By Lizzy Freier

As 2026 begins, looking back on popular LTOs from last year can help operators meet diner demands for this year, stay on trend, and explore new and interesting takes on menu favourites. In this edition of LTO Trend Watch, RestoBiz and Technomic have partnered to examine November’s top LTOs, focusing on specialty hot chocolate, cranberry ginger mocktails, and more.  

November’s top LTOs

Limited-time offers and November’s trending items had some operators enhancing their menus with specialty hot chocolate beverages featuring non-traditional flavours. Second Cup Café added a Dubai Hot Chocolate, showcasing the trendy menu item with nutty pistachio notes topped with whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle for added decadence. At Blenz Coffee, the Black Forest Hot Chocolate was a fun twist on the classic cake dessert, combining rich chocolate and sweet cherry, blended with Blenz’s exclusive syrup.

Cranberry ginger mocktails

November also saw a rise in specialty non-alcoholic beverages with a focus on cranberry and ginger pairings, with the following two LTOs spotlighting this dynamic flavour duo:

• Jack Astor’s launched a Cranberry Kringle with cranberry, lime juice, and ginger beer
• MR MIKES SteakhouseCasual debuted a Cranberry Ginger Fizz, made with cranberry and orange juice, ginger beer, cranberries, and mint garnish

Comparing month-to-month LTOs gives operators a chance to see what the competition is doing to better plan for the upcoming year. Here is the year-over-year data from November 2024 to November 2025:

+16 per cent month over month

+97 per cent year over year

 LTOs by mealpart

How can operators decide which menus should feature LTOs? Here is a look at the LTO trends by mealpart from November 2025:

 LTOs by segment

Where do diners find the most LTOs? Data shows that 60 per cent of LTOs were from full-service restaurants, whereas only 40 per cent of limited-service restaurants participated in LTOs in November. As for the breakdown of those offers, out of 1,145 total LTOs/new additions for November 2025, 90 per cent were limited-time offers and 10 per cent made up new additions.

As diner preferences continue to change, operators need to adjust their offers, create new LTOs, and watch the trends to find success in the new year.

Lizzy Freier is a Senior Director of Menu Research & Insights 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