Wasabi to the People: Big Chains Evolve or Die

"Get it wrong, though, and customers disappear, along with revenues. As a result, chains and large food manufacturers dance a sometimes awkward tango with novelty. Flavors that would evoke yawns in acclaimed restaurants in Chicago or Los Angeles must be approached with caution by chains. While a chef in Manhattan might discover a new ingredient in the morning and have it on the menu by dinnertime, a corporate executive faced with the same ingredient will react with a lengthy regime of recipe development and test-marketing."

NY Times