The dining experience has changed in a number of ways over the past few decades. With an influx of new restaurants and a booming restaurant business, consumers have more choices than ever when picking a spot for a night out. While food trends are ever changing, they certainly shouldn’t be ignored by the restaurant industry. Consumers have the power to make more decisions than ever when dining out. This week on the blog, we’re discussing which food trends to look out for and how they can affect your restaurant’s menu.
Farm to plate is an extremely popular trend this year, especially with the upcoming summer season. The idea behind farm to plate is sourcing local ingredients from meat to grains and vegetables, and serving them at your restaurant. An agreement with a local farmer can potentially ensure that you have the freshest ingredients at your restaurant, which is greatly appreciated by consumers seeking this specific trend.
Sustainability goes hand in hand with the farm to plate concept. Sustainable items can range from seafood to vegetables, and consumers are interested in this trend because it creates a positive impact on the environment. Sustainable seafood means good fishing practices, not over-fishing, and fishing for animals that are not endangered. You can offer a short explanation on your menu about how the fish were caught and with what method for consumers interested in this trend.
Gluten-free and Paleo foods are all over the media. Offering these items on your menu means catering to a niche crowd, so if your restaurant does not serve this population it might not be necessary. Gluten-free is much more common than strict paleo, but the two go hand in hand. Both gluten-free and Paleo refer to foods without grains. Gluten-free specifically refers to food without gluten. Some people have allergic reactions to gluten and cannot tolerate it at all, so it’s helpful to keep a few gluten-free options on the menu for those populations.
While food trends have an expiration date, it’s important to still keep them in mind. Your restaurant does not need to exhaust every food trend and change the menu constantly, and your guests wouldn’t appreciate that either. However, finding a food trend that works for your restaurant’s culture and implementing it into the menu will show that your restaurant keeps up to date with the current climate and is ready and willing to adapt to change.
