Macro Trends

Macro Trends

Transparency

With reviews becoming more popular,and social media being a tool for exposing peoples opinions of their brand, It is important that companies are honest and show what they are about eg: show their processes, otherwise people will find out.

Transparency also applies to customers engaging at a higher level with restaurants to create their meals. Think of a ramen bowl, prepared in front of a diner while they choose the ingredients.

localism 

Consumers exhibit a growing preference for artisanal food and beverage that is prepared from scratch onsite; they perceive these items to offer enhanced taste, quality and even healthfulness.

Implication: All mealparts are fair game for handmade items—from sausage ground on-premise to sodas made in-house to desserts made from scratch. Housemade items may also garner higher price thresholds.

Cravability

Innovation in the form of unexpected ingredients, mash-ups that combine familiar items in new ways, and the use of traditional flavors at atypical times piques consumers’ interest and demand for variety and new experiences.

Implication: Consumers are responding to the application of breakfast and dessert flavors across the menu; updated nostalgic desserts; and all-day gourmet burgers and sides with a “wow” factor.

Consumers are increasingly interested in trying new flavors, often in the form of a fusion of two familiar flavor notes—such as sweet and spicy.

Implication: Flavor pairing is relevant across all dayparts and mealparts, from breakfast to beverages to dessert; consumers say that sweet notes pair well with the greatest variety of flavors.

With the rise of snacking, the idea of segmented dayparts has faded, and consumers are more apt to purchase an item that fits their needs regardless of daypart or menu part.

Implication: Operators and suppliers can take advantage of daypart and mealpart blurring by cross-promoting items for a variety of dayparts and mealparts, rather than designating certain items as breakfast, appetizers, sides or dessert