” he wrote.
He also enjoyed the chocolate aspect.
“The double chocolate additions work. The sauce brings most of the rich flavor — it’s a good, standard chocolate sauce that works well with the mint. The cookie adds texture; I was expecting an Oreo-type cookie, but this is denser, like the cookie found inside of a Girl Scouts Thin Mint,” he added.
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That sounds like an improvement over the Shamrock Shake, a product I loved as a child, but found artificial-tasting when I sampled one last year.
Noted Costco-following Instagram account @CostcoNewDeals also liked the sundae.
“I ran to Costco to try their new Double Chocolate Mint Sundae, and it did not disappoint! It was minty, chocolatey, and I love the crunch from the cookies,” they posted.
Related: History of Costco: Company timeline and facts
Why seasonal menu items matter
While not every restaurant uses limited-time offers, they do help get people’s attention, according to GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders.
“Limited-time offers usually present something different and interesting to diners, so they grab attention better than standard menu items. Layer on the sense of urgency and FOMO that something limited creates, and it drives demand. Of course, this is all aided by the fact that core menu items are still under pressure from diners cutting back,” he wrote on RetailWire.
His fellow Brain Trust Member, Shep Hyken, a New York Times bestselling author of books on retail, believes LTOs serve a dual purpose.
“Limited-time offers reward new customers for trying the restaurant and existing customers/guests for coming back. They don’t replace the menu. They simply highlight a special. The LTO can be tied to seasonal offerings or just a special offering that the restaurant doesn’t offer. If the offer brings people in and the promotion generates ROI, then what’s to question?” he posted.
It’s really a simple proposition, according to Kelly Haws, professor of marketing at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University, who was speaking about Starbucks’ PSL.
“Taking it away, giving people something to look forward to, makes it all the more appealing to consumers,” she told CNN.
Related: Iconic 118-year-old grocery chain shuts down its last store