12 food trends in 2024 to keep an eye on for your restaurant

Food trends and other innovations: what do you need to know for 2024? The foodservice industry is constantly evolving, influenced by social media, technology, competition, current events and changing consumer expectations. Every year, experts unveil the major food trends to watch. In anticipation of 2025, Malou has put together a list of the 12 most important new trends to apply in your restaurant, so you can stay in step with your customers.

The year 2024 promises to be rich in developments in the world of foodservice. Emerging trends point to a return to basics, a quest for well-being, heightened environmental awareness, and an openness to new culinary influences. As key players in this transformation, restaurateurs must adapt to meet changing consumer expectations.

In this article, based on the report published by TheFork and NellyRodi, we explore in detail the food trend and behavioral changes that will shape the landscape in 2024 and 2025. Offering restaurateurs practical advice on how to adapt and excel in this new environment.

1. Authentic cuisine: back to basics

The current food trend is towards more traditional establishments such as bakeries, classic bistros, bouillons, brasseries, PMUs and shared tables. The French now prefer simple cuisine in a convivial atmosphere. Grandma's recipes and childhood memories are gaining in popularity, dethroning "too conceptual" concepts.

In your restaurant: In 2024, top recipes include mashed sausage, roast chicken, aligot, rice pudding and the return of tinned sardines. Generous dishes to share around a large table become the stars of the year. If your identity allows it, incorporate classic recipes into your menu, add your personal touch and showcase them.

Our customers Brasserie Lazare and l'Ambassade d'Auvergne are perfect examples of authentic, generous and delicious cuisine.

2. The quest for well-being: towards a healthier 2025 food trend

Growing concern for health and well-being is driving consumers to shun over-consumption and processed products. They want to indulge themselves, but with quality products, healthier and more natural cooking, and above all, homemade food.

Don't hesitate to highlight the origins of your products, your know-how, or even your values on the networks!

Just getting started on Instagram? Or do you want to boost it to welcome more customers? All the details are in our Instagram Guide for Restaurateurs!

‍Infact, it will soon be compulsory for restaurateurs to specify whether their products are "home-made" or "industrial".

Restaurateurs need to integrate healthier food options, even in fast-food outlets, to meet a more balanced food trend.

In your restaurant: In 2025, plates will feature forgotten vegetables, pickles, kefir, fermented products, edible flowers (notably hibiscus), and revisited variants of butter with herbs and chillies. Adaptogenic foods such as probiotics and mushrooms should also enter your kitchen.

Our customers Impact Berliner Kebap offers a bread-free bowl version of their kebab.

3. Respect for the environment: an eco-responsible attitude

Environmental awareness continues to evolve. Everyday gestures, such as eating, are gradually changing to better preserve the planet. As a result, expectations of restaurateurs are also changing. Customers are sensitive to these values, which are becoming decisive for them. In particular, the French are reducing their meat consumption in favor of moreplant-based alternatives, which is set to become an inevitable food trend. And in 2024, they are paying particular attention to waste reduction by restaurants.

In your restaurant: Customers expect you to offer seasonal produce, a reduced menu, anti-waste gestures, full use of ingredients on their plates, vegetarian or vegan options. Transparency on the origin of products, and highlighting producers, shared notably in the restaurant's online communication, always create value in the eyes of the customer! Adopt visible anti-waste practices to attract a clientele aware of these issues, which means rethinking the interior with more upcycling, functional vegetation, and the digitization of tickets, etc. Pay attention to detail!

The success of restaurants such as Faubourg Daimantwhich offers traditional French cuisine without animal products, bear witness to the growing demand for responsible consumption.

Our Anona customers are a perfect example for any restaurateur looking to begin their ecological transition. Michelin-starred and Ecotable-recognized, Anona's cuisine has been designed down to the smallest detail to limit waste and any other impacting gestures.

4. Foreign cuisines: food trends for new flavors

While Italian cuisine retains its popularity, new foreign influences are emerging. By 2024, the food trend is diversifying. English cuisine, Eastern Europe, America, Korea and a new Japanese wave are all on the rise .

In your restaurant: The 2024 food trend includes Japanese handrolls and sake, Polish pierogis, sausage rolls, pies, hashbrowns, English muffins and varieties of English cheese. Korean cuisine is also gaining in popularity, with the arrival of Tteok-Bokki. America is renewing itself with the arrival of chicken waffles, donuts and New York rolls in all their forms. Italian cuisine in 2024 offers giant ravioli, pizzas with renewed dough and increasingly gourmet risottos.

The successful arrival of our Krispy Kreme customers in France heralds the promising future of donuts in 2024. Malou also accompanies many foreign-influenced restaurants that everyone loves, such as El Cartel del Taco and BMK!

Our Disco Burger customers have decided to go one step further and reinvent the burger!

5. Influence of social media : shared experience

Although the "instagrammable" aspect is no longer as decisive, consumers like to share their experiences and try out popular addresses on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms. Collaborations with influencers continue to guarantee success. This is how the food trend for avocado a few years ago went viral, or sweet potato. Today, Dataessentials has compiled a list of 10 ingredients that are likely to become must-haves in 2024.

In your restaurant : This list consists of: "Violet/floral - Mustard seeds - Spicy ranch sauce (yogurt-based sauce) - Caesar to everything - Shawarma (the traditional kebab of Levantine and Turkish cuisines) - Crushed ice - Cresto de gallo pasta (type of pasta) - Mexican beers - Sweetened condensed milk". We also note that chillies will be wreaking havoc this year, in all shapes and forms! It's even making its way into our drinks. So keep up to date with emerging culinary trends on social media, especially on Instagram!

💡 What time should I post? Which posts work best? All the best practices are summarized by Malou's experts in the guide below 👇

6. Alcohol-free democratization: the emergence of new options

The arrival of new ranges of non-alcoholic drinks testifies to the growing demand for them. This food trend, which is set to continue, is in line with the quest for well-being. Especially when you discover that you can make great, original, delicious non-alcoholic drinks, and that the range is no longer limited to a Coke. More and more restaurateurs are offering alcohol-free food and beverage pairings, as well as wine pairings.

In your restaurant: To satisfy all customers, it's worthwhile for restaurateurs to offer original non-alcoholic drinks, mocktails and non-alcoholic food and drink pairings. The popularity of kombucha continues to grow, offering an interesting alternative.

7. More accessible gastronomy: a reversal of the food trend

Inflation has had an impact on consumers' dining out habits. They are still inclined to eat out, but in a more reasoned way. After seeing restaurant prices rise in 2023, due to higher costs, it seems that the trend will be reversed in 2024. We'll see the emergence of more affordable restaurants, with interesting offers that will win over many customers. But also gourmet chefs who are making their offerings more accessible to all.

In your restaurant: Many restaurateurs have redesigned their menus to offer less expensive fare, tailored to a wider audience. This has led to the emergence of more affordable tables, with menus priced at around 20 to 22 euros. To attract a more diversified clientele, you can offer more affordable menus while maintaining quality.

8. Experience beyond the plate: time for immersive experiences

In 2024, customers are looking for a complete experience that goes beyond simple tasting. Show, surprise, immersive: much more than a food trend! From now on, they not onlywant to enjoy a meal, they also want to be surprised. With a show, a festive atmosphere, chefs in action...

In your restaurant: Attention to décor, design, kitchen location, original performance and overall ambience becomes crucial. Invest in your customers' overall experience, from décor to ambience.

Immersive restaurants, such as those run by our customers the Ephemera group, are proving highly successful, with three openings in Paris in the past year.

9. Pop-ups and residences: levers of attraction

More and more restaurants are inviting chefs to reside in their kitchens and offer a unique menu for a short period of time. This approach attracts the chef's community to your restaurant, creates excitement, and offers novelty to your menu.

In your restaurant: Carefully select the chefs and create an effective communication strategy to maximize the impact of these temporary events.

10. AI in day-to-day management

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as an essential tool in the day-to-day management of restaurants. It is emerging in more and more fields, in different forms and for different purposes. AI is gradually becoming an everyday tool, indispensable for most.

👉 As we saw in our Integrating AI into your restaurant optimizes your revenue and saves you time!

In your restaurant: Starting to use AI today can change the way you run your restaurant and prevent you from falling behind technological advances. Explore the potential applications of AI in managing reservations, inventory, online communication, personalizing offers and more.

11. Setting up a subscription formula

Setting up a subscription formula can offer a more personalized experience and build customer loyalty. Offer exclusive benefits to subscribers to strengthen the bond between your restaurant and its customers. This trend also offers an opportunity to rethink your food offering and build customer loyalty.

Food trend for your restaurant: Consider setting up a subscription package with attractive benefits, such as exclusive discounts, invitations to special events or personalized offers.

12. Personalization: the food trend

The constant evolution of consumer preferences has brought dish customization to the forefront. An emerging food trend is to offer customers the opportunity to fully customize their dishes, in addition to the standard offering. Wraps, rolls, bowls, burgers, salads, sushi: being able to modify the contents of one's plate is becoming key.

In your restaurant: Flexibility is the key to meeting changing customer expectations. Consumers are looking for convenience, personality and flexibility.

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What do you think? What did you think of these predictions for 2024/2025? Now it's your turn 💪