Trios of mini martinis, wine pours and craft beer samples have long been popular in restaurants and bars as a way for guests to explore a variety of tastes in one serving.
Now food and drink flights seem to be having a resurgence, with TikTok leading the charge. Egg flights have gone viral on the social media platform, pioneered by creator Alice Choi—a.k.a. Hip Foodie Mom. The Google search term “egg flight ideas” spiked 350% over the last month or so.
Basically, the flights start with halved hard-boiled eggs that are then topped with a range of ingredients, resulting in an easier-to-make version of deviled eggs that satisfies snackers. A couple of Choi’s favorite variations involve toppings of Kewpie mayonnaise, gorgonzola and balsamic glaze; that same mayo, mustard, bread-and-butter pickles and chili crisp; and Kewpie mayonnaise, kimchi, gochujang and honey. The idea is to serve three to six different halves as a high-protein snack flight.
Many of Choi’s followers see egg flights as an extension of the snacky “girl dinners” that trended on TikTok last year. And those were pretty much the next iteration of charcuterie boards.
Millers All Day, a breakfast and brunch restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, jumped into the flights phenomenon with a Donut Flight featuring a trio of Nutella, Strawberry Cheesecake and Cookies & Cream fillings for $13. On the drinks side, the indy expanded its selection of cocktail flights with a Bloody Mary Flight ($28) including classic, garden and bacon bourbon flavors, as well as a Mimosa Flight ($32), with strawberry cucumber, mint mojito, lavender-lemonade and rosemary-grapefruit.
There’s also a more traditional wine flight featuring three rosé riffs for $23: frosé, still rosé, and sparkling rosé.
Snooze A.M. Eatery updated its signature Pancake Flight last month. | Photo courtesy of Snooze A.M. Eatery
Pancake Flights are a longtime differentiator at Snooze A.M. Eatery, but late last month, the daytime café chain refreshed the lineup. The Signature Flight now includes Pineapple Upside Down, Cinnamon Roll and Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes. Or diners can create their own custom flights by choosing any three pancake flavors.
The sky’s the limit for flights, and some operators are flying into those limits. Flights of french fries with dipping sauces, milkshakes, and mac ‘n cheese have all been spotted on menus. But there are two current versions that seem to have legs.
Goat Bar and Grill serves a Queso Flight with chips. | Photo courtesy of Goat Bar and Grill
The Queso Flights at three-location Goat Bar and Grill in New Hampshire are the ideal bar snack. The queso comes in three flavors: street corn, chorizo and chili queso, served with a pile of tortilla chips. And the latte flights at Craft Coffee House in Pendleton, N.Y. offer customers an energizing way to experiment with classic and seasonal latte variations.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.