1. Ghost Kitchens

Before you get too far into exploring your entrepreneurial dreams, you will notice the enormity of the costs associated with opening a commercial kitchen. This one fact is often enough to keep people from making the leap into opening a restaurant. Ghost kitchens are one of the best new trends to stop this sticker shock. 

They are basically commercial kitchens that operate without an in-house restaurant. Instead, dedicated takeout or catering establishments can use them as they would their own kitchen but without the immense upfront cost. 

2. Incorporating Technology

Restaurants have embraced the use of technology with digital menus. These emerged on the scene a few years ago and seemingly took off overnight. Customers can now scan a QR code and see the entire menu on their phones, no matter where they are. This isn't the only way that technology has improved customer interactions with restaurants.  

For example, advances in generative AI are among some of the most exciting current business trends showing up, even among food businesses. They can be a helpful addition to items such as online ordering platforms, with chatbots answering questions that might have otherwise required employee interaction. The result is that you keep workers focused on their primary roles while also increasing customer satisfaction. 

3. Plant-Based Foods

There is a marked trend toward healthier eating, and for many people, that means switching to plant-based foods. This should not come as a surprise since most medical professionals have been espousing the virtues of plant-based diets for years. However, what is new is the emergence of delicious meat-like alternatives. 

The number of restaurants catering exclusively to plant-based menu items is minimal. However, many mainstream eateries are embracing this trend to avoid excluding customers from their dining experience. 

4. Reducing Food Waste

Using the entire product (such as making soup based on bones or incorporating the entire vegetable into a dish) is not only a great way to reduce food waste, but it is also appealing to a growing number of diners. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that between 30% and 40% of food is wasted in the United States each year. Restaurants can take advantage of more consumers becoming aware of this problem by highlighting their efforts to reduce waste. 

5. Delivery Apps

The rise of food delivery apps during the pandemic has not diminished the way many feared it would. In fact, more people are turning to places like GrubHub and UberEats for delivery than to traditional in-house models. 

There are pros and cons to this model. For starters, restaurants do incur costs for partnering with these apps. Do some research to avoid being surprised by the fees charged by food delivery apps. Still, this si still usually lower than the cost of paying a dedicated delivery driver. Which is the major benefit. It allows you to have multiple drivers on the road at once without having to manage them as employees. 

6. Improving Sustainability

Sustainability is on many diners' minds, and it affects how they spend their discretionary food dollars. Therefore, you must make an effort to increase sustainability in your operations. For most restaurants, this ties directly into how and where ingredients are sourced. The following ideas are just a springboard for ideas on adding more sustainable ingredients to your menu:

• Using pasture-raised meat and eggs in dishes

• Sourcing food locally

• Using sustainable (and sustainably sourced) ingredients

If you are planning to open a food business, it is a good idea to stay on top of industry trends. Some examples are the use of AI, a growing concern about sustainability, and how delivery apps impact restaurant operations. 

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