Trends

Food and drink trends 2024

The eating out market is set to restore itself back to full strength in 2024 as consumer optimism grows and the market continues to adapt itself in an ever-changing landscape. With nearly half of UK consumers claiming to eat out of home once a week or more!*

£139 Billion in revenue has already been spent on hospitality last year, and as the economy looks like it may settle down from 2024 onwards, hopes are that the cost of living crisis may ease boosting consumer sentiment.

The cost of living crisis is still at the forefront of consumers’ minds; however, rather than waiting for a resolution, consumers are learning to adjust, as they continue to prioritise their eating out experiences. Whether consumers are eating out for convenience, on the go or for a special occasion with friends and family, it is still an important part of their lifestyle.

Food & Drink Trends 2024 – London

We hit the buzzing streets of London to find the latest food and drink trends that consumers will be enjoying in 2024. Join us as we track down some great venues that encompass the authentic, diverse and playful side of the key trends we've uncovered from our exclusive research - definitely not to be missed!

Food & Drink Trends 2024 – Manchester

Follow us on our trends trail in the vibrant city of Manchester, hunting down the trending cuisines and drinks that we just had to taste for ourselves! We feature our Flavours Less Travelled and Mind, Mood and Body trends where we reveal exciting flavours, unique ingredient pairings, and delicious new cuisines.

Our top food and drink trends in 2024

What's driving food trends in 2024?

Choice and proximity are the top two growing reasons consumers choose to eat out frequently. However, value for money, and quality experiences remain the most important factors driving consumer choice. In fact, 77% of consumers identify as value-led*. Therefore, the demand for innovative quality-led menus coupled with immersive experiences is vital.

When thinking about quality vs quantity as a trade-off, consumers prefer quality. This is because consumers are placing higher value on their overall experience eating out, as they look to go out less and spend the same, in replace of going out more and spending less.  We found that 65% of consumers eat in at restaurants or food outlets to treat themselves, and 55% of consumers do it to celebrate birthdays/special occasions*.

Authenticity, choice, health, value and quality are all-important factors to consumers when it comes to eating out.

food trends 2024 caribbean chicken stew

3 key trend drivers

To stay ahead of the curve, we have uncovered 3 key trends and will share how they impact consumer choices.

  • Authenticity

    Consumers are increasingly swayed by provenance and the authenticity of dishes, and would be prepared to pay more for both factors, and so ultimately these are higher revenue opportunities for operators looking to increase spend.
    • 76% consumers find dishes with British provenance appealing*
    • 62% find the authenticity of a dish important to them when eating out of home*.

  • New and exciting experiences

    UK consumers love trying new experiences, and their adventurous tastes in both food and drink has not receded, even as they are now able to travel again. This reinforces the importance of changing up your menus, leveraging key trends and seeking out innovation.
    • 77% of consumers agree that trying flavours from all over the world is fun**
    • 70% of consumers find flavour contrasts appealing*.

  • Taking care of our health

    UK consumers are not only conscious of calories when eating out, but also the content of dishes from a health perspective. And it’s not just physical health but mental health, mood and energy levels they want to boost.
    • 66% consumers think it’s important that the food they eat out of home is healthy*
    • 59% consumers want nutritional information on menus*.

Download the full food trends 2024 guide

Discover this years trends with our downloadable guide.

  • Mind, Mood and Body - Health food trends 2024
  • British Fusion - Fusion food trends 2024
  • Let's Play - Playful and popular food contrasts 2024
  • Rustic and Rural - British food trend 2024
  • Flavours Less Travelled - World food trends 2024
View guide
BIDFOOD KITCHEN

Food Trends Bidfood Kitchen

Watch our Trends 2024 Bidfood Kitchen episode where Chef Martin and our insights expert Rhia whipped up trending dishes for the upcoming year.

What will the food trends be in 2024?

In 2024, we’re predicting five key food and drink trends that will shape out of home menus in the UK. These include:
• Flavours less travelled with an emphasis on authentic representation of Mexican, Caribbean, and Eastern European cuisines
• British Fusion which looks at how British dishes are being pepped up with flavours from around the world
• Mind, Mood and Body which focuses on the sorts of healthier choices that consumers are now looking for
• Let’s Play which is all about playful flavour contrasts and playful cocktails
• Rustic and Rural which captures the way that menus and venues represent provenance in dishes and decor

Which types of foods will be most popular?

Some of the key ingredients that sit behind the food and drink trends we expect to emerge in 2024 include:
• Caribbean: dishes like jerk, patties, curries or stews that contain fish and seafood, chicken, goat, and tropical ingredients like sweet potato, mango, pineapple, lime, coconut, and chilli
• Mexican: dishes like tacos al pastor, elotes or esquites (corn-based dishes), torta, mole or gorditas (flatbread sandwiches) contain ingredients like: corn, tomatoes, avocado, pinto beans, limes, chilli, coriander and cheese
• Eastern European: dishes like stews (e.g. goulash, paprikash, bigos) , soups (like borsch), meatballs, dumplings, pretzels and cakes or pastries. These include ingredients like smoked sausages and meats, sauerkraut, gherkins, sour cream, mushrooms, herbs, paprika, potatoes, cabbage, pickles, apples and berries
• British fusion tends to adapt traditional British cuisine formats like roast dinners, pies, pasties, sausage rolls, full English breakfasts and pep them up with spices and flavours from other cuisines
• Flavour contrasts involve blending sweet with sour, spicy, salty or savoury ingredients, for example the trending burger gelato; examples of contrasts might include hot honey, chilli and chocolate, salted caramel, feta and watermelon.
• Over three in four UK consumers find appeal in dishes that use British produce, so ingredients with regional or local provenance are key.

What will the drink trends be in 2024?

Rum and tequila are spirits which are still seeing growth momentum, partly because they make great cocktails, and offer a point of difference to gin and vodka which have been the main focus for some years now. Rum and tequila also go hand in hand with the key food trends we’re seeing grow in momentum i.e authentic Mexican cusine and Caribbean cuisine. Its also worth mentioning that consumers are looking for higher quality as well as signature or instagrammable cocktails. So creatively themed and presented cocktails are on the rise as operators take cocktails to another level to increase spend. Cocktails are also increasingly being served in a wider range of venues including restaurants. Consumers are also looking for better quality and more interesting low or no alcohol options too, such as virgin cocktails or mocktails.

Which types of drinks will be most popular?

Cocktails, (especially creative, themed or playful cocktails) rum and tequila-based drinks are certainly trending at the moment. Gin, sparkling wine, and liqueurs are also holding their own.

But what people choose to drink is heavily influenced by season. Think berries, fizz, spritz and lighter drinks in spring, fruity, citrus and refreshing, thirst quenchers in summer, creamy or spiced flavours, like ginger, as well as cider-based drinks in autumn, and stronger flavours like coffee (e.g. in an espresso martini), or where alcohol is a more prominent flavour (e.g in a Martini) in winter.

Overall, the top five mainstream cocktails with most appeal are: the Pornstar Martini, Sex on the Beach, Flavoured Martinis, Iced Tea, and the Mojito (closely followed by Spritz and Daiquiri).

Which food trends should you include on your menu?

You will always need to tailor your menu, and the trends that you incorporate into your menu, on the needs of your customers and what works well with your brand or offer. Not every out of home venue will suit Eastern European food, Playful Cocktails or even Rustic and Rural.

Some of the underlying factors driving consumer choices are almost universal, for example, their desire for value for money, healthier and sustainable choices, authenticity, quality and provenance. So some of these will need to be reflected on pretty much every menu.

We’ve highlighted the trends that we feel will be important in 2024, it’s up to you to choose the ones that you feel will be most meaningful for your customers, will drive traffic and repeat visits, and enable you to encourage them spend.

What are the current food trends in the UK?

In 2024, there are five key food and drink trends that are emerging in the UK which are shaping consumer choices in the out of home sector. These include:
• Flavours less travelled including Mexican, Caribbean, and Eastern European cuisines, with an emphasis on the more authentic sides of these cuisines
• British Fusion where traditional British formats like roasts, pies, and breakfasts are getting a makeover with spices, flavours and ingredients from other popular cuisines like Indian, Chinese, Mexican, for example
• Mind, Mood and Body is all about consumers desire for foods and ingredients that help their physical and mental wellbeing
• Let’s Play points to the enhanced experiences that consumers are looking for, which we can see reflected on menus in the form of flavour contrasts and playful drinks
• Rustic and Rural is all about how ingredients and dishes that emphasise British, local, regional provenance marries with rustic and rural decor.

Sources:

* CGA and Bidfood 2024 Food and Drink Trends consumer survey, sample size 2,003 (UK adults)

** Mintel Attitudes Towards Menu Trends 2023

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