Market Trends

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, has a long-standing track record in food journalism. He wrote for The New York Sun from 2005-2008 and was a part of the New York City food scene. Before joining NRN, Thorn spent five years in Thailand writing for Manager magazine and Asia Times. He received a BA in history from Tufts University and studied French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Thorn was in Beijing in 1989, covering the Tiananmen Square protests for ABC News. His work earned him the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and an induction into the Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014. Thorn currently resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🏨 Hourly hotel services are gaining popularity due to demands for flexibility, on-demand experiences, and appeal to a broader audience, including travelers, remote workers, locals, and businesses. Top spaces for hourly bookings include meeting and co-working spaces, wellness and fitness facilities, parking spaces, and recreational equipment rentals. This approach increases revenue per available square meter, diversifies income streams for financial stability, and enhances guest satisfaction and brand loyalty. Hotels utilizing hourly bookings can better meet the personalized and convenient needs of guests, positioning themselves as adaptable and guest-centric.

🍜 Ramen shops in the U.S. have seen a rise in popularity, with a current market value over $1 billion annually per IBISWorld. Kyuramen, which started in Queens, N.Y., in 2019, now boasts 40 locations. Rakkan Ramen, originating in Tokyo in 2011, has expanded to over a dozen U.S. locations. In casinos, ramen is increasingly common, such as at Monarch Casino's Twenty-Four 7 in Black Hawk, Colo., which added the dish in 2022, offering three varieties: tonkotsu, shoyu, and miso. Chef Alexander Lopez notes ramen's comforting appeal and the role of social media in its popularity.

🍔 In 2018, the FDA required restaurant chains with 20+ units to display calorie counts on menus, but not macronutrients. Dallas-based HG Sply Co., with four units, has voluntarily added transparent calorie and macro counts on its new menu. Sameer Patel, co-CEO of parent company UNCO, inspired the health-focused menu revamp after his lymphoma diagnosis in early 2024. Partnering with Texas Women's University nutrition students and sourcing sustainable ingredients, the company reworked nearly its entire menu, removing seed oils and reducing added sugars. The new kale Caesar salad has 29 fewer grams of fat and 250 fewer calories, while the fries are now water-blanched, steamed, and fried for a lighter finish. Even cocktails use natural sweeteners, with many under 120 calories. Patel emphasizes the company's belief in fueling life with food.

📈 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a decrease of 15,700 restaurant industry jobs in January, contrasting with a 143,000 job increase in the overall workforce. The unemployment rate dropped to 4% from December's 4.1%. December's revised figures show 307,000 jobs added, with 23,200 in eating and drinking places. In the second half of 2024, 148,000 restaurant jobs were added, 72,000 above the pre-pandemic peak. Full-service restaurants are still 4.1% below early 2020 levels. Recruitment and retention challenge 77% of restaurant operators. The National Restaurant Association forecasts 200,000 job additions in 2025, expecting the industry's workforce to reach 15.9 million and 17.4 million by 2035.

🍴 In 2024, the restaurant industry exceeded $1 trillion in sales for the first time, with a forecast of $1.5 trillion in 2025 according to the National Restaurant Association. Menu prices peaked at a 9% increase in March 2023 but are now 3.6% higher year-over-year. Approximately 80% of consumers express more frequent restaurant use if affordable, with 81% for table service and 76% for quick-service. About 29% of operators plan to open new locations in 2025, with limited-service more likely at 35% compared to full-service at 22%. Employment is projected to rise by over 200,000 jobs, reaching nearly 16 million by the year’s end. The trends for 2025 include value, loyalty, experience, and technology, with 95% of operators noting increased customer value-consciousness and 65% investing in digital marketing.

🏡 Bunkhouse Hotels opens its first property in Houston, the 71-room Hotel Saint Augustine, featuring the flagship restaurant Perseid, led by Chef Aaron Bludorn, who previously helmed Café Boulud in NYC. Perseid opened on January 16 and offers a 118-seat bistro with Texas Gulf Coast and French-inspired cuisine, serving meals throughout the day and adding brunch on weekends. The group also plans to open Hotel Daphne in Houston's Museum District in fall, with 49 rooms and a new Jo's Coffee location targeted for winter 2025.

🍻 The James Beard Foundation announced three new categories for the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards focused on beverages. New awards include Best New Bar for establishments opened between Oct 1, 2023 - Sept 30, 2024, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. The Outstanding Bar category, introduced in 2012, and the Outstanding Wine Program, dating back to the awards' start in 1991, were joined by these new categories. Bars opened in Q3 of 2024 are eligible for the 2026 Best New Bar award. Previously existing Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional category was discontinued after a hiatus in 2020-2021. The foundation seeks to honor excellence in the beverage sector, reflecting industry trends and consumer interests. Awards criteria have been updated to align with the foundation's values and include a requirement for nominees' sustainability and equity statements.