News

What we look for on the menu

Seeking to enhance consumer confidence in food, the restaurant industry has been making some changes on their menus. The latest research from Mintel shows consumers are looking for things which represent homemade such as “made from scratch.” Also tying into this trend is the growth of claims such as original recipe, freshly-picked, farmstead and farm style.

The Mintel Menu Insights report says geographic indicators are increasingly popular as people want to know where their food comes from.

There is also an increase in menu items with perceived health benefits such as “gluten free” and other nutritional claims. This area is expected to continue to grow as more people are diagnosed with specific allergies. There is also an increase in vegetarian and vegan offerings

While “organic” is still the leading ethical claim on menus, its use has declined 28 percent in the last three years. The study finds “organic foods are quite expensive and consumers are looking for alternative claims to help them determine what other types of menu items are safe and of good quality to eat.”