Market Trends

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, guides F&B trends reporting since joining in 1999. Hosts "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast. Wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), and in Thailand for Manager magazine and Asia Times (1995-1997). Magna cum laude graduate of Tufts University (1990), studied at Le Cordon Bleu (1986), and reported for ABC News during the Tiananmen Square protests (1989). His column won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier (2014). Contact: [email protected]; Social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (@foodwriterdiary), Instagram (@foodwriterdiary).

🏨 Paradise Resort Gold Coast achieved an average upsell per reservation of A$139 using Mews. Hostellerie Cèdre & Spa increased revenue by €14k+ in less than a month. Old Stocks Inn saw an 8% ADR increase within two months. Green Hotels attained an 18% direct booking conversion rate. The Julius, Prague, generated over €55k from parking in the first half of 2023. GuestHouse Hotels earns €9,000/month through upselling. All benefited from Mews Hospitality Cloud's automated solutions for rate management, upselling, secure payments, and direct bookings.

🍴 Nuri Steakhouse opened on August 20, 2023, in Dallas' Uptown, with a $20 million design and buildout cost. The 9,500 square foot venue offers seating for 150 inside and 50 outside. Wan Kim, Smoothie King’s global CEO, introduced the steakhouse presenting a menu that blends steakhouse classics with Korean flavors, designed by culinary director Minji Kim and executive chef Mario Hernandez. It also features a wine cellar with 750 labels and 6,000 bottles, curated by master sommelier Barbara Werley.

🍸 Non-alcoholic spirits are increasingly prevalent on menus, rising by 487% over four years to feature on 2.8% of U.S. menus. Younger consumers often opt for these beverages to socialize without alcohol. Brands like Seedlip offer booze-less options that rival traditional spirits in complexity. The shift in perception from "mocktails" to standalone menu items caters to both drinkers and non-drinkers.

🍽 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, hosts the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn." He covered New York City's restaurant scene for The New York Sun from 2005-2008. In Thailand during 1992-1997, he contributed to Manager magazine and Asia Times. A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate and Phi Beta Kappa member, Thorn studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and in China at Nanjing and Beijing Universities, witnessing the 1989 Tiananmen Square events as an ABC News runner. His work earned the 2006 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award and he was president of the International Foodservice Editorial Council in 2005. Thorn was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014 and has written for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America and the Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, hosts the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn". He wrote for The New York Sun from 2005-2008. Previously, Thorn spent five years in Thailand writing for Manager magazine and Asia Times. A graduate of Tufts University (1990) and Le Cordon Bleu Paris (1986), he won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award. Inducted into the Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014, Thorn lives in Brooklyn, NY. Contact him at [email protected] and follow on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

💸 Over 87% of GDS hotel reservations in 2024 are for business travel, surpassing 2019's peak. GDS connects over 600,000 travel agents to real-time hotel availability. Hotels with 40+ rooms located near business hubs, airports, or tourist spots are ideal for GDS listings. Evaluating factors like target demographic, location, demand, GDS fees, and technical capabilities is crucial in deciding if GDS is suitable for a property.

🍚 Soy Cowboy, a Pan-Asian restaurant, opened in Arlington, Texas inside the Loews Arlington hotel. Ben Berg of Berg Hospitality Group, a key figure in the Texas dining scene since 2015, established the restaurant with a unique concept focusing on shareable dishes. Soy Cowboy avoids the typical "hotel restaurant" feel by providing a separate entrance and aiming for a standalone fine dining experience. The team adapts service to accommodate convention crowds and Dallas Cowboys gameday visitors, striving for full fine dining service without sacrificing quality or speed. Despite operational challenges, it has received high service ratings on OpenTable.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, reports on food and beverage trends and hosts "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast. Wrote "Kitchen Dish" column for The New York Sun (2005-2008), worked in Thailand as journalist (1992-1997), and received the 2006 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award. A magna cum laude Tufts University graduate, studied French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, and was inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Lives in Brooklyn, NY.

🥪 Mango habanero flavor is increasingly popular in the U.S., featured in various dishes and drinks. Despite habanero's spice, these mixtures highlight the pepper's floral notes and mango's sweetness. Market research by Datassential shows a 118% menu presence growth over four years, now at 4.8%. Its popularity is notable among Gen Z, millennials, and Hispanic consumers.