Trend Tracker

Consumers' perception of what is considered healthy eating at restaurants is changing. Patrons are taking more of a balanced and personal approach; they're seeking out better-for-you foods offset by occasional indulgences. And health-halo claims like "local," "natural," "organic," "sustainable," "whole-wheat" and "free-range" are increasingly driving food choices, according to Technomic's Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report.

Gluten-free still growing

Requests for gluten-free menu items are not coming only from those with gluten sensitivities anymore. Americans have gotten it into their heads that a gluten-free diet is a healthier way to eat. As of January, 2013, almost one-third of U.S. adults say they want to cut down or be free of gluten in their diets, according to The NPD Group, which has been tracking the eating habits of Americans since 1976.

New brands and flavors driving hard cider popularity

As more brands, flavors and varieties of hard cider appear, experimentally minded American consumers are discovering a taste for the fizzy apple drink. A recent survey from Consumer Edge Insight’s Alcoholic Beverage DemandTracker shows an increasing number of women being drawn to new cider options, and men seeking them out as an alternative to other beverages.

Fast casuals lead in off-premise catering

Catering continues to be big business for restaurants; as a group, they capture almost five times the revenue of retailers for off-site events—$19.3 billion annually versus $4.0 billion, reports Technomic’s recent Parties Off Premise study.

Let's Do Lunch

Americans still rely heavily on foodservice for lunch, according to Technomic’s Lunch Consumer Trend Report. Although diners have cut back on away-from-home lunch purchases to save money, a good number still buy midday meals—particularly at fast-casual concepts. • 59% of consumers purchase lunch at least once a week, while 35% do so at least twice a week. Limited time and convenience are the main motivators

Raise a glass

On-premise wine drinkers traded down from bottles to glasses in 2012, according to GuestMetrics, which tracks over 250 million checks from restaurants and bars across the U.S. In addition, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon—longtime favorite varietals—lost some ground to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Valentine's Day: the second-busiest day of the year

While mothers continue to trump sweethearts when it comes to the most popular holiday to dine out, one-quarter of Americans will be sitting in restaurants on February 14, according to research from the National Restaurant Association (NRA). As Valentine's Day falls on a Thursday this year, the annual reservation survey from OpenTable also shows diners will be celebrating love well into the weekend. Results from both sources revealed a number of different dining trends and habits operators can use to sweeten the holiday for everyone. According to the NRA:

Increased Lower-Calorie Choices = Good Business

Restaurant chains that serve more lower-calorie foods and beverages have better business performance, according to a new study by Hudson Institute. Over five years, chains that increased the amount of lower-calorie options they served had better sales growth, larger increases in customer traffic and stronger gains in total food and beverage servings than chains whose servings of lower-calorie options declined.

Chefs continue to say cheese

Each year, the National Restaurant Association surveys over 1,800 chefs who are members of the American Culinary Federation to get their top trend predictions. The forecast looks bright for cheese, as reported in the NRA’s “What’s Hot 2013 Chef Survey.”

Breakfast: Waking up to bold flavors and healthy fare

In the breakfast daypart, operators are responding to consumers’ demands for bold flavors, healthful fare and portability. In its report “The Breakfast Club: An Update on Morning Meal Trends,” Datassential unveils the top five fastest-growing breakfast items as yogurt, frittatas, oatmeal, burritos, and huevos rancheros. These trends, according to the report, reflect widespread sub-trends impacting the industry, especially at QSRs and mid-scale establishments.

Sour power

When trendologists compiled their forecasts for 2013, several reports mentioned fermentation—and sour flavors in general—as tops for the coming year. Here's how they're showing up on menus.

Beverages can boost restaurant profits

Adult beverages at the bar are growing in dollars and volume despite the rocky economic environment, notes Technomic in its 2012 Bar TAB (Trends in Adult Beverage) report. And creative non-alcoholic drinks are also on the rise, according to the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot 2013 Chef Survey.