Have You Noticed These Micro-Trends in the Restaurant Industry?

The secret to ensuring continued foot traffic in your restaurant is to keep coming with innovative ideas to not only entice, but to entertain and invigorate customers.

There are always new trends in the restaurant business that get people interested.

Some of these trends start out small, but grow over time.

For example, fine dining is popular today. But it didn’t start out that way. Fine dining started as a trend, I believe in France, and became what it is today.

Today, fine dining continues to be a popular trend for people looking for a refined dining experience.

What we have for you are a couple of micro-trends in the restaurant industry that are expected to explode in the next couple of years.

House-Branded Alcoholic Beverages

Perhaps one of the fastest growing micro-trends in the restaurant industry is the house-branded alcoholic beverage. (tweet this)

This is because each bistro, restaurant, pub and eatery is eager to stand out from the rest in addition to capitalizing on the impressive revenue margins which alcoholic beverages are known for bringing. It’s not just for bars. Restaurants of all shapes and sizes are experimenting with their own branded beverages.

A common example of house-branded alcoholic beverage that will soon explode to other pubs and restaurants in the US is the mixing of large volumes of cocktails and then storing it in a huge barrel for about two months. Because customers have become familiar with common brands of liquors, they are willing to try out new things. As a result, businesses that have adopted this idea are reaping huge profits from the sale of such liquor.

It’s an example of a great way to set yourself apart.

Micro Pairing, Which Blends the Kitchen with the Bar

If you love chef-inspired dishes as well as house-branded alcoholic drinks, then you will find this latest micro trend quite interesting. This concept entails creating a special cocktail to go with a particular dish. Unlike other innovative ideas that may only involve the chef or bartenders, this kind of micro-trend involve the chef and the barman coming together to provide customers with an unforgettable culinary experience.

The coming together of chefs and bartenders to create a unique culinary experience also provides restaurant owners with fresh marketing opportunities. For example, you can market your dish as a special combo meal particularly designed for the older generation.

Communal Dining

The other micro-trend that is fast growing in popularity in the US is communal dining. Whereas this concept is quite common in taverns with traditional ambiance, it is yet to pick up in the mainstream dining.

Nonetheless, there are a few eateries and restaurants in the major cities that are already starting to adopt this concept. This is because there are patrons who are looking for eateries that can enable to connect to other people by allowing them to dine side-by-side.

Farm-to-Table Which Has Inspired the Growth of In-House Butcheries

The farm-to-table is a micro trend that is fast inspiring in-house butchers. Rather than buying meat from local butcheries, more and more restaurants are starting to butcher their own meats. This in turn has led people to believe that the age-old idea of farm-to-table is slowly being resurrected.

The idea behind farm-to-table has been brought about by the need to only control the freshness and portions, but also pricing since the cost of beef is expected to reach an all-time high by the end of December, 2013. (tweet this)

On the other hand, in-house butchers are enabling restaurants to avoid waste. For example, bones are increasingly being utilized in making stocks, whereas chefs create signature dishes using off-cuts.

These are a few of the trends we’re seeing in the restaurant industry. Hopefully they spark a few ideas for your restaurant.

And if they do these ideas will translate well to your online strategy too!

Have you been seeing any other trends?

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Photos by Stewart Butterfield and Tom Booth