How the phenomenon known simply as “brunch” has influenced some restaurant owners’ business plans.

by Anna Meyer

photos by Rose McManus

Whether planned through a spontaneous morning or a carefully planned date at the restaurant-of-the-moment, brunch has lowkey become the most social event to look forward to each weekend. Google searches for ‘brunch’ have steadily risen since 2004, with the word being searched most often on Sundays. Currently, #brunch brings up more than 8 million posts on Instagram, and brunch-themed accounts, such as @bitcheswhobrunch, have attracted thousands of followers.

With the increased interest in the mid-morning meal, some restaurant owners and food creatives have changed their business approach around serving brunch- hungry customers. Chefs are putting an emphasized focus on their brunch menus, and it has even influenced an increase in brunch pop-ups. A pop-up restaurant is a popularized business model where a chef can prepare and serve an innovative menu or test out creative dishes in a temporary location for a limited time. Take LA Chef Becky Ream’s company, Bang Bang, for example. Her once a month pop-up brunch restaurant centrally drives Ream’s catering company. Collaborating with local businesses and locations, Ream can experiment with seasonal ingredients and change her menu at her whim. But Ream isn’t alone in deciding to cater specifically to brunch-goers.

Sam Donnell, chef and owner of The Waffle Iron in Lawrence, Kansas, has found success in opening a pop-up restaurant that specializes in serving unique waffle-based dishes. The Waffle Iron operates exclusively for brunch on the weekends, and being that Lawrence is a college town, the restaurant has leaned toward catering to a younger crowd. Although some argue that brunch has become oversaturated with expensive meals and leaves brunch goers focusing more on the brunch culture rather than the actual food, others point out how brunch is the ultimate mashup of meals.

“It’s interesting because in the morning, brunch is the first thing people eat,” Donnell explains. “They’re a lot less routine-driven then they are later in the day, which is why I like waffles so much. Everyone knows about waffles and it’s such an accessible thing, but you can do anything at brunch.”.

There are no rules when it comes to this meal. Menus can offer a mix of breakfast foods, lunch foods, coffee, and, of course, alcohol. With unlimited possibilities, brunch menus grant chefs, baristas, and bartenders freedom to experiment with different flavors and ingredients.

“I change the menu enough that people are always trying new things and they’re trying things out that they like,” Donnell says. “They’ll ask, ‘what should I get, what’s up this week?’ It’s really awesome.”

Beyond the food offered at The Waffle Iron, Donnell believes brunch goers seek out restaurants and pop-ups that are operated by food creatives who are genuinely passionate about their menus.

“People really seek out authentic experiences, and they go out of their way to find things that are homemade and from scratch, or different, or unique,” he concludes.

The Riveter makes a great brunch companion. Issue 4 has shipped to subscribers and will arrive in mailboxes over the next two weeks. It’s also available for sale in our online store. Share a photo of yourself and TR out to brunch on Instagram with the hashtag #TheRiveterDoesBrunch, and we’ll regram our favorites! Whether you choose to feature friends toasting mimosas, a carefully arranged spread of your dish, or yourself drinking coffee out of your favorite mug, we want to see how you treat yourself at brunch.

Anna Meyer is The Riveter’s Editorial Brand Assistant. She is a Minneapolis native currently pursuing journalism and creative writing at the University of Kansas. She enjoys experimenting with charcoal drawing, plastic toy cameras, and she’s most likely waking up early for yoga this weekend. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Rose McManus is The Riveter’s Social Editorial Brand Assistant. She is an Ohio native currently pursuing journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia. She is known for wearing lots of black and creating beautiful flatlays for Instagram.