Fall for Mashed Potatoes on Your Seasonal Menu
September 25, 2025
Autumn calls for falling leaves, cozy sweaters … and mashed potatoes. To 65% of consumers, fall means visiting restaurants for special flavors, dishes, beverages and limited-time offers.1 Foodservice professionals know it’s also comfort food season. That’s why, when temperatures drop, operators turn to ingredients like mashed potatoes to infuse their seasonal dishes with extra comfort.
Feed Comfort Cravings with Seasonal Menu Items
Comfort foods are happy foods. So it’s no wonder they’re a top draw, with 72% of consumers craving comfort food when dining out, and 82% indulging in them weekly.2 And what says comfort more than potatoes? This fall, you can make your menu stand out by including mashed potatoes in seasonal spins on traditional dishes. Think flavor mashups with sweet potatoes and new formats like pizza. Roll out these fall menu items as LTOs, and drive even more traffic to your restaurant. Why LTOs? The ticking-clock urgency of limited-time menu items drives diners to “try them now, before they’re gone.” In fact, 61% of consumers say they’re interested in ordering restaurant specials in the fall.3 Another benefit of LTOs? You can often charge a little more for them. This is great news for your bottom line, especially when you can use one ingredient across multiple dishes.
Get Wild With Mashed Potato Recipes
As for that one ingredient? Two words: mashed potatoes. More than a side dish, they’re a versatile ingredient that can bring the comfort factor to a range of dishes this fall. If you want to really turn heads, try mashed potatoes on pizza. After all, 55% of consumers say pizza is their favorite comfort food,2 and 68% say potatoes are their go-to comfort food pairing choice.3 Why not combine them? This BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza is the perfect fall LTO, featuring mozzarella and mashed sweet potatoes as the sauce. You can also use mashed potatoes to create a thick base for Broccoli Cheddar Ale Soup, adding seasonal toppings like roasted corn, applewood bacon or sage.
Use Speed-Scratch Ingredients in Seasonal Recipes
Sure, seasonal menu updates sound great, but time and labor constraints can get in the way. Ready-to-use ingredients, like Simply Potatoes® mashed potatoes, make it easier to get creative with menu development by shaving off prep time.
Guests won’t be able to get enough of your fall menu when you use mashed potatoes in new and exciting ways. Explore our recipes for more ideas, and connect with a Michael Foods representative to find the best products for your operation.
Sources:
1 Seasonal Insights, Fall Trends, Datassential, 2024
2 Comfort Food: Defined, Report Pro, Datassential, 2023
3 Know the Trend: Comfort Food, Datassential, 2025
