Articles Tagged with ''restaurant menus''

This year’s theme, “Ancient Inspirations,” pairs frozen DOLE® fruit as blackberry, mango, cherry and pineapple with spices, grains and ingredients from around the globe. To ensure that the dishes are approachable and appeal to a wide range of patrons, the Dole culinary team has chosen to reinvent familiar menu items with these exciting flavor combinations.

Among the flavors already creating buzz in the US, Middle Eastern cuisine has become an inspiration for fusion flavors, ‘less sweet’ desserts featuring ingredients such as olive oil and vinegar are gaining popularity, and functional ingredients are adding color and flavor to food and drinks.

2017 Canadian Flavor Consumer Trend Report: It’s all about spicy menu offerings

Menu trends that will be heating up in 2018 include doughnuts with non-traditional filling, ethnic-inspired kids’ dishes, farm/estate-branded items, and heritage-breed meats. Trends that are cooling down include artisan cheeses, heirloom fruits and vegetables, and house-made charcuterie.

There is opportunity to grow brunch occasions, as 40% of consumers eat brunch at least once a week.

In New Spins on Standards 2017: Culinary Trend Tracking Series, Packaged Facts identifies more than a dozen foods, beverages, and ingredients that will trend in 2018.

Although 46% of consumers still crave the old-fashioned sweets they enjoyed as children—per Technomic’s new "2017 Dessert Consumer Trend Report"—one-of-a-kind, "wow-factor" treats now are trending on today's menus.

Talk to the folks at Taco Bell and you realize that this isn’t just a Mexican quick-service restaurant (QSR) business. Instead, this Irvine, Calif., company (a subsidiary of Yum! Brands) angles to be a culturally-centric lifestyle brand with the credo: “Live Mas.” Put into words, it’s a call to live a life worth sharing and try new experiences.

One outcome of this push for more menu assortment is that operators are experimenting with mix-and-match bundles of smaller items—such as offering a sampling of appetizers and small plates as alternatives to traditional entrées.

Arby’s introduced its new Cookie Butter Shake. Available nationwide for a limited time, the handcrafted shake is indulgently sweet with a cinnamon spice, whipped topping and cookie crumbles.