Pat Cobe, senior menu editor at Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, together moderated a menu innovation panel at the Restaurant Leadership Conference last Monday in Phoenix. Participants included operators from Popeyes, Noodle’s & Company, Potbelly, Applebee’s and Velvet Taco, and we heard a lot about what’s in the works and what’s to come.

At RLC, we also heard from Kevin Hochman, CEO of Chili’s and our Restaurant Leader of the Year. He chatted about a lot of things on stage, including the Big QP Burger, Chili’s quarter-pound burger that launched that day. It’s a clear swipe at McDonald’s, and as a special introductory deal, it comes with fries and a soft drink for $10.99.

Then we shared an interview with Bob Johnston, CEO of The Melting Pot, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. When the restaurant chain started, there were only three fondues on the menu: beef, cheese and chocolate. 

Johnston, who began as a dishwasher at The Melting Pot, talked about how the menu has since expanded, with on-trend items like seafood and veggie fondues, a brie and fig variation, and steak fondue with mango-habanero sauce. There is also a full bar with craft cocktails and a varied wine selection, a far cry from Michelob—the only beer option back in the ‘70s. Listen as we hear how The Melting Pot has evolved but is still offering an interactive dining experience, which is exactly what many guests want these days when they visit a restaurant.