Non-alcoholic beer is expanding its presence on restaurant menus, according to Datassential’s State of the Adult Beverage Menu 2026 report. Athletic Brewing Co, a non-alcoholic beer brand, appears on 10.7% of restaurant menus that serve beer, up 43% year-over-year. Heineken 0.0, Heineken’s non-alcoholic offering, appears on 6.4% of beer menus, up 36%. Both brands are part of a wider no and low alcohol trend, reflecting what the report describes as “a broad consumer shift tow

Consumers have a clear and consistent reason to visit a restaurant: they want something they cannot get at home. According to Datassential’s Pantry Priorities & Plate Disruptors report, consumers are 3.3 times more likely to eat global cuisines away from home than at home, 2.9 times more likely to celebrate special occasions at foodservice venues, and 2.8 times more likely to try new foods when dining out. These findings reinforce foodservice’s role as a destination for disco

Refresher beverages are surging on menus, but the growing proliferation of such drinks has yet to translate into increased trials and affinity of late. Refresher has been among the fastest-growing terms on non-alcoholic beverage menus in recent years — up more than 130% over the past four years, as noted in Datassential’s recent Non-Alcoholic Beverages report. It’s expected to jump by another 35% over the next four. New introductions in the space have been on a tear so far th

Gen Z remains the most restaurant-reliant generation in the U.S., sourcing a larger share of meals away from home than any other age group, according to Datassential’s Elevate: Pantry Priorities & Plate Disruptors report. The study found that 36% of Gen Z meals are sourced away from home, compared with 31% for Millennials, 26% for Gen X, and 18% for Boomers. Conversely, Gen Z sources 64% of meals from home, the lowest share among generations surveyed. The findings come as aw

Beer and hard seltzer are carving out increasingly distinct niches on the weekly calendar, according to new research from Datassential. While at-home and weekend beer occasions continue to account for the bulk of consumption, weekday occasions showed a notable uptick in Datassential’s SIP 2026: Beer report — up 7% on-premise and up 15% off-premise. At the same time, at-home beer occasions declined 6% — suggesting consumption is shifting out of the house and into bars and rest

Following the meteoric rise of Nashville hot in recent years, several other U.S. regional flavors could be primed to gain broader appeal amid growing interest in new spice varieties. Datassential’s Spicy Flavors report noted that while U.S. regional flavors “started with looking to major metros for their regional favorites … now any cities’ unique flavors are fair game.” Along with Nashville hot, which has shot up on menus by more than 60% over the past four years, the repor

Cravings, fatigue, and spontaneity are routinely pulling Americans away from their kitchens — even as home cooking remains the dominant meal source — according to Datassential’s Elevate: Pantry Priorities & Plate Disruptors report. “Craving something new or different” was the No. 1 disruptor to at-home meal plans at every daypart, cited by 65% of at-home breakfast makers, 70% of lunch makers, and 74% of dinner makers, the report found. Still, consumers source roughly 72% of

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

A stagnant year for the restaurant industry did little to slow two distinct growth engines: health-forward fast casual and globally-influenced chicken. Collectively, systemwide sales across chains in this year’s Datassential 500 grew by just 2.6%. That equates to an estimated 1.5% contraction in real terms — marking the first time in Datassential’s recent tracking that growth among the largest chains failed to keep pace with broader consumer spending. Even so, the report als

Younger consumers are once again proving to be a key force behind global food discovery, with an appetite for international baked goods driving interest across multiple items surveyed. According to Datassential’s Global Baked Goods report, Gen Z’s appetite for internationally-inspired baked goods is stronger than that of older generations — 70% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials are interested in trying global baked goods, compared to 55% of U.S. consumers overall. That enthusi

Food and beverage subscription services have carved out a presence in the consumer market, but adoption remains limited and concentrated among younger generations, according to Datassential’s Modern American Spending report. Among the subscription categories consumers currently pay for, restaurant or food delivery app memberships such as DashPass and Uber One reach 16% of consumers, while meal kit subscriptions sit at 7%, coffee or beverage memberships at 6%, and snack or bev

2:32PM EST, Thu 02/19/26 Value remains a top priority for diners as food prices continue to climb, driving financial results and prompting some operators to boost initiatives focused on delivering it. A greater focus on value has yielded positive financial results for big chains like McDonald’s. The fast-food giant kicked off last year with the roll out of its McValue platform, followed by the relaunch of Extra Value Meals in September that saved customers roughly 15%. That

2:22PM EST, Mon 02/23/26 Buffet-style restaurants are drawing renewed interest as inflation continues to pressure household food budgets, motivating diners to seek out fixed-price formats that promise more predictable spending. Datassential’s Social Listening platform shows social media mentions of “buffets” and “all you can eat” jumped 30% in 2025 from the prior year. That broadly coincides with sustained price pressures across grocery aisles and restaurant menus. As diner