Overview of restaurant industry trends of 2019 published by hospitality consultant Cyrus Batchan

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. - March 26, 2019 - PRLog -- What's new in the restaurant industry? Cyrus Batchan shares his views in a new published article. One trend many industry experts see going forward is the continuing rise of smaller restaurants. These would include concepts such as counter dining, pop ups, open kitchens, and tasting menus. The smaller, more intimate format allows chefs to focus on creativity and allows them to be more spontaneous.

Another rising trend predicted by many is the consumer's appetite for casual dining that is easy to take on the go.  Concepts can run the gamut from easy take outs to home meal kits, any number of ways that would allow customers to enjoy a fine meal in the comfort of their own home.  What sets apart these concepts from the traditional fast food or take out is the quality of ingredients and preparation.  Consumers are increasingly seeking a combination of luxury, quality, and convenience, all in one package.

Diet trends will continue to be an important segment of the consumer base.  With many consumers trying different diets with different restrictions, such as Keto, Paleo, as well as other famous well known dietary considerations, restauranteurs will have to consider how their menu can cater to the desires of these customers to eat out, but still keep to their dietary restrictions.

Sometimes, trends are not entirely predictable, and require some adjustments as the business develops. For example, see the story of the popular vegetable-focused Los Angeles restaurant PYT:

"Downtown vegetable paradise PYT is set to close early next month. … The decision to hand over control of PYT comes at the end of a long, winding road for the corner location. For years it was staple neighborhood spot Pete's Cafe, before Centeno took over as executive chef in October of 2014. He eventually flipped the whole restaurant to a new concept called Ledlow Swan (and then just Ledlow) before bifurcating the dining room to create PYT.  … As for those new tenants, it looks like Francis Miranda and Cyrus Batchan are taking over. Their restaurant group No. 8 (Lock & Key) is coming on board with expectation for a quick flip of the whole space, though they won't say yet just what the food will look like or who will be cooking. It's worth noting that the pair are also co-owners and managing partners in Mei Lin's Downtown project Nightshade …" See news report in Eater Los Angeles, https://la.eater.com/2019/2/25/18240275/pyt-closing-downtown-josef-centeno-new-owners-coming-nightshade

Ever increasing variety of ethnic foods will continue to enrich the restaurant scene.  Latin American cuisine continues to grow in popularity in the US, growing beyond just the familiar Mexican cuisine.  Israeli foods and Balkan fares are also growing in popularity as well.

Third party delivery companies, such as Grubhub and Uber Eats and increasing roster of startups in the field will continue to act as a bridge between restaurants and consumers at home. The field is fast changing, with different companies trying different strategies to outshine the competition while finding ways to provide value to their customers and also maintain profitability.  These delivery services will continue to find greater foothold within the average consumer's dining habits.

Behind the scenes, the industry will have to continue to grapple with how to manage staff turnovers. Restaurant industry continues to have one of the highest industry employee turnover rates at 73 percent.

Restauranteurs are trying variety of approaches, such as increased benefits, mentoring, and creating a more inclusive culture among the staff.  Staff turnover will be one of the most important issues the industry will have to address in the years to come.

Each year brings new trends and challenges and 2019 will be no different. Industry veterans and rookies alike will have to grapple with the ever-changing trends in the restaurant industry.

*** Cyrus Leon Batchan is a business consultant in Sherman Oaks, California. He has significant "hands on" experience with hospitality businesses.

https://cyrusbatchan.us
https://cyrusbatchan.blogspot.com/