Food

Food trends and recipes to keep menus fresh

Zoës Kitchen embraces plant-based entrees

By Patricia Cobe on Mar. 15, 2016

Plant-based entrees were named on several forecasters’ top trends lists for 2016, positioning Mediterranean-focused fast casuals in a sweet spot.

Food

The toast trend isn’t burnt—yet

By Kelsey Squire on May 16, 2016

Artisan toast is still gaining steam on menus, moving beyond the biggest cities to restaurants in more moderately sized markets. Here’s a sampling of concepts riding the toast wave.

Food

4 menu items chains are testing out

By Sara Rush Wirth on Aug. 31, 2016

National chains are breaking from their traditional offerings to see if diners will bite these new dishes.

Food

Consumers' favorite taco joints

By Peter Romeo, Sara Rush Wirth, Kelsey Squire and Benita Gingerella on Nov. 28, 2016

Don't expect to find Taco Bell or Chipotle on the list of Foursquare users' most-loved sources of the Tex-Mex staple. But Waffle House is there, along with one-offs in such unexpected locales as Charlotte, N.C. Here are the top 20 joints, along with why they top the rankings.

Food

6 specialty fast casuals to watch

By Lauren Hallow on Feb. 03, 2017

One of the fastest-growing segments in fast casual is “specialty," as operators look to carve out their own niche in underrepresented cuisines such as Middle Eastern and fusion rather than compete in the crowded mainstream sectors. Here’s a look at some recently launched specialty fast casuals, from an Asian-Texas restaurant to a Roman pizza-sandwich concept.

Food

7 menus that move turkey out of its comfort zone

By Patricia Cobe on Apr. 11, 2017

Chicken still rules the roost, but consumers want to see more turkey on menus.

Food

Chefs’ favorite recipes

By Patricia Cobe on Jun. 15, 2017

These recipes, shared with attendees at the 23rd Annual Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference at UMass Amherst, tap into some of today’s top trends.

Food