When social media is driving flavour trends and the economic landscape is ever-changing, it can be tricky keeping up with what’s hot. The main question is, how can operators meet demand, bring something new to the table, and tempt customers through the door. With the help of Lumina Intelligence and an insightful snapshot led by Tim Price, we’ve summarised what’s leading out-of-home at the moment, and what to keep an eye on in the coming months.

Settle down, grab a cuppa and read on as we’ve determined the key takeaways:

Reward Schemes

Consumer expectation is evolving and in an age where we have so much at our fingertips, this applies to loyalty rewards too. No longer will ’10 stamps for a free coffee’ cut the mustard, customers want instant gratification. This means operators need to step up their game and explore options that can provide instant wins such as money off the bill, discount codes or free dishes/sides/starters to enhance customer experience and retain loyalty.

Diet Shift

  • The last five years has seen a real shift in priorities and consumers are changing their eating habits to incorporate natural ingredients into their diets, whilst focussing on making their lives as healthy as possible. Unsurprisingly with new legislation and increased knowledge on where our food comes from, there’s a fear of ultra-processed foods (UPF) on our health so this has really driven the shift.
  • Vegan and vegetarian dishes are certainly still needed on menus, however the trend has slowed down recently, as more consumers are adopting a ‘some not none’/’reductionist’ approach to their diet. These dishes will now focus on the vegetable and its properties, to make it the hero of the dish rather than striving to create and serve meat lookalikes. As mentioned in our previous blog Arena Spring Event: From Treatonomics to Girl Power, 2025 is the year of the ‘Plant Index’ and incorporating a variety of plants into your eating habits.

Consumer-Centric Evolution

  • Customisation is Key
    56% of QSR dishes are now customisable, allowing diners to tailor their dishes to their exact preferences, which provides a huge opportunity for operators to upsell. One area in particular that has seen a resurgence is the humble salad bar, as there’s been a rise in different concepts hitting pubs, restaurants and social media.
  • Sustainability
    It comes as no surprise that in recent years, sustainability initiatives have become the second most important factor to businesses after employee well-being. Being environmentally conscious is a ‘must have’, no longer a ‘nice to have’.
  • Diversifying Formats
    Consumers want convenience. In fact, the top reasons for eating out include consumers being out and about, looking for a treat and not wanting to cook. In response to this, popular operations, like Pizza Express, are switching up their formats and coming up with hybrid models to cater to shifting needs.
  • Indulgence
    Pubs and restaurants are upping their game with affordable, indulgent add-ons and sides. Sidemen in particular have created their version of a cheeseboard which offers something unique and different. And when it comes to desserts, ice cream is seeing a resurgence and incorporating more innovation by way of inventive flavours and higher quality ingredients.

Elevating the Experience

Pubs and chains are experiencing a premium update, entering the realm of ‘higher quality’, with all ingredients featured in menu descriptors to highlight the care and attention that goes into each dish – thus allowing operators to charge a higher price point. In conjunction with this, operators are moving away from ‘left-digit anchoring’ when it comes to their pricing, opting for round pound figures to align with the quality of their dishes. They are also leaning into the experience-led occasion by serving visually appealing dishes, which add to the theatre of the evening and create the opportunity for diners to share dishes on social media – helping them gain organic exposure.

What’s on the menu?

Flavour Trends:

  • Lumina has found that global cuisines and fusions are still a major trend and are showing no signs of slowing down
  • Unusual combinations, like Ramen carbonara, prove popular with consumers as trends are mainly driven by social media. Big chains like Wagamama’s have hopped onto the ‘odd pairings’ trend as they teamed up with Willy’s Pies to create the katsu pie, while the all-day breakfast has also experienced an Asian twist
  • Asian flavours continue to prove popular, with fresh ingredients and umami sensations
  • Hot honey is still big and in demand, featuring across menus and occasions
  • Lumina identified that the top menu descriptors include ‘crispy’, ‘crunchy’, and ‘hot’ allowing operators to get creative with daring flavours and textures

Ingredients:

  • Chicken remains the most popular protein across menus. It’s an easy win for operators and has grown in share on pub menus. Operators opt for chicken because it’s affordable, versatile and well liked amongst UK consumers
  • On the flipside, fish has decreased in popularity and is featuring less on menus due to inflation and the supply chain
  • Ingredients and flavours to watch include garlic, cabbage and pickle, which have all been on the rise recently

We want to thank Lumina Intelligence for their insightful deep-dive and for keeping us well informed as ever, and if you’re seen these trends out in the wild, drop us a message on socials @jellybeanAgency

Equally you can keep up to date with us by following us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Tik Tok and keep an eye on our blog for latest news.
@jellybeanAgency

*Insight taken from Lumina Intelligence, Foodservice Megatrends: Adapting Menus, Maximising Impact and Meeting Consumer Demands

Courtney Rodrigues
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