Skip the Labor, Serve Up Big Flavor with a Flat Iron Steak

Huge Flavor that is Tough to Get      

The flat iron steak is the second-most tender cut of beef, beaten only by the filet mignon. On top of that, it’s full of flavor because it’s packed between two highly-developed muscles in the shoulder clod—but you won’t find it on many menus. If you’re trimming your own primal, it takes skill, time and tons of practice to get great flat iron steaks. Plus, each animal only produces four of these cuts. The effort can be worth it, because consumer awareness of the steak is growing. Despite the difficulty in getting it, the flat iron has seen +5% menu penetration growth over 12 months.²

How Do Your Diners Want to Eat a Steak?

Steak is seeing an increase in menu penetration, but the new menu items appearing in market aren’t necessarily typical steak dishes. While breakfast (and brunch) is still huge with millennials, diners are looking for dishes that do more. High protein breakfasts are growing in demand—51% of millennials are interested in them. But only 56% of operators menu high-protein breakfast options.³ Additionally, 58% of millennials and 45% of consumers overall are seeking out premium meats for breakfast.¹ So a flat iron steak can fulfill the need for protein-heavy breakfasts and the desire for premium meats. 

Overcoming the In-House Challenges 

Back-of-house labor is still difficult to find. Chefs and cooks are the hardest positions to fill, and they’re 30% of the open positions on the market.⁵ To add to that, the cost of hiring a new employee in the hospitality industry is coming out to about $5,864 on average. ⁶

Many operators are looking for efficiency and dependability in the kitchen. Even though consumers are looking for more premium items, your staff might not have the time nor the skills to properly butcher a whole chuck primal. But there are solutions to the skilled labor issues. 

Make it Easier with IBP Trusted Excellence® Flat Iron Steaks 

The ibp Trusted Excellence® Flat Iron Steak is the perfect center-plate star—whether you’re using the whole cut or a smaller portion. Best of all, it’s perfect for any daypart. Use it in a protein-forward steak and egg dish or grill it up and slice it for a steak sandwich at lunch. With so much flavor, it works perfectly as a premium steak dish, too. This versatile cut is no longer out of reach for your establishment—in fact, it can help solve your back-of-house labor pains.