Restaurant Industry News Tidbits

The ten food trends to watch out for this summer! According to Eating Well, you should be jumping on these trends as things heat up. Passion Fruit, Cucumber everything, Baby Bok Choy, Matcha, Lavender, Hibiscus, Ice Cream - reinvented, Edamame, Canned Cocktails, Low-ABV & Alcohol free drinks. Full Article

The "New" classic cocktails. Are the days of the Negroni, Old Fashioned and Boulevardier going away? MarkeTeam Inc. a premier beverage & food marketing agency suggests that there may be a place to add another era that was huge in the cocktail world. MarkeTeam suggests that, what their coining "disco drinks" could be the next wave to add into the mix. Bring back the Pink Squirrels, Fuzzy Navels and Lava Flows of the world. A full list and recipes can be found here

The metaverse is real? The metaverse is a big mystery to many people, but it’s one that restaurant chains are beginning to realize the full potential of them as they stake claims by filing trademarks or opening units in the virtual world.

Restaurant companies that have filed trademarks to join the metaverse include Burger King, Panera, Next Level Burger, Bareburger, Yum Brands, Inspire Brands, Hooters, Panda Express, Bojangles, Wendy’s, Chipotle, Wingstop, McDonald’s, and Chick-fil-A. Full Article

Chick-fil-A filed this week for what it’s calling its own “Moo-taverse.” It sounds like Wendy’s Wendyverse in the trademark application, but the jury is out on whether it will be realized. -

Drown Delivery. Jersey Mike’s Subs will partner with Flytrex Inc. to deliver orders by drone in Holly Springs, N.C., the companies said Thursday. The companies said orders would be delivered in five minutes in a limited area in the town southwest of Raleigh. N.C. Full Article here

FTel Aviv-based Flytrex has teamed with Dallas-based Brinker International Inc., parent to Chili’s Grill & Bar and the virtual It’s Just Wings brands among others, to deliver orders by drone in several markets. Orders are placed on the Flytrex smartphone app, which updates customers on order status along the route until the package is lowered by wire into their yards.

Doordash report on consumers favorite ordered items. Surprising many is that alcohol delivery is holding its own—an activity that restaurants ramped up during the pandemic and customers quickly adopted. As of early 2022, 63% of consumers reported that they order alcohol delivery as much as or more often than they did the year before. American, Mexican, Japanese, Italian & Chinese are the top styles and Friday at 6pm is the most popular order time. Doordash Report

Restaurant Business puts out the top 500 restaurants report. See the top 500 restaurants by segment or category in their new report. Full report here.

Technomics mid-year menu trend highlights - streamlining efforts means fewer menu items and reduction and an increase in innovation through LTO's. Menus are pivoting to creative SKU extensions like Panera's mac n' cheese offerings which use ingredients that are already in the pantry. Mash-ups are also being leveraged like breakfast ramen or avacado in cocktails. Listen here.

Baijiu cocktails are popping up. Baijiu?(pronounced bye-joe) is a category of alcohol that includes all grain-based distilled Chinese liquor. It’s known for being high-proof, averaging 50-plus percent alcohol by volume, and in some cases approaching 80 percent ABV, which has earned it the nickname “fire water,” alluding to its flammability. Much like bourbons, Baijiu's range in flavor notes from floral to smokey. Get more ideas and info here.

Capitalize on the popularity of a traditional non-alc cocktail and make extra margin! While the days of Shirley Temple are way past us and youngsters might look at you cross-eyed when you tell them Shirley Temple was an actual person, many younger drinkers have had a Shirley Temple or two. Meet the "Dirty Shirley". Find it here.

The coolest new trend for weddings. Mobile bars, Craft cocktails, Instagrammable moments and an entire truckload of bubbly make receptions stand out. Wedding guests may have more face time with the person pouring drinks than the happy couple. That's why the art and ambience of a bar service is an opportunity to bake in added delight to an already lovely occasion. Hotels can step up their game and get rewarded for it! See more.