It’s an annual tradition! Each December, we compile top food and foodservice industry trends from various research reports to see how they might impact foodservice design as well as the use of equipment and supply items in the next year. Here’s a list of our top picks.
Trend: Single-Concept Concepts
A 2025 trends report from restaurant consultancy af&co points out the rise of raw bars and fried seafood counters nationwide. Also, instant ramen’s also having a moment, with new concepts in Los Angeles, Denver, New York City and Texas offer self-serve, Korean-style instant ramen where customers can add their own toppings and spices. One interesting concept is Instant Noodle Shop in New York City, a nearly fully automated operation where patrons can select from 85 varieties of instant ramen from and add-ins from kiosks.
Equipment Implications: Key items to support these concepts include built-in counter wells for ice to hold raw seafood and higher-tech fryers for high-volume seafood cookery; instant ramen machines.
Trend: Focus on Value
With the cost of dining out having increased the past couple of years, consumers are hungry for value, which is why this concept appeared on trend lists, including the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot Culinary Forecast and Datassential’s 2025 Trend Report. “QSRs will have to go back and dig into value,” says Jay Bandy, president of Goliath Consulting. “That’s why we’re seeing the $5 meals again and two-tiered pricing. The strategy works; consumer seek perceived value and want to they feel better about their purchase, especially at a time when inflation runs high and it’s cheaper to eat at home versus out.” As such, operators focused on value will need to reduce costs on their end to keep rising costs down for consumers.
Equipment Implications: This trend will could lead to an increased emphasis on multiuse, programmable, automated and robotic equipment to save on labor costs.
Trend: Better Beverages Innovation
With consumers increasingly looking for non-alcoholic options when they dine out, operators find themselves going beyond the basics of soda, water, coffee and tea to offer more elevated options in those categories and beyond. One byproduct of this trend is the growing popularity of the dirty soda,” af&co notes. These NA beverages layer on popular sodas with flavor and texture add-ins like syrups, fruit juices, creamers and even cookies. Datassential noted burgeoning interest in more floral beverages, from rose-flavored lattes to sodas and teas infused with Rooh Afza, a South Asian herbal syrup made from rose water, fruits, herbs and natural sweeteners with a bright red hue. The National Restaurant Association’s 2025 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast listed cold brew as leading the pack in the trending beverage category. And then there’s the rise of boba (or bubble) tea and boba tea concepts — the Taiwanese innovation featuring gel-encased, flavor-filled pearls that offer an added sensory experience when they burst with flavors like mango, pomegranate and strawberry and in beverages.
Even plain ole’ water’s getting the stepped-up treatment; Katja Beck, FCSI, senior associate, Cini-Little, says her clients are looking for stainless-steel taps that can be elegantly displayed on countertops and bars and that pull hot, cold and sparkling water for house-made sodas, teas and filtered water. “All the serveries and schools we design now want these various water options attached to in-house filter systems to offer healthier options, plus they offer higher profit margins than bottled beverages,” she says.
Equipment Implications: Items supporting these trends include cold brewing equipment and supplies; higher-end soda and water taps and dispensers; blenders; syrup dispensers; large pots or tilt skillets for boiling tapioca pearls for bubble tea; handheld and automatic tea shakers.
Trend: Back to the Bakery
Concepts are having fun with trending baked goods, industry trends experts report. Growing in popularity are Mexican conchas, with operators reinventing this this classic sweet bread with creative and savory fillings like ground beef and eggs, af&co reports. Also having a moment are croissants, particularly when they serve as a vessel for inventive sweet and savory fillings and toppings.
Equipment Implications: Equipment supporting this trend includes commercial baking proofers and ovens; expanded prep tables and prep space; expanded refrigeration for pre-bought or pre-made doughs; expanded dry storage for flour and dry baking ingredients.
Five Fun Food Trends for 2025
- Sansho pepper — a spice made from the peppercorns of a Japanese pepper plant that has a strong citrusy flavor and a numbing effect
- Pikliz — this Haitian pickled vegetable relish or slaw’s becoming a sought-after as a condiment for its spicy, tangy profile
- Suya — Nigerian spiced meat skewers celebrated for their bold flavors and street food appeal
- Salted egg yolk — umami-packed ingredient often used in Asian dishes
- Ras Malai — an Indian dessert known for its soft, spongy texture and rich, creamy flavor, infused with paneer cheese and spices like cardamom and saffron
