Dip Drives the Dollar

Cheese and other dip flavors have the power to reshape quick-serve menu economics

Dip culture is having a defining moment. While sauces, drizzles and condiments have long played valued supporting roles in dining satisfaction, guests are seeking more: namely, the tactile, social joy of the dip experience. Dips not only invite shared moments, they provide flavor autonomy—offering a playful portal to experimentation without commitment. It’s a relatively small gesture with big impact.

The challenge for operators in the quick-serve restaurant (QSR) segment is to meet this demand in a manner that provides those key customer values—while growing checks. Research points to a few strategies. The first is to market the dipping sauce as a component of the menu item. A craveable flavor of dipping sauce is table stakes—and the second key strategy. It presents opportunities to create a signature sauce that allows your brand to stand out from the competition. A third tactic to maximize today’s interest in dips is to upsize the amount of dip you are providing.

By the Numbers

In proprietary research conducted exclusively for AFP advanced food products llc in 2022, Technomic surveyed QSR diners to determine likely customer interest in pairing select entrées with a warm cheese dipping sauce option and then to assess the financial impact of doing so with current menu items. The research firm looked at multi-unit chains in QSR burger, pizza, breakfast and chicken segments.

The AFP study tested the unique reach of 15 entrée items menued with and without an accompanying warm cheese dip. Results found that the unique reach of these items with a cheese dipping sauce rivals that of the unique reach of the same items without a sauce. This, concludes the research firm, is indicative of strong demand.

The research sees very high levels of demand for the warm cheese dipping sauce paired with chicken nuggets and side items at chicken chains. But equally impressive is interest by two-thirds of chicken sandwich purchasers who opted for the version paired with a warm cheese dip.

In addition, the findings project “strong incremental revenue opportunity” if the dipping sauce was treated as an add-on, with a $1 to $1.50 up-charge. Indeed, when it specifically comes to QSR chicken operations, AFP estimates incremental revenue potential to be between 5.2 and 7.7 percent, and cites the example of Chick-fil-A. In a 2024 LTO, the chain offered the pimento cheese used in its popular Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich as a stand-alone side that could be used as a dip or a spread. The company reportedly offered the side starting at $3.99.

“At AFP, we’re passionate about helping foodservice operators unlock the full potential of their menus,” says Colleen Etheridge, senior marketing manager. “Sharing these findings is part of our commitment to supporting innovation and profitability in the kitchen. When sauces are used strategically, they don’t just enhance flavor, they elevate the entire experience.”

Continuing to drill down into the QSR chicken segment, AFP’s research suggests that adding “dipping cheese” has the potential to increase overall menu reach by 10 percent. Survey respondents were asked: “How likely would you be to add a side cup of warm cheese dipping sauce to [sample] food items if they were available at your favorite quick-service chicken restaurant (e.g. Chick-fil-a, Popeye’s, KFC, etc.)?” All of the 10 entrée (nuggets, strips, spicy chicken sandwich, chicken sandwich) and side items (tots, breadsticks, onion rings, fries and even mac-and-cheese) scored 59 percent or higher.

Respondents also were asked if the availability of a warm cheese dipping sauce with the same menu items would affect the likelihood of their visiting a favorite chicken chain. An overwhelming majority (70-79 percent) indicated this dip inclusion would drive traffic. Indeed, roughly one-third of respondents who said they are more likely to visit a restaurant that offered chicken strips, chicken nuggets or a chicken sandwich with a side cup of dipping cheese would follow through three to five times more each month.

In a number of non-proprietary research studies in 2024 and 2025, Technomic saw 2024 year-over-year sales percent rises for top items served with cheese sauce at several QSR chicken chains. This includes the Spicy Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich from Chik-fil-A (which uses pimento cheese on the sandwich and offered the aforementioned side LTO), dipping sauce for chicken tenders at Chickie & Pete’s and a side option of dipping sauce at Church’s Texas Chicken.

Upgrade your loaded fries or nachos appetizer by menuing this Pulled Chicken Tot-Chos mash-up. Double down on dip delight by serving it with Muy Fresco^® Cheddar Cheese Sauce & Muy Fresco^® Guacamole-Style Dip (not pictured).

Big Cheese

Cheddar cheese is, by far, the most popular flavor for warm cheese dips paired with all the QSR chicken segment sample menu items Technomic used in its research. Runners-up included white cheddar, a three-cheese blend, habanero cheddar, alfredo, provolone, pimento and a Cajun white.

“Cheese sauce is particularly well-suited as a base for dips for several reasons,” says Chef Greg Gable, AFP corporate chef. “First, it has a smooth and creamy consistency that is ideal for dipping. It coats ingredients well and offers a satisfying mouthfeel.” He also cites the rich and savory flavor of cheese sauce, which delivers a perceived indulgence. It also enjoys near-universal appeal, making it a comforting element in dips.

Best of all, cheese sauce is exceedingly versatile, accommodating a wide variety of inclusions to produce distinctly different flavor profiles that can utterly transform the item being dipped, especially when it comes to the mild taste of chicken. When spices, herbs and other flavorings are added to cheese sauce, it can elevate the entire dining experience.

One of the most successful approaches is giving cheese sauce some kick to produce a range of heat characteristics. To produce a mild heat, Gable suggests incorporating smoked paprika. “It adds a subtle warmth and smoky flavor without being overwhelming. It’s perfect for those who prefer a gentle spice,” he explains. “Or try ancho chili powder, which is made from dried poblano peppers and provides a mild heat with a slightly sweet and earthy flavor.”

Inclusion of jalapeños and cayenne peppers will generate a moderate level of heat in cheese dips. To turn up the temperature, try adding some of the ingredients in giardiniera, the classic Chicago condiment. Or use Calabrian chile oil or gochujang to produce a complex flavor profile without setting off the fire alarm.

There are so many opportunities for flavor play when exploring the advantages of pairing a cheese dip with chicken items. Need a cheese sauce option to use right from the package? Seek a base to support their own inventive recipes? Turn to AFP as a cheese sauce solution expert. Its Muy Fresco^® line of cheese sauces are ready to use, offer a range of flavor varieties and allow for easy customizations. AFP also stands ready to work directly with customers to create a signature dip that stands apart from the competition. This can allow operators to double down on the marketing advantages for dipping sauces promised by the industry research.

Muy Fresco^® Monterey Jack Cheese Sauce is the perfect flavor pair for Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders. Used here as a drizzle, serve it as a dip to leverage today’s trends.

Size Matters

In addition to making a delicious, craveable dipping sauce available, either paired with the entrée or as a side option for purchase, customers are signaling interest in larger portions of dipping sauce, whether dining in or eating off-premises. After all, fruitlessly scraping the sides of a dip cup when there’s still a substantial amount of wanna-be-dipped food left dry makes for a disappointing dining experience. In fact, the size of the dip portion can be a successful strategy that customers will pay for, even in an economically challenging environment.

Gen Z is particularly drawn to viewing portion size in relation to overall value, say trend-watchers from Technomic and Datassential. Many pre-packaged dipping cups come in 3.5- to 3.7-oz. sizes. Recent studies indicate that operators are menuing their own 4-oz. cups, charging a premium and seeing consumers willing to pay it. In 2021, the consumer median for this portion size was $1.00 to $1.50, and it jumped to $2.00 to $3.00 in 2023. It’s an opportunity to margin up by 47% to 60%. Larger cups of cheese sauce can be used across multiple menu items, including tenders, burgers and fries.

AFP’s Muy Fresco^® line of cheese sauce comes in #10 cans and 60-oz. pouches, both easy options that allow kitchen teams to serve up their own larger portions, increasing profits, not complexity. The company can also work directly with operators to custom-tailor solutions for premium-priced sauces.

Got a Dip Grip?

Chicken and cheese dips are clearly a common-sense pairing with great potential to add less-common cents to the thin margins of today’s QSR segment. But don’t let that be the only strategy you explore as you seek to get customers to flip for your dip.

Maybe you want to test the waters with some of the fastest-growing dip flavors on menus today. Gable identifies these as honey-barbecue, Thai, Sriracha and Cajun. Many of these, too, can be paired with Muy Fresco^® products for next-level offerings. “For example, start with Muy Fresco^® Monterey Jack or Queso Blanco and add Sriracha or ingredients from the Thai pantry,” he suggests. “Or add honey-barbecue sauce to Muy Fresco for a smoky, tangy dip.”

However you choose to play in the heart of this trend, winner, winner, dip with (chicken) dinner!

Turn dips into dollars. Collaborate with AFP to create a custom, craveable sauce that keeps customers coming back—and boosts your bottom line. Click here to learn more.

Source

Flavor & The Menu, https://www.getflavor.com/dip-drives-the-dollar/