By Elizabeth Wessel

RestoBiz and Technomic have partnered to present LTO trends that are on the rise by looking back at flavours and dishes gaining popularity on restaurant menus. This data is useful in helping operators meet diner demands, stay trendy, and structure offers that will get guests excited ping forward. This edition focuses on March, which highlighted trends including minty ice cream desserts, Ramadan specials, and more.  

March’s top trends

Limited time offers and new items trending in March had some operators enhancing their menus with seasonal minty ice cream desserts, mostly in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The Pickle Barrel added a Shamrock Shake for the holiday, while Dairy Queen debuted the Mint Crunchin’ Cookie Parfait featuring layers of soft serve paired with green, mint-flavoured cone coating, made with choco cookie crumbles.

Ramadan specials

March also saw a rise in menu specials catering to the Islamic month of Ramadan, including:

• Tahini’s debuted a Ramadan special featuring a Habibi Bowl, 2-piece samosas, and a bottled pop.
• Pita Land featured a Chicken Shawarma Iftar special designed to replenish energy after fasting. It included an 8-oz cup of Lentil Soup, a crispy samosa, a bottle of 7-Up Nimbooz, and dates.

Comparing month-to-month LTOs gives operators a chance to see what the competition is doing to better plan for the year. Here is the data from March 2025 to March 2026:

Monthly LTO tracker

+two per cent month over month

+eight per cent year over year

LTOs by mealpart

What criteria can operators use to determine which menus are best suited to feature LTOs? Here’s an overview of LTO trends by mealpart as of March 2026:

LTOs by segment

Where were LTOs most commonly found in March? Data shows that 65 per cent of LTOs were from full-service restaurants, whereas only 35 per cent of limited-service restaurants participated in LTOs in March. As for the breakdown of those offers, out of 965 total LTOs/new additions for the month, 95 per cent were limited time offers and five per cent made up new additions.

As diner preferences continue to evolve, operators should adjust their offers, create innovative with LTOs, and keep an eye on the trends to remain competitive in 2026 and beyond.

Elizabeth Wessel is a Research Analyst for Technomic, a Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry, including menu trends.

Source: Technomic Ignite Menu