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Fast food and casual dining are currently seeing higher traffic. When they do eat out, they're often choosing cheaper options. Budget-Friendly Focus : There's a rise in diners seeking out cheaper restaurants, value deals, and discounts.
For fast casual chains, competition includes usual suspects like casual dining and QSRs as well as c-stores and grocery chains who are ramping up foodservice offerings to capitalize on the trading down trend. Sitting in a pricing sweet spot, FCRs have an opportunity to win share from both QSRs and casual restaurants.
Trend-driven yet deeply value-conscious, they want personalized nutrition, ethical sourcing, and innovative packaging. Restaurants that offer diverse and innovative menu options can attract this group. Gen Z isn’t just eating out; they’re building relationships with brands that reflect who they are.
As digital transactions become ubiquitous, businesses across all sectors are embracing innovations that reshape the way they interact with customers. In 2025, the restaurant industry will continue to adapt to these payment innovations, with a focus on eliminating cash transactions and prioritizing seamless, digital payment methods.
” Restaurants should focus on tech that adds real value, not just innovation for innovation’s sake, Fink noted. “Additionally, restaurants across all categories can leverage AI for personalized deals, using consumer data to offer tailored discounts and menu recommendations that drive repeat visits.”
This trend of using unique glassware to showcase specialty drinks and cocktails is growing in both fine dining and casual establishments across the country. Cut and hand-blown glass for old-school charm, a trend that continues to be popular among fine and casual establishments alike.
Expect to see functional plants like burdock, angelica, and osha root popping up more frequently, adding a fresh, innovative twist to dishes. The findings provide industry partners with exclusive data on emerging consumer preferences and innovation areas poised to differentiate brands in a highly-competitive marketplace.
Smart QSR and fast casual chains like Chipotle and Shake Shack reconfigured their strategies to lean heavily into delivery apps, digital ordering, and loyalty programs. So, what can marketers of fast casuals do to bring people back to their brick-and-mortar locations? But the platform is where the real winners shook out.
Since 2006, Tender Greens had established its presence as a go-to fine-casual restaurant that offers more than a meal. Looking to continue on the tangent of delivering a unique fine-casual dining experience to its customers, Tender Greens aimed to double its physical footprint and grow its revenue to reach $100 million.
Recognizing this shift, Freshii , a fast-casual franchise with hundreds of locations globally, created a corporate partnership that enables companies to offer meal kits and market baskets at a discount to their employees. Strategies like those employed by Prairie keeps the supply chain moving, costs constant, and food waste limited.
So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. These innovations will allow restaurant operators to do more with less and help create smart, seamless experiences that meet rising guest expectations. As we expand globally, these principles of innovation are our guide.
" While dining out, GLP-1 users skew their dollar spend toward quick-service restaurants, but they shift toward grocery foodservice, casual dining, and midscale restaurants during their first year on the medications, the report found.
More than eight in ten restaurant operators expect 2025 sales to meet or exceed 2024 levels, but rising competition will require differentiation through experience, service, and innovation, according to The National Restaurant Association’s 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report. Consumers have pent-up demand for restaurant meals.
” The majority of SALIDO's employees joined NAB following the acquisition to continue innovating the Restaurant OS. Food trucks, pop-up supper clubs, fast-casual restaurants, and brewpubs are all a part of the unique culinary fabric of this country. Learn About Fast-Casual Dining. ” DIY Meal Kits Made Easy. .”
According to a study conducted by Technavio , the fast casual restaurant industry will witness a compound annual growth rate of over 12 percent from now until 2026. I believe that fast casual continues to be a great place for savvy multi-unit restaurant franchisees to diversify. Which brings us back to the restaurant industry.
The owner of Delicious Raw, a healthy fast casual concept launched in 2013, is looking to grow the brand and create a one-stop-shop for healthy consumables for a broad audience. We are also constantly working on ways to expand our menu, developing new recipes to offer innovative and delicious new options.
If you’re involved in any aspect of the Fast Casual category, you don’t need me to tell you that labor and distribution issues are real. The pre-pandemic fast-casual “chicken war” and the pandemic race to add chicken wings to menus, are good examples of putting many eggs in one basket.
In cities like New York, you’ll find eateries that mirror the bistro’s casual sophistication, while Tokyo’s intimate wine bars reflect a similar ethos of warmth and simplicity. Similarly, the rise of casual fine dining echoes the bistro’s knack for blending refinement with accessibility.
But such is the world of giant quick-service and fast-casual business : Find interesting, “trendy,” flavorful ideas from any culture, dilute them into their most mass-marketable forms, and reap monetary gain without acknowledging the sources. To light the way , a new wave of fast casuals is actively changing the status quo.
After successfully opening a second location in Kernersville, NC, and planning for a third one, the fast-casual gourmet slider brand has started franchising and plans to grow strategically in the Southeast region. Most recently, he co-founded Sammy's Sliders with chef Sammy Gianopoulos.
As the industry continues to digitally adapt, it’s critical for multi-unit franchisees to utilize innovative digital business solutions that can be customized to operators’ specific needs to stay relevant. QSR and fast-casual franchises continue to drive the expansion of the franchising sector.
The report found that loyalty is eroding as brands worked hard to offer new limited time offers, value meals, upgraded loyalty programs, and digital innovations. based diners who recently ordered from a QSR, fast-food or fast-casual chai also found that value is about more than just price. The survey of 1,500 U.S.-based
It's not just the merch on the menu that is driving traffic to the brand with a misison to create spaces that blend sports and leisure and offer innovative cocktails, next-level architecture and high-end designer decor with elevated bar bites, retro games, and exclusive event nights.
Over time, I transitioned into the fast casual space, where I now lead Fast Fresh Brands, which includes Bee Healthy Cafe and Nature’s Table. What sets us apart is our commitment to offering healthy, fresh meals in a fast-casual environment that doesn’t feel niche or exclusive.
How Design Technology Improves Space and Guest Experience Every square foot counts when redesigning a fast-casual eatery or a fine dining venue. While restaurant businesses are keeping up with the evolution, innovative design solutions have stopped being a luxury and are instead an integral part of any strategy.
Technology innovations offer the potential to bridge the gap between the need to keep their business running and deliver quality products and experiences to their guests. For fast-casual or QSR brands, digital tableside ordering is equally beneficial. It relieves cashiers and reduces long lines.
People will increasingly choose innovative products not only because they align with their values, but because they taste and perform better or otherwise meet personal preferences or needs. This shift will position cultivated meat as a long-term venture with the potential for far-reaching positive impacts on future generations.
Bank of America suggests that technological innovation is the real game-changer , and it could have a big impact on the overall bottom line for restaurants in 2024. So, it’s important to get deals to consumers or find innovative ways to promote them within dining experiences. So, what’s the solution?
A Technomic Ignite Consumer report found a significant increase in average checks at both quick service and fast casual establishments. There was a nearly 8% increase in average check at quick service and a whopping 15% increase at fast casual establishments when kiosks were used for orders rather than employees.
In particular, supply chain disruptions and staffing shortages – whether due to resignations or illness – are forcing quick service and fast casual restaurants to adapt quickly to changing conditions. Increased Emphasis on Online Ordering. Former competitors are now part of the same umbrella company.
innovative and unique marketing strategies and 3. I believe as far as ourniche in casual dining experiences we’re at the top of the food chain. JA: Our goal is to keep growing, innovating, and bringing people together through great food. What truly won me over was the roots origin story ofI Heart Fries. a clear identity.
For casual dining habits at restaurants like Olive Garden: 56 percent said they ate at casual restaurants frequently or occasionally. 29 percent said they rarely ate at casual restaurants. More likely to occasionally eat at casual restaurants. When we asked about fast food: 29 percent said they eat fast food frequently.
This is where, especially for restaurants, we’re leading the charge and innovating,” he said. “To News marketing delivery technology Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. The capability is a first for the restaurant industry, Samolis said. Sign up here.
But it wasn’t quite so bad for fast-casual concepts , which outpaced other categories with 9% growth in 2024, according to Technomic. Fast-casual chicken chains, including Dave’s Hot Chicken, saw double-digit sales growth, while fast-casual pizza continued to falter. Segment leader Chipotle Mexican Grill rose to No.
Historically, restaurants have been slow to adopt innovative technology. More importantly, many QSR and fast-casual chains have announced modern designs that lean more heavily into pick-up and curbside-to-go versus on-premise dining. Innovators will find their own way. Technological innovation will keep pushing forward.
Although we are not having guests eat in our dining rooms, Teriyaki Madness is utilizing technology to combat the fallout through an emphasis on pickup and delivery, innovative curbside service and social media promotions across its website and mobile app.
The research stems from in-person chef interviews and a nationwide survey of more than 400 restaurant owners and operators spanning 47 states with respondents ranging from fine dining establishments to fast-casual venues, breweries, and caterers. "This Restaurants are also implementing innovative retention strategies.
Among the findings: Casual experiential dining appeals on many fronts to consumers of varying ages in different parts of the country looking for affordable culinary experiences. Chef driven fast casual restaurants feed consumers’ desires for high quality menu items delivered quickly and on the go.
Restaurant segments represented include fine dining, casual dine, fast casual, quick service restaurants and bars. Innovating During COVID-19. The survey group included 418 restaurant operators and 1,500 restaurant patrons who had visited a restaurant two or more times per month prior to COVID-19.
The experience agency, who designed new restaurant prototypes for clients such as Burger King, Panda Express and Panera Bread, surveyed consumers to gain a better understanding of the current customer journey and what guests value most about the restaurant experience, particularly at casual dining and fast casual restaurants.
As seen first with many fast casual chains, we expect more differentiated benefits packages to continue to emerge as a way for restaurants to fill much needed open positions. From there, restaurants can build processes and inject innovation into this framework. Growth of New Business Models.
These establishments are known for their casual atmosphere and pair well with the Western trend of social dining. Matcha-infused cocktails are also a great innovation to consider. Dining Experience Innovations In addition to the food, the ambiance and design of a restaurant play a significant role in drawing customers.
We expect many restaurants will be moving to a more fast-casual approach, continuing to lean on their pickup/takeout options. We’ve seen a few innovative examples of businesses using existing technology to elevate their takeout practices in order to serve more customers. Emily Washcovick. Continue to think outside the box.
Not only do these innovations allow team members to focus on more value-added services for the customer, but consumers are able to explore the menu at their own pace and customize their orders as they wish. Although some of these innovations aren’t completely baked out, similar technologies exist.
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