Market Trends

📈 The US economy added 256,000 jobs in December, unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. Leisure and hospitality sector grew by 43,000 positions in December, with an average of 24,000 jobs added monthly in 2024, versus 47,000 in 2023. Eating and drinking places added 29,800 jobs in December, up from 23,200 in November. Overall, 172,500 net new jobs were created in 2024 at these establishments, down from 309,000 in 2023. The industry is now 1.4% above its February 2020 peak. Full-service remains 4% lower, while quick-service and fast-casual are 4% higher, and snack/beverage concepts 17% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Twenty-four states and DC have fewer jobs than in November 2019, while 26 states are above pre-pandemic employment. Average hourly earnings' growth slowed, with year-over-year wage growth at 3.8%, the lowest since May 2021.

🏨 STAAH, a leading technology firm, analyzed hotel reservations across 500+ integrations worldwide to determine top booking channels. Key findings include the dominance of OTAs such as Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, and regional players like GoMMT, Traveloka, Tiket.com, and Pitchup.com. Trip.com and Hotelbeds also showed gains. Direct bookings through STAAH SwiftBook ranked high in New Zealand (2nd), India (4th), and the UK. B2B OTAs and STAAH GDS show strong growth, indicating a diverse, multichannel approach is effective in reaching niche markets.

🏠 GoMMT, Agoda, and Booking.com topped the list of distribution channels for hotel bookings in India over the past year. STAAH, with over 500 integrations, features Expedia and Airbnb in its top 10. Direct bookings increased, as STAAH SwiftBook rose to fourth place in 2024. Cleartrip, Hotelbeds, and RezLive.com entered the top 10, while STAAH GDS ranked seventh. The Indian hospitality and travel industry is growing post-Covid, with a focus on a holistic hotel commerce strategy.

🏨 STAAH’s Weekly Hotel Industry Quiz aims to test and update hospitality professionals on industry trends. New questions are posted every week, covering diverse topics, and are available for anyone interested in improving their hotel industry knowledge. Missed quizzes can be accessed for later testing.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor at Nation's Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016, has a BA in history from Tufts University (1990). He wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), worked in Thailand (1992-1997), and covered Tiananmen Square protests for ABC News in 1989. Thorn won the Jesse H. Neal Award (2006), was president of IFEC (2005), inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier (2014), and authored entries in the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012) and Oxford Companion (2015). He resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🥞 Au Bon Pain and other fast-casual restaurants are incorporating overnight oats into their menus. This no-cook breakfast has gained popularity, especially among Gen Z, with 55% of the population aware of it and 28% having tried it. Market research by Datassential indicates a 32% growth in the past four years and projects a 140% increase in the next four years, showcasing the demand for healthy options.

🏨 STAAH presents a weekly hotel industry quiz to help professionals stay informed on hospitality trends. The quiz caters to both seasoned hoteliers and newcomers, featuring questions on luxury hotel brands and hotel software. Participants are encouraged to share the quiz and access previous quizzes via STAAH's blog.

🥗 Patatas bravas, a traditional Spanish dish, is becoming popular in the U.S. with 75% of the population familiar with it and 45% having tried it. The dish appears on 0.5% of U.S. restaurant menus, marking a 10% increase in the last four years. Its popularity is especially high among Asian and Hispanic consumers. It's commonly seen in independent and fine dining establishments, showcasing global flavors and comfort food appeal.

🍺 Launched in April, Restaurant Hospitality's podcast 'Menu Talk' collaborates with Restaurant Business, featuring weekly episodes with senior editors Bret Thorn and Pat Cobe. Based in New York City, over 30 episodes have aired, discussing foodie adventures, industry events like Menu Directions and the James Beard Awards, and interviewing chefs such as Pepe Moncayo. Listeners can subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday throughout 2025.

🥘 Chef Jay Kumar of Lore in Brooklyn, N.Y., creates classic dosas made from a fermented rice and lentil batter with fenugreek, offering a vegan, gluten-free, high-protein meal. Dosas, with a 15% increase on appetizer menus, are on nearly 1% of menus. Lore serves masala dosas and uttapam with a Swiss-inspired mushroom ragout. Tapori, opening in Washington D.C. in January, will feature dosas with innovative fillings like spiced potato and cheese, and curried crab. Dosas are now popular in both South and North India and in Pakistan.