Current Restaurant Trends: Introducing A Top Tool

Current restaurant trends are something you definitely need to keep tabs on. Restaurant owners have so many things to concentrate on that it’s easy to miss the most vital steps and information. Trends are popularity patterns, simple as that, so to win high foot traffic for your business, trends matter.

Trends involve anything from current food trends - think pink drinks for the Barbie film - to menu prices and delivery options. Anything can be a trend, and it is up to you to keep tabs on what is becoming popular.

Everyone wants increasing profits for their business. By investing in trend research, you can get ahead of the curve and beat other competitors to leading trends. Boost your business and get studying, let us do the work for you. This guide will explain precisely why trends matter and how to utilize them. Trends are cutting-edge and super exciting, so prepare to get excited about your next steps.

What Are Restaurant Trends?

Restaurant trends are just patterns of popular themes and products. Current restaurant trends are things that consumer attitudes are positive towards - this could be anything from colors to food types. It is essential to understand that these trends are usually temporary. Trends come and go like the seasons, and sometimes even quicker. This is why, to stay relevant, you have to keep a close eye on trends. By staying ‘on trend,’ you can keep your profit high by best catering to your consumers.

Some trends are impossible to switch between constantly, so stay sensible even when you get creative. Restaurant owners can’t be redecorating their entire properties constantly. And you can be fundamentally shifting your business model each month. You want to avoid suddenly diving between on and off-premise dining or dropping everything for virtual restaurant business models.

Look for small ways that you can embrace new trends in significant ways. This could be by abiding by the current food trends, like providing autumnal-flavored drinks. Or you could embrace trends with your delivery options and by evaluating your fusion cuisine offerings.

Restaurant owners have much to consider, but trend-watching is worth adding to your plate. If you can dedicate an extra slice of brainpower to this, you can reap some huge rewards. You can use trend forecasting software and make a start on this process today. Super simple.

Why Do Current Trends in Restaurant Operations Matter?

So, why do current trends in restaurant operations matter? Why should you even care about current restaurant trends? The answer is simple because it matters to your consumers. Consumer attitudes sway like the wind, and it is your job to provide something for them to stick to. If you sell, the trending pink drink and your competitor doesn’t guess who will get more sales this summer? Utilizing trends is a little dog eats dog, but very necessary.

Even things that don’t matter to the consumer can impact you - like pricing trends. If you ignore pricing trends, you could be at the mercy of inflation. So, even if the promise of positive consumer attitudes isn’t swaying you, financial stability and prosperity should.

As more specific insights, here are some of the main reasons why current trends in the restaurant industry matter.

• Specific trends, like TikTok, boost your marketing reach.
• Embracing trends opens you up to fantastic brand partnerships.
• Exciting trends help you to stay passionate about your business.
• Trends allow you to strengthen your relationship with customers.
• Trends offer novelty.
• Trends help to bring in new customers and give an opportunity to build customer loyalty.

Restaurant trends are some of the most underrated yet incredible things you can do for your business. Give your business the gift of new life and super popular characteristics - as you can see, trends matter.

What Are the Current Trends in the Restaurant Industry?

There are so many things to consider regarding current restaurant trends. There is more to think about than just ‘What are the current trends in the restaurant industry.’ Do you want to know about restaurant marketing, product, or pricing trends? Which avenue do you want to choose? Or, at the very least, which trend do you want to focus on right now?

In this section, we will cover all the current trends in the restaurant industry that you should know about. We’ll specify which avenue (product, operational, marketing, consumer behavior, or pricing) this relates to for each trend.

1. Current Restaurant Trends: Authority

Authority is a massively important trend in the restaurant industry. In an age of artificial intelligence and the mass spreading of misinformation, authority is critical for building consumer trust. If you want positive consumer attitudes, you need their trust.

Building authority includes transparency, initiative, and excellent staff communication skills. You could have posters displaying essential information to consumers or in-depth sources of information available via free QR codes.

Most of all, you need high-quality staff training so staff are confident tackling any consumer query. Authority is vital when running a successful restaurant and is a current restaurant trend. And in 2023 and beyond, this is even more crucial as an operational trend.

2. Current Restaurant Trends: A Zero Waste Mindset

As purse strings tighten in the cost of living crises worldwide, a zero-waste mindset is becoming widespread. Restaurants cannot afford to waste ingredients, and restaurant owners are finding ways to maximize profit by reducing waste. Similarly, customers want to reduce waste by using leftovers and minimizing eating out.

Initially, this operational and pricing trend looks bleak for the restaurant industry. However, if restaurant owners properly handle consumer attitudes and business practices, they can use this to their advantage. Reduce your restaurant waste and be mindful of menu prices. You can minimize waste operationally to protect your profit and build stronger customer relationships.

3. Current Restaurant Trends: Increasing Fusion Cuisine Markets

Fusion cuisine across cities is on the increase. Diversity is increasing in the UK and US, especially considering the political tensions erupting across the globe. This political trend is creating a sub-impact operational trend - more restaurant cuisine types.

Restaurant owners can consider branching out to meet current food trends. This could be by offering fusion cuisine or building partnerships with other restaurants and suppliers. People want to try new dishes and drinks, and the diversity increase is exciting. Cater to this and watch the benefits roll in.

4. Current Restaurant Trends: Increasing Restaurant Support Networks

These political and cost of living trends create a substantial operational trend of mutual restaurant support. One of the most wholesome current restaurant trends is how restaurants combine to provide industry-wide support. There is an increase in chef alliances and restaurant-to-restaurant partnerships, with companies in difficult times.

Restaurant owners can take advantage of this trend by growing their support network. Work with other restaurants and build connections in your local area and beyond. This could be anything from sharing temporary staff contracts to getting discounts on same-area deliveries. Remember that your industry can be positive, not just competitors.

5. Current Restaurant Trends: Solo Dining

It is no secret; solo dining is continuing to rise. This consumer behavior trend has been growing for a while, and 2023 to 2024 will not let it dip. Solo dining is increasing for many reasons, including a rise in solo travel and a focus on independence. The memo is out - 2023 is the year to embrace solo dining.

So, how can restaurant owners utilize this consumer behavioral trend? Simple. Cater more to solo diners. Have solo tables set out already or offer communal seating that allows solo diners to slip in with minimal hassle. You could even provide solo deals or an area with ‘props’ to help them break the ice, like library corners. If you can help consumers feel more comfortable, you’ll soon get a positive reputation and repeat customers.

6. Current Restaurant Trends: Ingredients and Sustainability Transparency

Awareness of ingredients and the ethical impact of what we put in our bodies is hugely topical. This is one of the significant current restaurant trends for business owners to pay attention to. The best way to tackle this need for healthiness and sustainability is to pay attention to your business. You need to ensure that you are catering to these two fundamental pillars. Then you also need to ensure that you’re being transparent about your ingredients and initiatives - good or bad.

Have this information somewhere easy to access, like a QR code on the menu. You should be able to explain every ingredient and exactly where it came from - be pedantic. Transparency is when you can fully reveal every tiny detail.

7. Current Restaurant Trends: Social Media Matters

Don’t feign sarcastic shock, but social media still very much matters in terms of marketing trends. Social media is the best way to reach customers outside of your locality. Only some people walk past your restaurant or talk to people who do. To target the other demographic, press and social media are your only two ways of connecting.

Furthermore, social media marketing can go viral in seconds. It is just a numbers game. Invest in high-quality social media marketing when embracing current restaurant trends.

8. Current Restaurant Trends: Pink Is In

You’ve probably got the memo, but the Barbie movie has taken over. For the foreseeable future, pink is in. And even when this trend dies down, you should note how impactful color trends can get. Pink is in right now, but color trends are here to stay.

You can quickly take advantage of this restaurant trend with pink drinks and food. Consider things like spirit industry marketing trends. You can even add Barbie mocktails or cocktails onto your alcohol menu, which leads us nicely to…

9. Current Restaurant Trends: Mocktail Options

One thing that is seriously trending is an interest in health. This means more people are looking for non-alcoholic drink options without compromising aesthetics. And this is where mocktails come in.

Mocktails are an excellent way to cater to the growing consumer behavior trend of health awareness. If you can create aesthetic mocktails with no alcohol, you are a winner. Bonus points if you can make them healthy as well.

10. Current Restaurant Trends: Don’t Forget Cash

Over COVID-19, cash became completely taboo over fears of virus transmission. Luckily, these fears are over, so keep this in mind as one of the current restaurant trends. Many people receive payments in cash and rely on being able to use some money in their consumer transactions.

It is important to be flexible in order to better meet the needs of your customers and staff. By ensuring that you’re set up to accept cash payments and allow cash tips for staff, you’re optimizing your business. Definitely, definitely don’t forget cash when moving forward in 2023 and beyond.

Final Thoughts: How To Choose Which Restaurant Trend?

So, how do you choose between all these current restaurant trends? How on Earth do you actually narrow things down? You’ll get better and better at picking restaurant trends as you develop your ‘nose’ for a trend. Restaurant owners shouldn’t get hung up on the decision part; these should be quick decisions as trends are so fleeting.

The key is to start small and choose trends that excite you. Spend up to 30 minutes choosing minimal investment trends and instead invest most of your time in marketing. If you spend 15 minutes deciding on pink drinks for your menu, invest a few hours in marketing. You should use the 20%/80% rule for each trending product or theme. 20% of the time is choosing the trend, and 80% is marketing it.

All you need to tick off when picking restaurant trends is whether you care and whether your consumers will care. If you already know your consumer profiles, you can reasonably reliably predict what your customers will love. And don’t get put off if your trend flops — this occasionally happens to everyone. Instead, just double down on your marketing and make sure you’re emphasizing the selling features or story behind the trend.

Need some extra direction with utilizing current restaurant trends? No problem. At Beambox, we would love to help you to build an effective relationship with restaurant trends. As passionate restaurant supporters and WiFi marketing experts, we care about your restaurant’s journey and success.

Beambox has the top all-in-one WiFi marketing platform. We use practical approaches to attract and retain customers. Start your Beambox free trial today, and let’s get started on your trend journey.

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