7 Trends for Restaurants to Stand Out

The turn of the year is that moment when companies are analyzing results, reviewing processes, and planning their actions for the next 12 months. And it's no different for bars and restaurants.

To set the year's goals and achieve success, you need to not only assess your own performance but also look at competitors and the market to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth.

After all, in an industry as competitive as food service, you need to understand consumers' new demands and keep up with trends.

That's why, in this article, we've listed the top trends for restaurants in 2024. Keep reading to learn what to do to stand out.

Leia também: 17 food service events to attend in 2024

Top trends for restaurants in 2024

When it comes to restaurant trends, it's common to think only about the dishes, ingredients, and cooking styles that are in fashion.

But if you manage a food business, you need to broaden your perspective. That's because a restaurant's success doesn't depend only on the menu items, but also on the customer experience, service excellence, operational efficiency, and much more.

With that in mind, below we've listed the seven main trends in restaurant management. Take a look!

1 – Sustainability: from suppliers to packaging

With the climate crisis, consumers (and investors) are keeping an eye on companies that care about sustainability. So if you want to attract and build loyalty with this profile, you need to think about actions that make your sustainable restaurant. 

And there are many aspects you can improve:

• local suppliers.
• organic ingredients.
• renewable energy sources.
• more energy-efficient equipment.
• proper disposal of solid waste.
• composting.
• biodegradable packaging, and much more.

Look for solutions and show that you care. This will certainly be a differentiator for your restaurant.

2 – Healthy eating and plant-based

Healthy meals, nutritious ingredients, and plant-based foods are a strong trend among consumers, as people are more concerned about their health and are avoiding ultra-processed products.

To meet this demand, you need to not only choose quality ingredients and create healthy dishes, but also communicate them the right way.

In other words: your menu should include descriptions that highlight these features, such as nutritional information and health benefits.

Leia também: Vegan restaurant: why it's a trend and how to succeed

3 – Technology in service: POS, KDS, and self-service

If you don't yet use any technology to optimize customer service, that should be your goal in 2024. Customers expect speed and efficiency, and relying on technology is the best way to deliver the best experience possible.

Some examples of solutions are:

• PDV that's modern and lets you take orders in just a few clicks, much faster, and automatically send them to the kitchen.
• system KDS to organize and view orders, speeding up preparation and getting food to the customer in no time.
• Cardápio digital e autoatendimento so customers have more autonomy when ordering and paying, without having to wait for the waiter or stand in line.

4 – Delivery, take away, grab and go for greater convenience

Another strong trend in food service is diversifying service formats to offer greater convenience to customers.

That's because, beyond the experience of dining in, people also want the option to have their meal delivered at home, order for pickup, or even swing by to grab a ready-to-eat dish.

So, if you still don't offer delivery, Take away and grab and go, add them to your plans for 2024!

Letting your customer choose whichever way of ordering is most convenient for them at the time is a form of loyalty building – and you can also reach an audience beyond your usual one.

5 – Artificial Intelligence to optimize processes

A artificial intelligence exploded over the past year and is set to grow stronger across a wide range of sectors in 2024. Restaurant-specific solutions are already available on the market, helping generate efficiency and optimize results.

One example is smart restaurant systems, which tell the waiter the exact moment to offer a certain product to customers, increasing the chances they'll accept the suggestion and spend more.

There's also artificial intelligence built into management platforms, capable of proposing strategic actions based on data. In this case, AI can suggest a type of promotion or a menu change to increase revenue, for example.

6 – Team training to achieve excellence

The customer experience has never been so important, and achieving excellence requires a well-trained and closely aligned team. That's why employee training should be a top focus for restaurant managers.

This, however, is a longstanding challenge in the industry. With high employee turnover and a very hectic daily routine, few managers find the time to carry out training.

The solution may lie, once again, in technology: by adopting a more modern and efficient system to optimize processes and simplify management, you gain time to devote to leading your team, helping improve service.

7 – Smart, data-driven management

Business intelligence will become increasingly relevant for restaurants, helping them cut costs, identify bottlenecks, optimize processes, and maximize results.

Managers who can rely on advanced platforms and know how to make data-driven decisions will get ahead of the competition.

Instead of wasting time on outdated reports and figures that don't add up, they'll be able to run analyses easily. This way, they'll gain insights and craft more effective strategies to boost profitability, accelerating the growth of the business.

Learn more: Business Intelligence in restaurants: get to know EPOC Analytics

Drive your restaurant's growth in 2024

As you can see throughout our list of restaurant trends for 2024. The secret to success is adapting to consumers' new demands, delivering a great customer experience, and having smart management.

Technology can contribute to all these aspects, which is why it's essential to know the tools available on the market. EPOC is a platform built to help your restaurant grow, with solutions like POS, ERP, KDS, digital menu, self-service, and much more.

To get to know our platform and learn how we can help your restaurant, contact us right now and talk to our consultants.