5 restaurant moves that actually mattered in 2014

Chris Nichols
This undated product image provided by Taco Bell, shows the company's new waffle taco. The fast-food chain says the waffle taco, which includes scrambled eggs, sausage and a side of syrup, was the top seller during breakfast hours at the five Southern California restaurants where they were tested earlier this year. (AP Photo/Taco Bell)

Every year, the restaurant industry produces an overload of news. A lot of it's noise that generates buzz, gets the name in the news and, in the modern day, starts people chattering on social media.

Though not every development will have a real, lasting impact, some do. In thinking back on this year, I wanted to highlight some of the restaurant decisions that I believe have the potential to truly make a difference for the companies involved. Competition for the dining-out dollar is as intense as ever, and so many operators have struggled to gain guests. Sales growth hasn't always been impressive, though there are signs in the industry that 2015 could be good.

For my list, I only considered publicly traded companies and their divisions. So regardless of how great Chick-fil-A might have been, they weren't in the running. Also, it had to be primarily an idea put on the market this year.

Here then are my five favorite moves in 2014 that I believe can resonate for years ahead:

1. Pizza Hut. The Yum Brands (YUM) division added a line of specialty pizzas, changed its logo, updated its online ordering and brought out a major marketing campaign to draw in customers and compete better. Pizza Hut sells a lot of pizza -- U.S. sales in 2013 were $5.7 billion -- but growth's gotten much more difficult, while competitors are celebrating. Now, the largest pizza maker in the world has vastly added to its menu and made a tremendous bet that "artisan" ingredients will resonate with mainstream America. If it works, it's a win for Yum and its shareholders. If it doesn't, it's a massive disappointment. Has the Hut lost its way or found the right one? I think it's the latter. Diners are calling for ever-more options, even with pizza, already about as customizable as it gets.

2. Taco Bell. Another Yum Brands company makes this list, albeit one that stays fairly active and innovative. In recent years we've seen the Fourth Meal promotion, Doritos Locos Tacos and the Cantina Bell line. This year, breakfast happened coast to coast, so welcome Waffle Taco and A.M. Crunchwrap. Stores want those visitors at the drive-thru on the way to work, and here's Taco Bell as an option alongside the top names. In the third quarter, Yum named breakfast specifically as a factor in Taco Bell's 3% growth in U.S. same-store sales. If consumers buy into breakfast at the Bell beyond this year's initial mania (especially millennials), it should be a great platform far into the future.

3. Chili's. Every company wants to be viewed as technologically savvy. They won't all get it right, however, with their apps and devices. One that should be among the winners is Brinker International's (EAT) Chili's, which a few months ago completed the installation of more than 45,000 Ziosk tablets in 823 company-owned restaurants. No, Chili's isn't the only chain with tablets. It's not even yet offering the entire menu. But casual dining has been challenged in recent years with traffic and pricing, and early data suggest the Ziosk is enhancing ordering, re-ordering and checkout convenience. In the last two quarters, Brinker said the Ziosk was integral to its increases in year-over-year franchise revenue.

4. Chipotle. A cheap meal, it isn't. A popular meal, it is -- even after boosting prices. Higher menu prices were implemented to offset the greater costs Chipotle (CMG) pays for items such as avocados and beef, yet customers were still lining up out the door. In the third quarter, revenue was $1.08 billion, up 31% from the previous year, and same-store sales jumped almost 20%. Part of that was a higher average check, to which the raised prices contributed. But it was really about growth in guest traffic. Is there no price at which people will abandon Chipotle? Maybe not, and this year only points to the power it has. If you're boosting prices and still getting more people to drop by, congrats. This store is further cementing its reputation as the fast-casual name all others will be compared against.

5. Qdoba Mexican Grill. Qdoba, a division of Jack in the Box (JACK), announced its own plan to charge more on the menu, but that's only part of it. The key here wasn't really the increases, which are based on the protein chosen. The key was the fact that Qdoba altered its pricing structure to stop charging for add-ons, including guacamole and cheese queso. Qdoba competes with all manner of Tex-Mex stores, including the aforementioned Chipotle, and the "giveaways" are a good way to earn customer loyalty as it builds out, even if the starting point is a bit higher. Keep it simple. And investors are going to keep hearing about this impressive component of Jack in the Box.

Other noteworthy developments:

--Wendy's. The square-burger seller gave us barbecue for a time this year, though that didn't quite match 2013's outstanding pretzel bun. Still, I applaud Wendy's (WEN) for bringing new unlikely items to a mainstream hamburger chain.

--Burger King. Clearly, the planned merger with Tim Hortons (THI) was the news of the year here. However, Burger King's (BKW) commitment to returning items customers crave is laudable, even if they were limited-time offers. The first was the chicken fries. The second was the Yumbo. While it's difficult to fathom patrons calling for the renewal of a ham-and-cheese sandwich last sold in 1974, it doesn't matter. What matters is Burger King's insistence on the messaging of customer, customer and customer.