Every December, dozens of food and drink trend reports flood the universe. Predictions come in from food manufacturers, market research companies, wine and spirits brands, hospitality consultants and trendologists at large.
This year, Yum Brands, parent to Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill, compiled its own food trends report—a first for Yum and the only one we’ve gotten from a multibrand restaurant company. Why now?
“It’s exciting to uncover the trends behind ‘the next big thing,’ and Yum Brands and Collider Lab wanted to dig more into the ‘whys’ behind what’s trending. Collider Lab [Yum’s internal strategy agency] has long looked at why customers choose to come to our 62,000 restaurants, and why they crave what they do from our menus,” said Ken Muench, CMO of Yum Brands and co-founder of Collider Lab, in an email to Restaurant Business. “We’ve leveraged that curiosity and insight to guide our global strategy for years, and given the culturally resonant themes that have emerged, we felt like the results would be of interest to an external audience.”
The resulting 2026 Food Trends Report, released Wednesday by Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum, predicts what’s now and next in dining based on data and insights from its four restaurant chains and Collider.
While convenience is still valued, the report emphasizes the growing importance of personalization and experiences when choosing a restaurant. Mood and engagement will also play bigger roles in dining decisions. Three trends are highlighted that reinforce current shifts.
The me-me-me economy
Consumers seek meals that reflect their individual tastes. Solo orders are up from 31% in 2021 to 47% in 2025—a jump of 52%. Over half of these occasions are what Yum calls “premium” moments, falling in the $10-$30 range and over-indexing on treats like snacks and beverages. And personal-size pizzas are outperforming with Gen Z and millennials. The bottom line—24% of solo diners eat to satisfy a craving.
But the need to personalize doesn’t stop with singles; 31% want something to customize when eating as a duo. KFC’s new Saucy concept meets that desire with more than 4,000 ways to order for ultimate customization.
Choice therapy
Boxes and curated meal bundles are becoming symbols of control. Restaurants that let consumers create their own meals consistently outperform convenience-focused menus. At Taco Bell, Build Your Own Taco offerings generated 72% positive sentiment.
Consumers also love sauces, saying that sauces are 2.4x more likely to bring excitement to the everyday compared to other food items. At KFC, 71% of its top-performing menu item tests had specific sauces, reinforcing how influential customizable flavors have become. Dipping and drizzling gives consumers a sense of agency and discovery. Yum goes as far as to say that sauces can act as emotional pick-me-ups in moments of stress.
Vibe-mathing
Rising costs and endless choices are pushing customers to approach food through its emotional value rather than just price. Items that are aesthetically pleasing or feel uplifting are gaining fans. But 62% of consumers still equate good value with “something cheap and affordable”—a trend that will likely continue into 2026.
That said, “cool” is now the No. 1 attribute driving momentum for quick-service brands, even outranking craveable food, according to the report. People are especially craving “little luxuries,” with 68% choosing afternoon snack occasions on weekdays to deliver a mood boost.
Beverages are seen as one of these low-stakes indulgences with high emotional return, and Yum is all in with the expansion of Taco Bell’s Live Mas Café platform. The report states that “drinks are small but accessible joys, with 43% of specialty beverages purchased are standalone without the customer buying any food.”
“Our global footprint gives us unique visibility into the ever-changing ways people order and experience food,” said Muench. “The 2026 Food Trends Report helps us see where culture is headed and gives our brands a clearer path to creating more moments of joyful, flavorful ownership for our customers.”
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