When people talk about restaurant and dining trends, they typically go right for the plate - meaning they talk about new foods, new ingredients, new food sources and the like. But restaurant trends these days go far beyond the plate - off the menu and into other areas you’d likely not think of right away.
So let’s jump into some 2017 trends that we see happening around the world and see if you saw them coming.
Trend #1 - Tech will rule the fast-casual restaurant space. From ordering apps to loyalty programs and more, tech is going to have a tremendous impact on the restaurant industry in 2017. With the pervasiveness of smartphones and the relative ease with which apps can be developed more and more quick-serve/fast-casual operators will be coming out with ways to make buying from them easier and more valuable.
Tech will also rule the restaurant delivery space as well. With the increase in the popularity of Uber and similar people delivery services, it’s not a big stretch to apply the same technology to the restaurant space as well
Trend #2 - Get ready for more bowls. Historically, the bowl represents a bringing together of various ingredients in an earthy and healthful way. Sure you’re used to the salad brown, but get ready for bowls of varying contents: grain, veggies, meats, etc. The circular shape of a bowl suggests togetherness - a circle of friends, coming together over good, healthy foods. Expect restaurant operators to capitalize on this and look for an increase in the use of the word “bowl” on your favorite menus.
Trend #3 - The world of hybrid food is upon us. Look for a bunch of culinary and cultural mashups to make their way to your favorite restaurants in 2017. One of the biggest examples of 2016 was the marketing of Ching’s desi-chinese food targeted at one of the largest markets in the world: India. Expect this trend of hybrid foods and heavy marketing to gain momentum and don’t be surprised if your favorite actor is on the small-screen to tell you how good it is.
Trend #4 - Breakfast gets big. In North America, breakfast is big money and those how capitalize on this daypart properly will see big gains in profit. Operators, including Tim Hortons in Canada and the USA, have been serving breakfast for some time. Wendy’s tried it a few years ago and gave up while McDonald’s is upping their breakfast game in Canada with all-day breakfast offerings. Look for creative menu ideas and big promotions to get you on-board with the most important (and, to some degree, profitable) meal of the day.
The funny thing about trends is that they’re mere predictions. We saw some of these trends peek their heads up at various times in 2016, and these are just a few that we see gaining momentum, or starting this year. Got a trend or two of your own that you predict for 2017? Let us know! Do you see a trend that you wish wasn’t a trend? Let us know that, too!
