LToS

"We choose LTOs based on what we think a guest would be the most interested in and then we negotiate it with the supplier, and not vice-versa," says Field.

Legal Sea Foods looks at the new wines in the market and what's hot at the moment for its LTOs. "We don't like to repeat the same region in back-to-back years," says Block.

Social media is huge in promoting LTOs. The special, limited-time nature of these menu items align naturally with the type of experiences people typically post about on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on.

As with many aspects of the business, much time and effort go into evaluating potential LTOs long before they become available to customers.

"We're usually testing LTOs six to 12 months out," says Waldschmidt.

"For LTOs that aren't so seasonally based, we have a shorter turnaround, usually six to eight months or so," she says.

To ensure that it can deliver on its LTOs, Red Robin works hard to make sure that it is forecasting appropriately, says Ruch.

Despite the best-laid plans and projections, operators can sometimes be caught off guard at the demand for LTOs.

"Media earlier reported the delay in the issuance of license plates by the LTO, creating an unnecessary backlog.

The moratorium, he said, will give the private contractor time to produce the new plates, the LTO to overcome the backlog and car dealers to immediately claim the car plates of buyers.

But motorists have cried foul, saying the LTO takes more than seven days to issue license plates.

"Weve received reports that some dealers have taken months to even start the application process, so this will help the public monitor whether they are getting the services they paid for," said LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Alfonso Tan Jr., in a statement.