Burgers remain a menu mainstay. What’s changed is cooking techniques, flavor combination trends and restaurant square footage.

As restaurant patrons become more sensitive to price increases, chicken remains an attractive menu choice, both for diners and operators.

Today’s restaurant environment includes a full array of menu mashups.

Instead of a shared space with multiple operators, the new iteration of ghost kitchens includes ghost menus that are executed out of a commissary production kitchen or a restaurant that is typically owned by one entity.

Generally deemed a good value for portion size from consumers, barbecue continues its successful run; new sauce flavors help, as does current protein cost.

Innovation and differentiation help chains hold their place in the pecking order.

Welcome to the new era of stadium — er, sports venue — foodservice.

Pint-sized restaurant concepts allow operators to open faster and serve the growing off-premises business.

Bars hold a unique place in American culture.

As bowl concepts rapidly expand and near maturity, operators are finding new ways to keep their restaurants fresh.

The first two documented Indian restaurants in the United States were established more than a century ago in New York City.

Category grows number of units and brands

“Do more with less” is becoming a common mantra for operators in this segment, as is leveraging technology wherever possible. 

It seems there’s very little that consumers don’t love about pizza — and very little that foodservice operators won’t do to keep that passion alive.

Is it Tuesday? If so, you may be headed to your local restaurant or on-site foodservice facility to order up the Taco Tuesday special. So ubiquitous and beloved have tacos become in the United States, thanks in part to mainstream chain restaurants and in part to the fact that we share a border with Mexico, that they have their own day of the week.

Golf and country club foodservice now caters to a wider demographic.

The emergence of new concepts and expansion of others keep this Hawaiian fare prominent.

“I’m from Virginia. We define barbecue as pork.”

Pent-up demand has consumers now looking for more upscale and/or unique experiences when hosting events.

There’s probably nothing more American than a good old-fashioned hamburger (although, admittedly, hot dog makers might disagree). They appear on 51% of menus, according to Mike Kostyo, trendologist for research firm Datassential. That makes them the sixth most common entree option on menus. And few other menu items match their popularity: 85% of customers say they like or love burgers, according to Datassential research.

As in other industry segments, trends already at work reshaping senior living foodservice prior to the pandemic have intensified in strategic importance over the past two years.

Menus expand with fusion mash-ups, plant-forward elements build, and operators seek equipment efficiencies now more than ever.

Two areas of concern: supply chain issues and labor shortages.

Shifting demographics, ingredient challenges and pricing impact fine-dining restaurants.

Three years ago, no one would have been able to tell you what a virtual foodservice brand was or what it was for. Today, many people still do not know. And yet, virtual brands continue to pop up all over the industry — so much so that they can be considered their own market segment.

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

While there may be a more relaxed dress code and fewer white tablecloths at fine dining establishments today, the quality of service and the menus remain in the upper echelon of dining.

Despite challenges ranging from limited space to an inexperienced workforce and the stigma of low-quality offerings, the convenience channel continues to evolve foodservice operations.

Mix one part comfort food and one part sociability with two parts nostalgia and you’ll have the recipe for the success of diners. This formula has worked for decades, but will it work in the future?

The food station has become a standard design component of many foodservice operations over the past few years.