Rolling With The Times: Restaurant Reopening Trends To Watch

Rolling With The Times: Restaurant Reopening Trends To Watch

Restaurants, bars and clubs across the country have finally been given the clear to go back to serving customers as efficiently and widely as they were before the pandemic.

Food establishment owners have rushed to get their businesses back up and running, many feeling a great sense of relief to be back at the wheel again.

But it has not all been smooth sailing. In the great rush to get back, many owners have found that they need to rehire staff, and that existing staffing levels are affected by team members needing to self-isolate when experiencing illness.

Those establishments which do not comply with COVID-19 guidance may risk having to retrain, food safety inspections, and more issues. And, of course, many owners have barely been into their business since the beginning of lockdown. Buildings will have experienced wear and tear, and may require work before business can go back to normal.

But most importantly, as every restaurant starts back at once, how will YOU compete against old businesses and new, looking to corner the booming new market in eating out?

Marketing In The New Era

Many businesses have been keen to reopen – but not so sure of their marketing strategy when they do so.

With many people still reluctant to socialise in public, marketing a restaurant seems a difficult task. And while a few people are desperate to get out and ‘hit the town’ post-lockdown, many of them are more interested in hitting the pubs and clubs than going out for a meal.

Many restaurants used to rely on a regular supply of business from older customers, some of whom would eat out several times a week. Now that many of those customers are reluctant to eat out, many food establishments have lost a large part of their clientele.

So how do we work around these changing customer trends?

The Current Restaurant Trends Of Post-Lockdown Britain

The biggest food trend at the moment, with health on everybody’s minds, is wholefoods. But with the boom in takeaways over lockdown, and people rediscovering the concept of office lunch breaks again, the emphasis is now on convenient wholefoods.

People want to get healthy foods that they can get to takeaway and eat at their desks! Food that is healthy enough to eat five days a week – but without getting up at 6am to pack a lunch.

We are seeing a great number of new organic cafes, smoothie and salad bars, and many well-established brands – even fast-food chains such as McDonalds and Subway, are introducing a variety of vegan and vegetarian options.

With the introduction of more vegan vegetarian, and healthy options, and awareness of a diversifying market, comes an emphasis on global foods. In particular, CAKE Restaurant Trends 2021 singled out fusion foods as one of the most vibrant and fast-developing markets.

The ‘On Trend’ Shopping List

Hard Kombucha And Low ABV Drinks: A recent study by Spoonshot shows that interest in low alcohol or alcohol-free drinks has soared by as much as 332% in just five years! People are becoming more aware of the effects of alcohol on the body, and kombucha provides a nice compromise.

Low in alcohol and high in health benefits, hard kombucha has roughly the same alcohol content as a beer and is typically lower calorie and lower in sugar than many alcoholic drinks.

Chickpeas: One of the oldest legumes cultivated by humanity, chickpeas originate from Southern Turkey and the Middle East, and are a staple in many vegetarian and vegan dishes. The Whole Foods Market expects chickpeas to be one of their best selling wholefoods of 2021, with the beans being used in everything from curry to flour.

Pickles And Ferments: just as with kombucha, fermented foods are having their heyday in 2021! The health benefits of fermented foods are now being uncovered and they do a lot!

Fermented foods help the gut to digest food properly, which not only helps to prevent indigestion but can improve overall mood and anxiety levels, energy levels and sleep!

Immunity Foods

Perhaps unsurprisingly in the face of COVID-19, everybody is immunity-obsessed right now. Juices and nutrient-dense superfoods will be hot on the market, as everybody attempts to keep their immune systems fighting fit throughout the winter months.

To cash in on this thriving demand for health foods, incorporate ingredients into your dishes such as:

Turmeric

Green Tea/Matcha

Cacao

CBD

Chia

Ginger

Flexible Dining

While many people will continue to get meals delivered in the face of the ongoing pandemic, now that restrictions are being eased, increasing numbers of people will be going out to eat again.

In light of this 50-50 split in diners eating in or out, it is more important than ever for restaurants to be adaptable and offer different dining options.

Perhaps you have a garden you could make nicer for your diners who prefer to eat outside? Or maybe you could introduce discounts for customers who collect their takeaway? Or maybe you could get a food truck for your business so you can travel to meet your market?

Get creative and tap into your market’s full potential!

Article by Caterquip