10 Restaurant Trends Fueled By The Pandemic

Until things can go back to being the way they were pre-pandemic, we have to accept the new norms that pertain to dining out — among other things.

As we steer deeper into the period where technology is taking over everything, and we have to learn to live with this pandemic until further notice.

One cannot help but notice how much of our choices have been manipulated based on the convenience of technology. Now, we would instead order in for a casual meal and complete a pre-booking online for a dinner reservation if it is something special because many restaurants are not allowing more than 25% of public capacity.

Sharing food and eating experiences have defined us as a human race. It forms the bases of culture, religion, relationships, and many more things that we hold most dear, so even though we are fighting a pandemic, people still crave the restaurant experience.

1. Good vibes as a getaway from lockdown

One of the top emerging trends has been people wanting fast and casual good vibes over other aspects.
If the place has a nice but casual ambiance to hang out with friends, complements your Instagram aesthetics, and has an overall good vibe, it will be a huge success. According to recent statistical publications in this regard, this restaurant segment is expected to grow to a whopping $863 billion in total sales as more and more restaurants adopt this fast and casual style.

2. Food for the mind and soul

As the lockdown and pandemic have been very depressing, people are leaning toward having a good experience when they step out to eat. Soul food and mind food, as the terms suggest, is a type of dining experience that caters to providing a unique feeling of fulfilling your soul and makes you more mindful of what you are eating. People now want to go beyond just the fundamental functional aspects of food and want to be catered for how the food actually makes them feel. From traditional comfort food luxuries that satisfy cravings to a complete mood board on a plate that suits customers' states of mind, restaurants must provide both.

3. Boom for online ordering during COVID-19

Many people embrace ordering food online through apps designed precisely to do that. It is safe to say that this is going to be a massive trend wave all around the year, also due to the pandemic.

4. Sustainable and organic eating to stay healthy in the pandemic

Consumers are making real changes in the industry as the demands for food to be more sustainable, organic, healthier and ethical have come into play. Also, there is a massive role of the pandemic here as people want to stay fit and healthy to surpass this period without falling sick.

5. Foodtech: robot waiters, tablet devices for contactless dining

As the world adjusts to the new norm, contactless dining is coming in to play. Today, we can walk in a restaurant and easily expect orders to be automated through a touchable computer screen menu or just a single floor manager handing us the tablet to confirm our orders. As much as it feels like this is a feat yet to perfect, it is very much achievable, demanded, and appreciated by consumers that like to dine out.

6. More vegan and vegetarian options

As the world continues to grow into one giant global society, we have become more inclusive of people's choices, especially when it comes to food during this pandemic. Many restaurants now offer a whole side menu for vegans and vegetarians, and some have even gone as far as creating a fine dining experience with just vegan food. As more people embrace veganism or convert to a vegetarian, restaurants have adjusted to the food dynamics and now provide even similar dishes as vegan-alternative.

7. Transparency in Hygiene, Quality and Environment

As people have become more aware of what they should eat, their choices have been dictated by the mere fact of this knowledge. Restaurants that are more transparent with the hygiene of their ingredients, food preparation, cooking, staff, and just the general environment will see this trend work in their favor. People are more likely to indulge when they know what goes into making their food. Also, given how people have become picky about their eating hygiene due to the pandemic, the majority would resort to restaurants that put hygiene as a priority and are transparent with the preparation of the food.

8. LTOs and fun meals

As we consumers continue to snap our food and value the fact that we were amongst the first ones to taste something that is for a limited time, such trends will continue to soar and make us feel exclusive.

9. Boutique and luxury experiences to relieve stress

The trend of boutique and luxurious experience caters to that. From luxury food ingredients like caviar, truffle, edible gold, and the most expensive alcohol to velvet-tufted chairs, chandeliers and a rotating mirror bar, the business is not for the food alone anymore. It is for the experience and for the exclusivity of devouring the best in the world ingredients that many can only thing to have.

10. Instagrammable and social media-friendly dishes are still a thing

From the black ice-cream and buns, charcoal made waves a week years ago just as we have seen macha-flavored everything. The list of Instagrammable trends continues