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Summer is well and truly upon us, despite what the weather is saying, so it’s the perfect opportunity to discover the latest dining trends. It’s also a great time for restaurants, cafés and bars to catch up on those annoying habits customers wish they’d stop doing.
Go meat free
Vegetarian and vegan only restaurants continue to gain in popularity as made evident by Pret A Manger’s “Veggie Pret” pop-up, where opening times were quickly extended from one month to all summer. At regular restaurants diners are also requesting more meat free options as 20% of people plan to cut back on meat this year, according to sustainability charity WWF-UK.
Put the plate down
Customers are becoming increasingly frustrated with servers who wish to clear empty plates before the entire table has finished eating. Prematurely clearing plates can send negative signals to those still eating and make them feel like they need to rush the remainder of their meal. Diners would prefer the clutter to remain on the table while others are still enjoying their food.
Dessert is a priority
Forget the summer body because dessert is making a come back. March saw the opening of London’s first dessert only restaurant and dessert pop-ups are on the rise. Launching in Scotland this month is a dessert pop-up created by winners of BBC2’s Bake Off: Crème de la Crème. You’ll also find gelato flowers popping up in ice-cream stores around the globe, including Amorino in London.
Adiós added service charge
Over 60% of customers would like to see service charges removed from restaurant bills as the lack of clarity is causing consumers to distrust restaurants. For customers it is unclear who receives the service charge or whether it is being used to top up staff wages. Diners want staff to be rewarded for their service and attitude and believe the government could step in and regulate the system.
Turn the music down
Consumers, especially those with hearing difficulties, are opting for restaurants and cafés with quiet dining rooms. When eating out people want to enjoy their meal and converse without straining to hear each other over loud music or a noisy kitchen. A spokesperson for Action on Hearing Loss believes hospitality businesses could be missing out on millions of diners by failing to consider the issue of noise.
