Food Trends

 

Going out to eat is more popular than ever. In recent years, restaurant spending has outpaced grocery spending for the first time in history. Restaurants that do well to attract customers usually emphasize the economical and convenient aspects of their foods and food services. Some of the highest grossing restaurants include McDonald’s, Subway, and Starbucks– all which have strategically followed trends in eating habits to guarantee success.

Americans generally have diverse diets, eating on average 14 different types of food a day. These foods range from salty snacks to fruits and vegetables. Additionally, Americans are becoming increasingly more health conscious, with more people opting for fresh foods over processed foods. A study from the Scientific American suggests that a key obstacle preventing people from eating well is cost. As the economy continues to recover from the financial recession, restaurants should consider the price of menu items more than ever. Current trends suggest that low-cost, but healthy food could be on the rise soon.

Despite this, serving primarily cheap, healthy, or specialized menu items is not the only key to meeting consumer demands. Currently, the group that spends the most on eating out is Generation X and older millennials, whom the study refers to as ‘restaurant occasion lovers’. This group of regular restaurant patrons spends about 1/3 of their income on eating out. While they prefer value and convenience, taste is king among restaurant occassion lovers. Unlike younger millennials, they can afford the full restaurant experience and are willing to spend more if the food and service is high quality.

Food trends are often fickle and easily forgotten, but overall, customers are looking for menus with both economical and tasty foods. As the years go by, healthy options are also becoming more important to consumers. Overall, restaurant-goers are expecting quality when they go out to eat.