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Consumer Trends

Consumer trends, insights and preferences

Consumer Trends

Gift card sales on the rise

 Aug. 25, 2010

U.S. branded gift card sales grew monthly from February through June this year, according to research from First Data. Much of the growth was attributed to gift card malls (large gift card displays from a variety of merchants common in grocery and discount stores).

Consumer Trends

Sandwich Trends: Updating an American Staple

 Mar. 01, 2011

Sandwiches are undergoing exciting flavor and quality upgrades on every level—from breads to fillings and condiments. New sandwich trends are driven by artisan and sustainable ingredients, the desire to eat seasonally and more healthfully, and the celebration of regional and global foods and flavors.

Consumer Trends

Expanding the palate in 2012

Jan. 10, 2012

Sensient Flavors, using a proprietary predictive process that filters trends from a macro level, has predicted that in 2012, customers will follow their taste buds to restaurants offering new and exciting flavor profiles. These are the ingredients and flavors they see in the forefront.

Consumer Trends

Satisfying a digital hunger

Feb. 06, 2012

In its just-released 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast, the National Restaurant Association reports that there is an increasing consumer interest in high tech interaction in restaurants. The NRA's statistics show that consumers up to the age of 55 support new restaurant technologies. But the majority of the restaurant industry does not seem to be keeping pace.

Consumer Trends

Quenching summer thirst

Jun. 20, 2012

Year round, hot coffee is the most frequently purchased beverage in foodservice operations; 49% of consumers buy it regularly, according to a survey by American Express MarketBriefing. But as the weather gets hotter, the sale of cold beverages also heats up.

Consumer Trends

Sprucing up for the holidays

Dec. 11, 2012

From landmarks like the Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City offering a traditional Christmas Eve seafood feast, to QSRs like Burger King’s promotion of gingerbread sundaes and shakes, operations of all stripes are developing special menus for the holiday season.

Consumer Trends

Sandwiches continue on the fast track

Jun. 17, 2013

Sandwiches are the most menued item in restaurants, according to Technomic data. Fast-casual concepts are leading the charge, but sandwiches appear in every segment and cuisine. What's more, they are prevalent in every daypart: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Here's the latest on what's happening between the bread.

Consumer Trends

Mascots affect food choices well into adulthood, new study says

By Kelly Killian on Jan. 24, 2014

Advertising characters such as Ronald McDonald that people have been familiar with since childhood continue to affect food decisions once they become adults.

Consumer Trends

The evolution of local

By Sara Rush Wirth on Aug. 13, 2015

One in three consumers are spotting more locally sourced items on menus, researcher Technomic finds, and the ratio is higher at Quick Service Restaurants.

Consumer Trends

Fast-casual consumers: Who are they?

By Mary Chapman on Feb. 16, 2016

Part of what makes fast casual a winning formula is the segment’s refusal to follow an all-things-for-all-people mentality.

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