What’s old is new again as popular food brands roll out retro items, hoping spenders will take a bite of yesteryear. Younger generations may be craving comfort by buying nostalgic treats, as 1 in 2 Millennials and Gen Zers think they have it financially harder than other generations, according to Empower findings.

Blasts from the past

Taco Bell is serving up a new Decades Menu, reviving recipes from its 61-year history including the '60s Tostada, '70s Green Sauce Burrito, '80s Meximelt and '90s Gordita Supreme.¹ Being innovative and flexible with its menu has paid off for the chain, as Taco Bell now makes up 75% of the U.S. profits for parent company Yum Brands.² Taco Bell has built up quite the fan base and serves 42 million people a week.³

Another segment of Yum Brands, Pizza Hut, tested a “get it before it’s gone again” tactic in 2023 with its Big New Yorker pizza, which was originally launched in 1999.⁴ The 16-inch pie came back as a limited-time offering and paid off for its fans – the pizza is now a permanent fixture on the chain’s menu.⁵

Sweet treats are in store for 2024’s holiday taste testers, too. Hardee’s Cinnamon ‘N’ Raisin biscuits get another curtain call until Jan. 7, 2025.⁶ They appeared on the menu briefly in 2023 after a 20-year hiatus, and this year’s snackers can snag them in packs of one, two, or four, available around the clock.

Companies are answering consumers’ call for quick bites. Sales at fast casual restaurants grew by 11.2% last year compared to 7.9% for fast food and 4.7% for casual dining. On average, Americans spend almost $40 each month on fast casual food, visiting once or twice a month, according to Empower Personal Dashboard^TM data. 

Brand refresh 

On the fizzier side of the menu, a revised logo aims to take one soft drink to new heights. Mountain Dew’s revamped look features “mountain” fully spelled out (as it was from 1948 until 2009) and calls back to its origins in Appalachia.⁷ Commanding 6% of the U.S. soda market for the past decade, Mountain Dew is the sixth most popular soda in America. Overall, the global carbonated beverage market is valued at more than $478 billion in 2024.⁸

Going back to the drawing board can create buzz for companies, as 75% of people say they can tell a brand by its logo.⁹ The top soda in the U.S. by sales¹⁰ – Coca-Cola – is recognized by 94% of the global population.¹¹

Not yesterday’s prices

A nod to the past can bring fond memories, though today’s diners are paying today’s prices for these throwbacks. An Empower study found that more than 4 in 5 Americans (82%) think their money doesn’t go as far as it used to.

Dining out can eat into people’s budgets, with inflation in play: Food away from home cost 3.8% more in October 2024 than the year before, while the price of food made at home rose only 1.1%.¹²

Americans spent an average of $859 at restaurants in October 2024, compared with just $779 at the beginning of the year in January, based on Empower Personal Dashboard^TM data.

Companies balance making sales with driving positive brand awareness, as pricing pressures can be tied to where consumers choose to spend. Some 76% of Americans say price increases will turn them off from a brand, according to Empower research.

Back to the future 

With more than half of Americans saying dining out is more convenient than eating in, companies are driving business by tapping into consumers hungry for familiar favorites.