From kale chips to avocado toast, food trends come and go. Sometimes, they surprise us by sticking around. While we consider ourselves the food experts, that doesn’t mean we can predict the future. Or can we?
We polled Cater2.me team members across the country, to see what they think will be the next popular food trends. Here are their predictions:
- Matt B., Menu Specialist, Austin: I have a few! There are some great new culinary ideas on the rise, particularly in Austin. One example is African BBQ! It’s said to be a fusion between Mediterranean and West African cuisines, and it’s starting to develop enormous success.
- Teddy B., Analyst, New York: Anything pumpkin-spiced and Instagram-able. Why? The weather is changing. Not only do I believe that food and beverage vendors will take advantage of the seasonality of food (e.g. most everything in the squash family, including pumpkin), but I also think that people will continue to care more and more about how they can apply, and in some cases, manipulate, what they are eating into a successful post on social media.
- David C., Vendor Team, Seattle: Breakfast tacos! Cities like Austin have been in on this lovely breakfast treat for a while, and other cities are finally warming up to the breakfast burrito’s more diminutive sibling.
- Damon K., Operations Team, San Francisco: I think “bowls” are popular. Not just rice bowls or poke bowls, but other food in that kind of dish. I see a lot of people use bowls instead of plates for lunch buffets, mixing their salad with proteins and with things from, let’s say, a BBQ lunch. There is something comforting about eating food out of a bowl.
- Gina S., Vendor Team, Denver: Jackfruit, swiss chard, and fermented foods top the list for the next up and coming food trends, in my opinion!
- Lindsay B., Vendor Team, Miami: Coffee-infused cocktails. Craft cocktails and coffee both seem to be having a moment right now, so I wouldn’t be surprised if adventurous bartenders and baristas alike started to experiment with this pairing.
- Margie N., Marketing, Los Angeles: FILIPINO FOOD, most definitely! Those who are familiar with Filipino cuisine already know about its unique use of flavors. Now, after the Korean food frenzy, foodies will be looking for something new that’s not only tasty but also one-of-a-kind.
Now that we’ve weighed in, what do you think will be the next popular food trend? We would love to add your thoughts to this list, so let us know in the comments below!
