Trend Tracker

Restaurant dinner checks may be shrinking, along with patrons’ wallets, but morning people are putting their money where there mouths are. According to The Breakfast Consumer Trend Report published by Technomic, convenience is motivating consumers to trade at-home breakfast occasions for away-from-home purchases.

Getting social

Communal tables and shareable small plates may have spawned the social dining trend, but today’s customers want more. Gen Y—aka the Millennials—are leading the charge. And they spend a lot more of their disposable income on dining out than other generations.

Redefining three meals a day

Americans are still making time for the traditional three meals a day, but they are supplementing with more snacks. According to the NPD Group's National Eating Trends report, meals are getting smaller as snacking continues rise. • Meals have shrunk in size. Only 4.1 food and beverage items are now consumed per meal versus an average of 5.3 in 1985 • The majority of respondents considered dinner the only complete meal • One out of five—20%—of “eating occasions” is a snack

Desserts play it safe—most of the time

When it comes to finishing off a meal with something sweet, most restaurants offer a menu of familiar favorites. But within those favorites, pastry chefs and dessert pros allow themselves to get a bit adventurous.

Chocolate melts into every culinary corner

Chocoholics are rejoicing! Chocolate is showing up everywhere, sometimes in unusual places, pairings and products. The Food Channel, CultureWaves and International Food Futurists took a deeper dive into chocolate trends, identifying 10 that are making waves. 1. Craft Chocolates: Consumers are sourcing artisanal, single origin and premium chocolate and crafting their own confections. DIY chocolates allow customization of flavors, sweetness and shapes.

The importance of trust

How trustworthy is your restaurant concept? According to "The Trust Factor" study released by About.com, trust is crucial to consumer-brand relationships and is a key driver in decision making.

Vegetables grow more interesting

Move over carrots and broccoli. A variety of “new” vegetables is showing up on restaurant plates. And it’s not happening in fine dining alone. Many chain and casual concepts are incorporating items like kale, beets and Brussels sprouts on their menus—inspired by chef-driven dishes at more upscale spots.

Voices of their generation: What kids really think

The following verbatims are from a study conducted by Y-Pulse LLC of nearly 1,800 kids between the ages of 5 and 15. For kids that picked fast food restaurants as their favorite place to eat, many mentioned convenience as their primary reason.

A nation of nibblers

Snacks have become a customer-driven demand in foodservice. New data from Mintel show that while consumers snack at almost every time of the day and night, snacking patterns do vary by gender and age. Convenience, pricing, portion size and portability drive snacking decisions.

Restaurant visits up on both sides of the pond

Americans and Brits are eating out more often, according to two reports released this week. The NPD Group, a Chicago market research firm, delivered the upbeat news that the industry posted a 0.5% gain in restaurant counts in Spring 2012. And the latest QuickBite survey by London-based Horizons found that the average British adult had eaten out 2.77 times during two weeks this June, compared with 2.02 times in July, 2011.

NRA creates foundation to aid those who've served

The National Restaurant Association has created a new foundation to help military personnel, veterans and military spouses get training and other forms of assistance for pursuing careers in foodservice. The group didn’t specify the new support that would be provided or how those services would be offered, but indicated in Monday’s announcement that the new NRA Military Foundation program would foster opportunities for jobs and small-business ownership.

What's ahead for natural?

The natural food and beverage market—now valued at $127 billion—has reached a new stage in its maturity. “The world of health and wellness is changing dramatically and rapidly, and the natural products industry is positioned as a leading crucible through which we can watch this world unravel and rebuild itself,” says Carlotta Mast, chief author of NEXT: The Natural Products Industry Forecast, compiled by Nutrition Business Journal and the Sterling-Rice Group. Some trend highlights of the report include: