White-collar workers are somewhat returning to urban office buildings and suburban corporate campuses, but no big shifts have occurred, which leaves those running foodservice offerings still figuring it all out.

Despite a setback to hospitality during the pandemic, food halls continue to open and thrive across the country, proving that their popularity isn’t a passing trend. The success of food halls comes from curated menus, authentic brands, and dynamic environments. Corporate dining environments can pull numerous lessons from the success of food halls.

Designers faced challenges ranging from working with an older building to designing stations with flexibility in mind to accommodate unknown operators.

Built-in flexibility, from vendors to equipment, add to the resiliency of food halls.

There’s a strong possibility, foodservice designers say, that the servery of the future won’t look exactly like it does today.

The Farehouse Market, Chicago

These upgraded food court-style formats provide operators with a low barrier to entry, which may be the saving grace of concepts in a post-pandemic foodservice environment, even if communal dining trends fade.

Food halls cannot open as fast as food trucks, but they do share common threads in amping up local fare, focusing on authenticity and being the concept of the moment.

Two food hall veterans outline key factors for success.

Beyond the varied menu and service styles, food halls often feature a retail component, which allows customers to take a portion of their experience home to enjoy later.

Unique spaces create custom foodservice operations at four distinctly different food halls.