Top 5 Restaurant Trends to Look out for in 2022

Source: San Diego Restaurant Week

Dating during the pandemic was weird, to say the least. But like they say, modern problems require modern solutions. So we saw the rise of dating on virtual platforms like Zoom. With social distancing, a priority, meeting new people without leveraging technology was very hard. But after the pandemic-induced slowdown, there has been a significant surge in activity within many dating apps.

This surge might be an indication that people are ready to meet new people and go out on dates with them. You might be thinking, how is this an important restaurant trend? Well, dates contribute a lot to the revenue generated by restaurants, bars, and other data-friendly social venues. These establishments took a really hard blow during the lockdown, so this might be good news for them.

Vegans to the Center Stage!

Source: Pexels

Now we can see many mentions of vegan food on different social media channels. Well, it doesn’t mean everyone is turning vegan but it surely indicates that people are exploring. Today the vegan menu is not limited to people with exclusive vegan diets, with a diverse menu vegan cuisine has been appealing to many people with vegetarian, flexitarian, and omnivorous diets.

This rise in demand will be met by restaurants with a variety of new dishes on their menu. Many restaurants might offer plant-based dishes as staples and not just an option for those with alternative diets.

Superfoods might be another force to drive this trend. Superfoods have been the talk of town mainly because of all the health benefits they offer. With avocados and blueberries reigning supreme among the superfoods, we might see a lot of restaurants offering avocado toasts and vegan blueberry smoothies this year. Can't wait for all the TikTok videos on those.

Ghost Kitchens?

Source: Restaurant365

No these are not kitchens run by actual ghosts. A ghost kitchen is a restaurant with no dining space, which operates only out of a kitchen. Food delivery is a hot trend that will continue in 2022 and this trend has contributed to the rising number of ghost kitchens. Ghost kitchens are also pocket friendly for any restaurant owner as one does not need service staff and will relish a much lower overhead cost. 

Ghost kitchens have come a long way since the introduction of the concept. Initially, ghost kitchens relied only on third-party delivery apps. But today the scope, expectation, and definition of ghost kitchens are changing. Nowadays many restaurants with dine-in facilities have pick-up areas for their patrons to pick up their food themselves. Also today many ghost kitchens deliver directly instead of relying on third-party delivery services. 

The pandemic has changed consumer expectations significantly, and these new expectations will drive major trends in the restaurant industry. Today many restaurants manage their brand reputation and customer expectations without actually meeting the customer.

Popping up Here & There!

Source: Eco Container Home

Pop-up restaurants and food trucks come into trend every other year. Pop-up restaurants offer one of a kind experience that you as a diner might not get anywhere else. This trend was brought back to life after the revival of one of the most popular fandoms “Friends”. Central Perks locations that popped up throughout New York are now making their way across major cities.

Back in 2019 we also saw a prominent fine dining restaurant hop onto the pop-up restaurant trend. Gucci Osteria ventured outside of Italy with their pop-up restaurant led by three Michelin star chefs Massimo Bottura. While the pop-up theme is not exclusive to fine dining, themed places, or casual dining. Pop-ups always come with exclusivity.

Planning a pop-up event can be burdensome, but the results are well worth it. Restaurants set a menu or make a choice of a few specific dishes and charge considerably more than their normal prices. But of course, the success of a pop-up is short-lived, the goal would be to drive business to your restaurant.

It’s for Mamma Earth

Source: Green Fortune

Restaurant trends aren’t always about service or food. This time it's the plastic waste and the water pollution that has the restaurant industry under the microscope. Many restaurant staples which have been used in the industry for years like plastic cups, plastic straws, or take away bags have people questioning their necessity. Well then again getting rid of them will not be a solution, the solution would be to find an eco-friendly alternative.

This has led to many green kitchens, where the primary business focus is all on the reduction of waste and the focus on recycling the materials. Green kitchens with such goals have adopted biodegradable wares like wax paper cups, paper straws, and eco-friendly to-go containers.

It is not only new green kitchens that are on a mission for a clean future, conventional businesses are also aligning themselves intending to reduce waste. Back in 2019, Mcdonald’s already announced their plans for the future. They have promised to use 100% recyclable material for their packaging by 2025.

So, these were our 5 restaurant trends that will shape 2022. Comment down below your thoughts regarding the change that we might see in the restaurant industry.