Beverage

Beverage trends spilling into the restaurant industry

Beverage

Self-serve suds

Beer, wine and even cocktails have been a point of differentiation for fast casuals, but as far as consumers are concerned, there’s still room to grow.

Beverage

Libation exploration

Latin and Asian cocktails are expanding into new territory.

Alcohol sales in chain restaurants and bars will rise 2.7 percent next year, a positive, albeit moderate, acceleration from 2014, according to the latest forecast from Technomic.

Fads come and go, but true emerging beverage trends have staying power and growth potential. We’ve done some recon on what’s predicted to be the next big thing in craft beer, cocktailing and fast-casual drinks—the developments poised to make dollars and sense for operators in the year ahead.

To build buzz around traditional winter drinks such as hot chocolate and cider, operators are borrowing tactics from the coffee wars, touting handcrafted techniques and seasonal flavors more often associated with lattes and mochas.

To keep cocktail lists current, progressive mixologists are looking to the past, resurrecting old-fashioned mixers and modifiers with modern twists.

Juicing is powering up menus. The recession put a squeeze on sales of made-to-order juices, according to the 2014 Juice & Smoothie Bars in the U.S. report by Los Angeles market researcher IBISWorld. But increased consumer demand for healthy beverages and an expansion of juicing into concepts other than smoothie and juice bars are revitalizing the category, the report says.

Restaurant operators in California are learning how to cope with the water shortage. Here’s what you can learn from them.

Delays that pile up over a service period not only diminish the guest experience, they can result in lost profits. Savvy operators are taking steps to pick up the pace.

When guests sidle up to the bar at New York City’s Porchlight, the first stand-alone bar from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, they will find a Southern influence and a craft-cocktail focus.

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