What 'limited time only' is actually doing
Scarcity on a fast-food menu is rarely about scarcity. It is a scheduling tool, a supply hedge and a way to test products without committing a kitchen.
menumarketingLimited runs look like marketing theatre, and partly they are. But they solve three separate operational problems at once.
Kitchen capacity
Every permanent item consumes station space, holding equipment and training time. A limited run borrows that capacity briefly instead of claiming it forever.
Input prices
An item built on a commodity whose price swings — pork trimmings, say — can be sold when the input is cheap and withdrawn when it is not, without ever announcing a price decision.
Testing
A limited run is a live test with a built-in exit. If it fails, nothing has to be publicly discontinued; the window simply closes.