Menu trends are constantly evolving and 2025 brings flavourful dishes, from spicy to “swalty” and beyond. This year’s menus are already seeing an uptick in condiments and sauces to help deliver that memorable and delicious experience that guests are looking for.
According to Technomic’s recent Insights Report, certain condiments are taking centre stage on menus. Whether it’s due to increasing health concerns, the desire to try out new flavours, or a return to the nostalgic, here are the condiments trending highest on today’s menus:
- Truffle aioli (+ 44 per cent), is commonly being used as an addition to steak dishes and as a topping for Parmesan fries
- Raita (+ 28.6 per cent), an Indian condiment similar to tzatziki, is accompanying Indian dishes like curry and butter chicken
- Kimchi (+ 27.2 per cent), is appearing on menus in build-your-own bowls and with seafood dishes such as oysters
- Sauerkraut (+ 27.2 per cent), another fermented condiment, is most commonly being seen on hotdogs or as a topping for Reuben sandwiches
- Olive oil (+ 20.1 per cent), already a much-used condiment, is gaining popularity on flatbreads, salads, bruschetta, and pastas
Sauces and condiments play a large role in restaurant traffic, with 34 per cent of consumers first checking out the sauces and condiments before they decide to visit. As the demand for bold flavours grows, some diners are not leaving it to chance – 25 per cent of Millenial and Gen Z guests say they pack their own condiments, especially hot sauce, when visiting a restaurant.
Offering a choice of sauces capitalizes on another growing trend for consumers, personalization, and many restaurateurs have adjusted their menus so consumers can customize their order to suit their moods.
Here are just a few restaurants adding new sauces to their menus this season:
Taco Bell has added The Purple Chile Sauce to the menu, made with Ají Panca, habanero, and ghost pepper, giving guests a fresh take on spice.
Buffalo Wild Wings has added a few new items to the menu this month, including two new sauces. The Buffalo Bleu sauce, which makes over a traditional buffalo sauce with blue cheese, garlic, and cayenne pepper, and the BBQ Ranch sauce, which combines two classic favourites to create a new flavour.
KFC has announced a new concept called Saucy, set to launch in Florida. The restaurant’s menu will focus on chicken tenders, and drinks and will include sauces like Chimichurri Ranch, Peri Peri Ranch, Jalapeño Pesto Ranch, Smokey Bacon Ranch, Thai Sweet ‘N Spicy, Sweet ‘N Saucy BBQ, Saucy’s Sauce, Spicy Mango Chutney, Saucy Ranch, Creole Honey Mustard, and Sweet Teriyaki.
Condiments and sauces are playing an important role in making menus creative, adding options for personalization, and helping restaurants to stand out in the crowd this year.
