2023’s top trends add flavour and colour to restaurant menus

Each year we see new colours, flavours and ingredients topping the menu trends list, so what’s in store for 2023 menus? Experts predict everything from global influences to splashy colours to nostalgic favourites, and more. Try out some of these top 2023 trends at your restaurant to stay current, get your customers talking, and appeal […]

Are more people turning to fine dining in 2022?

By Megan Prevost The COVID-19 pandemic has had a diverse array of particular effects on the ways Canadians think about food. In its earliest phases, the pandemic forced many people into a long-term lockdown with a very limited bubble of social connection. For obvious reasons, dining out at restaurants was taken off the table for […]

Forecasting global restaurant trends for 2022

By Aaron Jourden The world has faced nearly two years of disruption and uncertainty, cautious optimism and unexpected challenges. As we enter another year, the pandemic continues to loom large, informing operations, planning, decision-making, and forecasting of restaurant trends for operators and suppliers alike. And yet, with so much uncertainty still in the air, it […]

Restaurants identifying university and college towns as prime locations

By Christian Petronio When they are searching for the perfect location to put down the roots of their foodservice business, many restaurateurs want an area that vibrates with energy, vitality, and enthusiasm. University and college towns or districts are becoming increasingly more attractive as the number of students enrolled in Canadian post-secondary institutions continues its […]

Prominent restaurant chains withstanding pandemic

The 50 largest restaurant chains were able to withstand the pandemic far better than smaller chains or independents, according to Technomic’s 2021 Chain Restaurant Report. Sales at the 500 largest restaurant chains in the U.S. declined more than eight per cent last year, according to the report. Chain restaurants closed fewer locations than expected and gained […]

Ghost kitchens begin to arrive in Canadian big-box stores

The hot restaurant concept of ghost kitchens are spreading like wildfire. By Tom Nightingale It’s well-established by this stage that ghost kitchens are the new hot concept born out of — or at least accelerated by — the COVID-19 pandemic. The first ghost kitchen appeared in New York in 2013. It was already growing steadily […]

Concept Watch: Rolltation, SMAK and Buco Pizzeria & Vino Bar

By Sophie Mir In this edition of Concept Watch, we highlight a trio of trend-setting restaurant concepts that are changing the way Canadians eat. Here’s a look at the characteristics and menu offerings that make these restaurants unique: Rolltation Locations: 4 (Toronto) Concept characteristics: A Toronto-based, limited-service emerging chain highlighting customizable and hybrid sushi options. […]

National Restaurant Association releases annual chef-surveyed “What’s Hot” list for 2018

Press Release The National Restaurant Association released its annual survey of 700 professional chefs, all members of the American Culinary Federation, predicting food and beverage trends at restaurants in the coming year. The annual “What’s Hot” list gives a peek into what food, beverages and culinary concepts will be the new items on restaurant menus that everyone is talking about […]