4 disruptors reshaping the industry

There’s no such thing as business as usual anymore for restaurants. So what forces can operators expect to disrupt the industry in 2017? Answering that question is a key goal of the Restaurant Leadership Conference, a gathering of C-level execs in Phoenix. Technomic president Darren Tristano will provide a high-level breakdown of what those trends impacting operators throughout the year may be—and we convinced him to give us a sneak peek. 

“Indies and small chains are being more nimble and locally focused, and they are adapting,” says Tristano. They continue to perform well while larger chains struggle with both sales and traffic, he adds. 

Stalled expansion is evidence that operators’ response to consumers’ desire for more healthy options is outpacing the demand, says Tristano. Native Foods Cafe and LYFE Kitchen closed shops, and My Fit Foods shuttered all of its stores in February.

Off-premise business is an increasingly prominent way of driving restaurant sales. While the rising popularity and availability of delivery does contribute to this, there’s also room for growth in catering and reengineering takeout convenience altogether. 

Last year, Tristano touched on fast-casual pizza being an area ripe for growth. This year’s predicted breakout segment: poke and sushi burritos. “It’s urban and will start filtering into the suburban markets,” he says.