Consumer Trends
2016 Clean Plate Awards: Staff Picks
These Restaurant Business staff Clean Plate Awards reveal some industry trends on the rise as well as classic comfort foods that stand the test of time.
Food
Top menu stories of 2016
A look back at the most surprising, fun and thought-provoking menu fare at chains this past year.
Back in 1995, near the ski slopes of Mount Shasta, Bruce Dean and Bob Manley scraped up $30,000 to open a restaurant. Adding in some credit from landlord and vendors, they remodeled a defunct eatery into the Black Bear Diner, a family restaurant with an outdoorsy atmosphere. Recalls Dean, “It was the only thing we could afford.”
Two in five people say they are willing to spend more on meals that showcase new and interesting flavors, finds a recent Technomic study of consumer flavor trends. And consumers—especially Millennials—are seeking a broader spectrum of food choices, indicating that options for more authentic and traditional foods are increasingly important. Adding or adjusting sauce applications is just one easy and economical way to satisfy this customer craving.