What tops the 2023 What’s Hot list? Restaurant experiences, local dining and community. Despite the dominance of off-premises restaurant use, pent-up demand for restaurant experiences— socialization, celebration, culinary exploration—is strong.
Inflation, however, is changing how customers spend their restaurant dollars in a greater search for value, and operators will continue to promote family bundles and culinary kits that meet at the intersection of craving and budgetary caution.
And although consumers feel inflationary pressures, the cost of groceries is currently outpacing higher menu prices (up 13.0% vs. 8.5% year-over-year in October). Even in inflationary times, consumers want to use restaurants. The challenge for operators is to stay interesting and relevant to attract consumers who are looking to experience food they can’t replicate at home.
National Restaurant Association | What’s Hot 2023 | Restaurant.org
It can be tricky to integrate trends into your bar or restaurant without losing your own identity, and even harder to do so in a way that feels natural. Luckily, we have some ideas for you.
When incorporating trends into your program, keep things familiar. Instead of overhauling your entire menu to fit a recently popular ingredient, run "limited time only" specials. Specials are a foolproof way to test new menu items with your customers.
Diners are faced with trendy, cutting-edge menu options constantly, and they will often look for a familiar version of these things as an entry point. Try pairing the latest trends with old standbys. One example of this is the concept of a gourmet burger. No matter what brand-new ingredient you put on a burger, it's still a burger, and nearly everyone can connect with that.
Once you know how to integrate a trend, how do you know which one will take your menu to the next level? Knowing your customers and what they're looking for in a dining experience is crucial. Once you have a solid, reliable profile of your typical customer, you can start integrating trends that you know they'll love. After all, in this business, the customer comes first.
Lastly, don't try to sink your teeth into every trend that gains popularity if it doesn't make sense for your establishment, your staff, and your customers.
1. Value meals2. Unique handhelds (French toast sticks, chicken & waffle sandwiches, etc.)3. Veggie-forward breakfasts (vegan tofu scramble, breakfast relleno, etc.)
1. Charcuterie boards2. Cauliflower3. Elote
1. Elevated bar snacks2. Bolder loaded fries (ghost pepper fries, hot honey fries, etc.)3. Reduced-sugar snacks
1. Chicken sandwiches 3.0 (spicy and sweet-heat fusion flavors on chicken, etc.)2. Fried chicken sandwiches3. Flatbread sandwiches/healthier wraps
1. Less-expensive meat cuts (chicken thighs, beef chuck, pork shoulder, etc.)2. Cauliflower carb alternatives (rice, pizza crust, etc.)3. Meal kits/Family meals
1. Alternative sweeteners (maple sugar, coconut sugar, etc.)2. Revamped classics (moon pies, housemade oatmeal cream pies, deconstructed s’mores, etc.)3. CBD desserts
1. Oat, nut or seed milks2. Cold brew innovations (flavored cold brews, cold brew with toppings, etc.)3. Non-alcohol seltzers/sparkling water
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