First Bite caters to trend Popular plan a marketing tool for

ATKINS DIET

By Amy Bauer

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Brian Reed thinks he has found what every business owner is looking for --- a way to increase profits while adding minimal expenses.

Reed's First Bite Sandwich Shoppe, 822 S. Kansas Ave., has been selling meals from its low-carbohydrate menu since July. The menu features new variations on standard favorites that leave out things like flour and sugar --- and hence the carbs. Reed has built the low- carb business by word-of-mouth and estimates it makes up 5 percent to 10 percent of sales.

"We've picked up some new people, and now we have some regular customers that are new to us, since we brought in the Atkins diet, that are pretty loyal to it," Reed said.

In the past few months, national eateries have followed the trend with their own low-carb and "Atkins-endorsed" menu options. For example, Ruby Tuesday's rolled out menus featuring about 30 low-carb options Nov. 11, Hardee's is marketing its low-carb burger wrapped in lettuce and Subway sandwich shops are advertising two new "Atkins- friendly" wraps that debuted Dec. 29.

"For us, it brings in another kind of customer base that we haven't necessarily been able to attract," said Tiffanie Krentz, operations manager for the Victoria Sandwich Co., which owns 10 Topeka Subway sandwich shops and one in Holton.

After 10 days, the company had to order additional product to keep up with demand for the turkey and bacon melt wrap and the chicken bacon ranch wrap.

She estimated 25 percent to 30 percent of customers at the company's 11 stores have ordered the wraps. Last week, the store with the fewest wrap sales sold them to 17 percent of customers. While she hasn't been comparing this year's total foot traffic numbers with last year's, Krentz said sales totals show an overall increase in business.

First Bite's new menu rotates between such additions as fajita steak salad with cilantro-lime dressing, Philly steak salad, Oriental salad and bunless bacon cheeseburgers or bunless grilled chicken with "net carbs" --- those that low-carb dieters are counting --- between five and eight grams.

Reed said the menu additions were born out of his own experience following the Atkins diet. Introduced in 1972 by the late Dr. Robert Atkins, it recently has experienced a resurgence in popularity and has been followed by other diets focused on reducing carbohydrates. After watching a friend try it and lose about 50 pounds, Reed said he started the program in June and went on to lose about 40 pounds. He since has strayed from the strict low-carb ways but says he was inspired to provide menu options to others.

The Atkins diet premise is that by restricting carbohydrates in favor of more protein and fat, the body is forced to burn fat for its fuel.

During his own diet, Reed said he and his friend constantly had to create their own menu options when eating out. As a restaurant owner, Reed knew he could provide diners what he hadn't been able to find. So he went to the Atkins Web site, downloaded recipes and started experimenting.

"We are using stuff that we already had there. We went to no extra trouble, really," Reed said, noting he relied on word-of-mouth to spread news about his new menu. "We really just took items we already had on hand and just re-configured them."

Erick Kirkendall, manager of Ruby Tuesday restaurant, 1625 S.W. Wanamaker, said menu items range from traditional burgers and steaks, with french fries replaced by a spring mix salad or pork rinds, to the restaurant's popular low-carb cheesecake.

"It's not really anything different that we're preparing, it's just how we're preparing it and what sides we're offering," Kirkendall said.

He, Krentz and Reed all said they see staying power in their new menus.

Reed said, "almost all diets tend to seem to last for a little while and then fade away, but like I said, the customers we've seen are pretty loyal to it."

Amy Bauer can be reached

at (785) 295-1231 or [email protected].

THE TREND

Capitalizing on the popularity of the low-carb diet plans and first-of-the-year diet resolutions, advertisements for everything from tuna fish to Jell-O have been noting a products carbohydrate content --- or lack thereof.

A stroll through any grocery store will show even more specialty product's lining the shelves.

Akin's, a local natural foods market at 2913 S.W. 29th, has been offering store tours every Tuesday at noon to show off its low-carb selection.

First Bite's low-carb baked chicken club salad with ranch dressing is the most popular menu item on the low-carb list.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Brian Reed, owner of First Bite Sandwich Shoppe in Topeka, prepares the low-carb baked chicken club salad with ranch dressing for a customer during the lunch rush. First Bite has six low-carb meals that rotate on the menu.

Please see DIET, Page 11A

Continued from Page 9A

Diet: Restaurant's menu rotates

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