The hottest trends in the restaurant industry 2025

In 2025, restaurant guests are seeking memorable dining experiences at affordable prices. Running your restaurant like a business makes it easier to offer what the guest wants. By identifying high-margin dishes, collaborating with suppliers, marketing creatively, retaining staff, and leveraging efficiency solutions, you can achieve profitability. We hope our 2025 trend report will inspire you to make small changes that lead to great results.

Plant-based food – beyond a climate issue

Many restaurants have been affected by rising food costs, which, according to a report by SVT and SCB, have increased by up to 70% since 2021. A solution for 2025 is to offer more plant-based dishes, benefiting both the environment and restaurant finances.

Plant-based ingredients like legumes and lentils are cheaper and increase the profit 
margin per dish. Expanding a vegetarian menu doesn’t mean eliminating meat, but 
fewer meat dishes make the menu more sustainable, cost-effective, and appealing.

Tips for restaurant owners:
1. Focus on profit margins.
2. Identify high-margin items that sell well.
3. Remove you signature dish if it’s too expensive.

Why you should get to know your local producers

Interest in locally produced food is growing among Swedes, and guests are willing to pay more for local ingredients. Choosing seasonal and locally sourced products can reduce costs while benefiting the environment and enhancing flavors. Growing your own vegetables and herbs is another sustainable option to cut costs and food waste. Start with a versatile ingredient that can be used in multiple dishes.

Tips
1. Build trust and relationships with local suppliers.
2. Co-market with your suppliers.
3. Begin with a versatile ingredient for multiple dishes

Menu analysis = benefits of lower prices for the guests

Inflation and economic challenges make optimizing menus essential to balance 
profitability and customer satisfaction. Through menu engineering, you can analyze 
dishes based on profitability and popularity. High-margin products should be 
highlighted, while less profitable dishes can be adjusted, marketed better or removed.

Menu design matters too – place profitable dishes where customers look first, use 
visuals, and consider bundled offers to increase perceived value. Regularly track sales and analyze ingredient costs to streamline your menu, reduce waste, and boost profitability. Affordable dishes attract both private customers and businesses, 
strengthening your customer base and financial health.

Tips
1. Prioritize space for dishes that are both popular and profitable.
2. Bundle dishes with drinks to enhance perceived value.
3. Replace ingredients with cost-effective alternatives.

How to retain your staff

Many restaurants struggle to attract and retain staff. Building a strong team starts with creating security, offering growth opportunities, and strengthen cohesion. Regular meetings to discuss service and tasks, mentorship for new hires, and ongoing training help maintain an engaged workforce.

A positive work environment includes clear communication, competitive wages, and 
benefits like health insurance and paid leave. Investing in staff leads to happier 
employees, better service, and a restaurant guests want to visit.

Run your restaurant like a business

For those who want to operate their restaurant as a business, meticulous monitoring of set goals is essential. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) provides insights that help you adjust your menu, offer high-margin dishes at lower prices, and attract future guests.
Restaurant Kung Carl began using KPIs as a strategic step to drive business growth and improve internal efficiency. They started by defining and measuring specific metrics.

Three tips for getting started with KPIs, according to Kung Carl:
1. Define relevant KPIs: Identify the most important metrics for your business.
2. Set goals and benchmarks: Establish specific, measurable goals and compare 
them to industry standards or past performance.
3. Track and analyze results: Conduct regular KPI reviews, such as weekly or 
monthly reports. Analyze results to spot trends, successes, and areas for 
improvement. This offers valuable insights into customer behavior and 
operational efficiency.
Analyze the results to identify trends, successes, and areas that need improvement. 
This can provide valuable insights into customer behavior and operational efficiency.

Technological solutions and integrations

Using technology in your restaurant improves efficiency, service, and customer 
satisfaction. By integrating systems for cash registers, staff management, accounting, and inventory, you can achieve:

Enhanced guest experience: Guests receive quality meals at reasonable prices.
Greater efficiency: Automation reduces manual work and streamlines workflows.
Lower costs: Optimized inventory and staff management reduce waste and 
unnecessary expenses.
Improved guest service: Faster, more personalized service with integrated systems.
Scalability: Technology adapts as your business grows.
Comprehensive insights: Gain a clear overview of your restaurant’s performance.

In conclusion, the restaurant trends of 2025 offer an exciting combination of 
technology, sustainability, and innovation to meet the needs of guests, staff, and 
businesses alike

Download 👇the trend report here.