Restaurant Industry Trends - Food and Beverage

The prolonged recovery of the U.S. economy has forced restaurateurs to adapt to a 'new normal,' one in which they are now more efficient and innovative as they have learned to deal with a difficult sales and profit environment.

The worldwide wine business is a good case study in free trade, given that there are many producers and few restrictions on commerce. In recent years, the cost of wine has reflected this generally free global market in two ways — one good and the other bad, as George M. Taber argues in this op-ed piece. Taber is the author of four books on wine. His latest is titled, A Toast to Bargain Wines: How innovators, iconoclasts, and winemaking revolutionaries are changing the way the world drinks.

The weakest links in food safety are found closest to the plates of Canadian diners, according to a Conference Board of Canada report, released on the second day of the Canadian Food Summit 2012.

Update from Restaurantchains.net on growing and emerging restaurant concepts

National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast Reveals Economic, Workforce, Technology and Consumer Trends

A number of the fastest-growing fast-food and fast-casual chains, including Jersey Mike’s Subs, Zaxby’s, Five Guys Burger & Fries and Jimmy John’s, are also among the nation’s best-rated large chains and have sustained their 'overall customer satisfaction ratings' as they’ve grown.

Update from Restaurantchains.net on growing and emerging restaurant concepts

Fueled by solid same-store sales and traffic results and a bullish outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose sharply in December.

The lackluster economy may have dampened growth for the restaurant industry at large, but fast casual restaurants continue to stand out as one notable exception.

National Restaurant Association research also shows that salsa/dips, chicken wings and pizza are must-have foods for watching the professional football championship game