Restaurant Trends 2026: The Must-Know Trends Redefining Growth, Loyalty, and Guest Experience

Welcome to the restaurant industry in 2026 : a constantly evolving world where sustainability, digitalization, and customer expectations influence every decision. Guests are more demanding than ever: they want unique culinary experiences, flawless service, flexible pricing, and dishes that reflect their values. For restaurateurs, the challenge lies in finding the right balance between quality, affordability, and efficiency, while staying at the forefront of trends to attract and retain their clientele.

Conscious and Sustainable Eating  

• Analyse the overall environmental impact of your establishment: energy, waste, sourcing, food waste.

• Select responsible suppliers: favour local, organic producers who are committed to sustainability. 

• Cook greener: diversify your menu by incorporating more vegetarian and vegan dishes, as well as seasonal options. Customers appreciate the creativity and freshness of a menu that changes with the seasons. 

• Communicate your commitments: let your customers know that you have adopted a sustainable approach. Mention it on your menus, your website, your social media and be proactive.

Hyper-personalisation and intelligent loyalty building 

Understanding your customers allows you to offer a truly personalised experience: targeted recommendations, effective loyalty programmes and menus tailored to the preferences of your loyal customers. In an increasingly competitive market, personalisation is a powerful tool for building loyalty and differentiation.

Build customer loyalty and boost direct bookings

Managing customer relationships yourself is the surest way to increase the number of visits without having to buy them back from platforms.

• Collect basic information. With their consent, collect their email address/telephone number and a few preferences when they book their payment. Make it easy for them. Automate rewards at the time of payment.
• Plan your calendar. Fill slow periods with tastings, evenings with guest chefs, quiz nights or family meals on Sundays. Give priority to regulars.
• Stay present, without being intrusive. A monthly update is better than daily notifications. Share a new dish, event or offer, with a direct booking button.

Consumers clearly expect this level of personalization. In the UK, 80 % of people are interested in personalized experiences from the restaurants, pubs, and bars they visit. Additionally, offering personalized experiences can yield a 10 to 15 % revenue uplift on average.

Analyze the menu = benefits with lower prices for guests 

In 2026, profitability is central to restaurateurs’ strategies. With steadily rising energy costs, inflation pressing on raw materials, and recruitment and retention challenges for skilled staff, margins are severely tested. Economic resilience now relies on rigorous financial management and optimizing every expense.

How to calculate food cost formula?

• Determine the period for which you want to calculate the food costs, for example, for a week or a month

• Make a list of all the ingredients you used during that period
• Determine the total cost of each ingredient by reviewing invoices from suppliers

• Add up all the costs of the ingredients to calculate the total cost of the ingredients 

• Add the costs of all other supplies, such as packaging and cleaning supplies, to the total cost of the ingredients to calculate the total food cost 
• Divide the total food cost by the total revenue for the same period and multiply this by 100 to calculate the food cost percentage. 
  

• Food cost formula: (total cost of ingredients + cost of other supplies) / total revenue x 100 = food cost percentage.

Monitoring the food cost percentage is crucial for any food business to maximize profitability and control costs. By calculating and tracking the food cost percentage, businesses can manage prices and costs while maintaining the quality of their menu items.

How to attract more visitors and increase the average spending 

Guests are going out a little less and weighing price more. That means your growth this autumn comes from two things: getting more people in and helping each table spend a bit more — without it feeling expensive. Below are four practical moves you can start this week. They’re simple, guest-friendly, and proven to lift both visits and average check.

Package for value, not just price

• Design add-ons that feel like treats. Offer a “crisp side salad,” “garlic bread for the table,” “extra sauce,” or “bar snack while you wait.” Keep them easy to say yes to and position them right under the main.
  
• Pair drinks with dishes. Add “perfect pairings” under 3–5 dishes (beer, wine, low/no). Avoid decision fatigue: one clear suggestion beats a long list.
• Anchor with a premium option. A higher-priced “chef’s pick” or sharing board increases perceived value and makes core items look fairly priced.
• Limit the discounting. If you need a deal, use fixed-price lunch, early-bird, or slow-day bundles that protect margin while filling seats.
  

Download our 2026 trends report below 👇