A new wave of global ingredients and dishes is gaining momentum in the U.S., creating fresh opportunities for operators. Datassential’s 25 Trends & Ideas report pointed to global fusion as among the biggest trends to watch in the year ahead, noting that the term “fusion” has climbed 49% on menus over the past four years, fueled in part by younger consumers. It also asserts that the concept “is redefining American comfort and nostalgia,” pointing to the example of Houston’s A

A widening gap between full-service and limited-service restaurant price inflation is reshaping the competitive landscape. As of April 2026, full-service restaurant inflation is outpacing both wage growth and limited-service restaurant inflation, according to Datassential’s latest Wages and Inflation report. With nominal average weekly wages rising just 3.6% against headline inflation of 3.8%, the report notes that inflation has effectively erased any real wage gains for con

Fried cheese has gone from bar menu staple to mainstream draw, and the numbers are backing it up. Nearly half of consumers (48%) said they ate fried cheese at least once a month in 2025, up from 33% in 2021, Datassential’s new 25 Trends & Ideas report noted. Fried cheese is already broadly present, appearing on more than 20% of restaurant menus, according to Datassential One, and the firm’s Appetizers report notes that operators that don’t yet offer fried cheese are expressi

Bacon has overtaken ham as the most common protein in American sandwiches, while sourdough is emerging as the fastest-growing bread carrier, according to Datassential’s Sandwiches report. Bacon appeared on 30% of consumers’ last protein-featuring sandwiches, up 9 percentage points since 2022 — the largest gain among all proteins tracked. Ham slipped to second place at 25%, down 3 points from 2022, while turkey remained little changed at 20%. Overall, 68% of sandwich-eating co