Foodservice trends are constantly evolving as the interests and needs of people change. As a restaurateur, franchisee, owner, chef or anyone working in the foodservice industry, keeping up with the trends is key to a successful restaurant.
Restaurant Equipment Trends
Innovative technology dictates the type of restaurant equipment is popular. From space-saving equipment to nitro equipment, programmable settings to Bluetooth-enabled, the foodservice industry is seeing an influx of equipment enhanced with technological advancements. Oftentimes, we also see a correlation between food trends and new equipment. Take for example the nitro beverages. Nitrogen gas has been used in the beverage and bar industry for a long time, but most recently we’ve seen nitro make its way into café drinks like coffee.
Custom restaurant equipment is also popular. As commercial kitchen footprints shrink ꟷ or if you’re opening a restaurant as part of a food hall ꟷ space is a premium. Using customized equipment can help you create a more effective layout.
Dining as an Experience
Food is taking a back seat as diners are looking at the overall experience when choosing where to eat out at. Some customers are looking for an opportunity to socialize with other diners while others are looking for an immersive experience where they can watch their food be prepared. With diners wanting dinner and a show, restaurant kitchens need to be functional and aesthetically appealing.While fast casual dining has been popular for years, fast fine restaurants are up-and-coming, offering customers the same quick service, but with higher quality ingredients. Falling between fast casual and fine dining, fast fine dining takes the fast food experience up a notch ꟷ which is intriguing the millennial audience.
Food Trends
Not a big surprise, but farm-to-table, locally-sourced dishes are still popular. And to accommodate all that fresh food, restaurants need to have ample storage and refrigeration space. Gone are the days of massive freezers. That space is now allocated to preserving the fresh, local food diners have come to expect.
You TME team stays current on all the foodservice industry trends so we can make recommendations for your commercial kitchen. No matter what stage of the planning process you’re in, contact our team to work with experts in the field.