We take a look at what Restaurant Insider has to say about the trends set to influence the future of food in the restaurant sector.
2019 Restaurant Trends
- The Rise of Online Ordering
According to the National Restaurant Association, three in five U.S. consumers order delivery or takeout at least once a week.
Delivery sales could rise an annual average of more than 20 percent to $365 billion worldwide by 2030, from $35 billion according to investment bank UBS. A recent study conducted by CHD Expert shows that restaurants will see this revenue from a variety of venues:
- Experimenting with Dining Experiences
For decades, quality of food and service has been at the center of the restaurant industry. With so many establishments making great food and providing exceptional service, what are restaurants doing to set themselves apart?
In 2019, the industry will continue to move toward out-of-the-box experiences for consumers. Long gone are the days of typical two-for-one meals and happy hours. Restaurants are now pushed to ask themselves what they can do to offer diners an experience that they’ll never forget.
- Consumers Spend Consciously
In 2019, the word transparency holds a different meaning than it has in recent years. Instead of simply sharing the local farm where you buy your beef and chicken, customers are interested in a well-rounded transparency message beyond sourcing details.
- Wellness Warriors Enter the Industry
While functional foods have been all the rage in the wellness industry, they have recently gone mainstream in the restaurant industry. Data from nearly 9,000 Upserve customers revealed a 149 percent increase in fermented foods (great for gut health) and a 99 percent increase in CBD (a wonder-additive that helps with everything from inflammation to anxiety) on menus in 2018, setting up 2019 as the year of functional foods and drinks.
- Cultivating Culture to Fight Employee Turnover
Before his passing in 2018, Anthony Bourdain bestowed some wisdom onto a group of Culinary Institute of America students in a December 2017 commencement speech. The industry icon acknowledged the abusive systems that are present in many restaurant kitchens where hazing is commonplace.
- The Restaurant Tech Takeover
As restaurants strive to provide a frictionless experience for consumers, restaurant technology companies are aiming to do to the same for restaurant operators. All-in-one restaurant management platforms have become a valuable tool for restaurant owners and managers to integrate point-of-sale, analytics, online ordering, inventory management, and more, allowing them more time to pay attention to their guests and watch for emerging trends that could make their business the next big thing.
As chef and owner of COPA, the nation’s first farm-to-table living wage-certified Cuban restaurant, Roberto Copa Matos knows the importance of cultivating quality in all areas of business. The strategy of sustainable agriculture that the former biochemist practices at the full-service Durham, North Carolina, restaurant he owns with his wife, Elizabeth Turnbull, trickles down to the way the couple manages all aspects of the restaurant from staff to menu to technology: Reduce waste of both product and time, and provide guests with the highest quality experience possible.
“Starting a restaurant is hard enough,” she says, “so anything you can have that makes your life easier, I think is worthwhile.”