Fast Food Trends: A Reflection of Consumer Culture

Some notable fast food trends include investing in sustainability, reinventing unhealthy dishes and optimizing online and mobile orders.

FREMONT, CA: Like the restaurant industry, the fast food segment is always evolving. As the spotlight shifts, several of this year's food service trends will continue flourishing while paving the way for new ideas and breakthroughs.

Significant fast food trends

Plant-based and vegan options: According to Polaris Market Research, global sales of plant-based "meat" products are predicted to increase from approximately $12 billion in 2019 to more than $30 billion by 2026. More and more individuals are going vegan, pescatarian, or vegetarian.

Fast food restaurants must start offering more vegetarian and vegan menu options to cater to customers who are clean eaters or prefer to avoid animal byproducts. Although many places already provide vegan dishes such as salads and French fries, additional intriguing options include plant-based milk, vegan cheeses, mushroom jerky, lentil or bean burgers, and rice bowls.

Enhanced online and mobile ordering:  As we've seen in the grocery store industry, online and mobile ordering options have become a popular convenience feature. Customers can bypass the entire drive-thru or dine-in experience with a click of a few buttons, especially when combined with order pickup possibilities. Now that most of the population is used to these digital ordering methods, they must be updated, streamlined, and more universal. One of the notable advantages of online and mobile ordering is the ability to customize and tailor one's experiences. Customers can build a profile on the website or app, save their favorite menu items or orders, and access offers and discounts all in one place.

Optimizing the restaurant for mobile and online use makes it a go-to destination for customers, thereby increasing their chances of ordering from specific restaurants regularly. Further personalizing and updating this feature will keep the customers satisfied and assist the restaurant's ordering procedure in proceeding smoothly.

Transforming unhealthy dishes: While everyone appreciates a nice greasy burger or a cheese-laden pasta dish, there is a growing trend of substituting undesirable parts of the customer's favorite dishes. This implies that customers desire healthier versions of their favorite dishes that will make them feel better after eating them. As previously stated, plant-based options are excellent; nevertheless, there are other ways to recreate dishes, such as utilizing different oils, dairy substitutes, organic vegetables, and so on.

Investing in sustainability: Being environmentally conscious is beneficial to business, so one of the most significant trends in the fast food industry is a focus on sustainability. Going green not only saves money but also helps an establishment attract customers in an increasingly ecologically conscious society. Given these advantages, the sustainability movement will only gain momentum.