The Flavor Experience is one of the best two-day stops for emerging flavor trends and consumer insights for foodservice professionals. In our 14th year of attending, it remains a cornerstone of Creative Energy’s thought leadership and the insights we bring back to our clients.

This year, the conversations went well beyond what’s hot on the menu. Restaurant traffic, changing consumer behaviors, functional foods, Gen Z dining habits, and the relentless demand for menu innovation all point to an interesting 2027.

Here’s what caught our attention.

A Slow Traffic Comeback

After two years of declines, Circana/NPD is projecting a slight return to positive restaurant traffic through the end of 2027. With consumer spending increases in foodservice at 3.3% compared with 1.9% in retail, it’s apparent that consumers are still willing to spend when they believe the occasion and experience are worth it.

There are other signals of changing behavior. For the first time since COVID, delivery ticked downward by 1% in the second quarter of this year.

Also helping restaurant traffic is the higher-income 65+ demographic, which continues to increase restaurant visits. But perhaps the biggest takeaway is the extraordinary growth of beverage occasions, now credited by Circana with driving 89% of the growth in commercial foodservice sales.

For food marketers and operators, that’s a number worth paying attention to. The beverage menu is increasingly becoming a traffic, margin and innovation opportunity rather than an afterthought.

The Power of Protein and Functional Benefits

According to trend expert Nancy Kruse, limited-time offers (LTOs) are up 134%, with restaurant R&D operating at an all-time high to feed the LTO machine.

Animal protein claims lead LTO growth, up 11%, while healthy-halo claims are up 6%. Other functional benefits showing up on menus include high fiber, hydration and collagen.

Consumers increasingly want food to do something for them beyond simply tasting good. Protein may be leading the conversation today, but functionality is becoming a broader platform for restaurant menu innovation.

The Latest on Gen Z

Gen Z continues to rewrite the dining daypart playbook. Their new prime time for dinner? Apparently, it’s 4 to 6 p.m.

They’ve embraced the “joy of missing out,” or JOMO, by spending more time at home. But when they do go out, they may compress the experience through “soft clubbing,” gathering at coffee shops and other social venues featuring music and non-alcoholic beverages.

Then there’s “friction maxxing,” a reaction against always-on technology in which some Gen Z consumers are deliberately seeking more human interaction and analog experiences. Think vinyl records, flip phones, and experiences that don’t require another app.

Go figure.

But there’s a serious marketing lesson underneath all of it. For a generation raised on digital convenience, human connection and real-world experiences may actually be becoming differentiators.

Snacks as Meal Replacements

At last year’s event, GLP-1 use offered an early glimpse of consumers shifting toward smaller portions, small bites, and protein-rich foods. Today, that opportunity continues to grow, with snacks and slightly larger snack items increasingly becoming center-of-the-plate occasions.

According to Circana/NPD, 37% of consumers are ordering smaller portion sizes, with nearly six in 10 of those consumers doing so for health reasons.

GLP-1 users also order more water and fewer sides, snacks, and breads. More broadly, consumers are ordering more non-fried vegetables, up 9%, and more salads as a main dish, up 6%.

For restaurant operators and food manufacturers, portion flexibility may become as important as flavor innovation. The opportunity isn’t necessarily about offering less food. It’s about offering the right amount of food for a changing consumer.

Flavors and Items to Watch for 2027

One of the most anticipated parts of The Flavor Experience comes when Cathy Holley, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Flavor & The Menu and President of The Flavor Experience, and Flavor & The Menu Managing Editor Katie Ayoub share the flavors, ingredients and menu items they believe deserve watching in the coming year.

Here are a few that stood out:

• Fried Chicken Caesar Wraps — Millennials and Gen Z love them. They combine a familiar health halo with the texture contrast of crispy chicken, lettuce, and Caesar dressing.
• Black Garlic — Soft, chewy, and complex, with hints of fermentation but without the heat or acidity associated with raw garlic. It offers chefs another way to add depth and umami.
• Croissants as a Flavor System — Laminated dough is moving beyond the traditional breakfast occasion. Look for croissants as carriers for savory flavors, sandwiches, and even meal-replacement applications.
• Pişmaniye (Turkish Cotton Candy) — Made by blending flour roasted in butter with pulled sugar and forming it into fine strands, pişmaniye offers an intriguing new garnish and texture for desserts and ice cream.
• Gelatin — We grew up with jiggly Jell-O^®, and now gelatin is finding new relevance as consumers become more interested in collagen and protein.
• Sandwich Melts — Led by patty melts and tuna melts, this old-school favorite is finding a new audience among Gen Z and on TikTok.
• Anything Ranch — Ranch continues to evolve beyond a simple dressing. Restaurants are using it as a flavor platform for everything from hot honey combinations to unexpected sweet, spicy, and popping-candy infusions.
• Dairy-Forward Desserts — Cheesecakes, lemon curd, egg tarts, and soft serve are all finding renewed attention. Even cottage cheese is making its way back onto restaurant menus.

A History-Making Event

In its 14th year, the Texas Pete^® Kitchen Hero Cook-Off made its debut at The Flavor Experience. Four top chain chefs squared off to create the best culinary application featuring Texas Pete^® sauces, with their dishes judged by fellow chain culinary professionals.

Jessica Bograd of City Barbeque earned Grand Master honors.

In her name, Garner Foods, makers of Texas Pete^®, donated $10,000 to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry^® campaign and another $10,000 to CORE^®, which provides support to foodservice workers and their families facing medical crises and natural disasters.

It was a great example of culinary innovation being used for something bigger than simply putting another new item on the menu.

Looking Ahead to 2027 Foodservice Innovation

If there was one overriding message from this year’s Flavor Experience, it’s that consumers aren’t finished with restaurants. But they are changing what they want from them.

They’re looking for value, but value doesn’t always mean cheap. They want smaller portions, but they still want indulgence. They want health and functionality, but flavor remains non-negotiable. And despite living much of their lives digitally, younger consumers are increasingly looking for experiences and human connections worth leaving home for.

For food manufacturers and restaurant brands, that creates tremendous opportunity. The winners in 2027 will be the brands that recognize these shifts early and translate them into products, menu ideas and marketing that give consumers a reason to act.

At Creative Energy, that’s why we continue to invest the time to attend events like The Flavor Experience, listen to the people shaping the industry and bring those insights back to our clients.

Because spotting a trend is interesting. Knowing what to do with it is where the real value begins.

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For years, marketers focused on one goal, to ‘help buyers find us’. Search engine optimization, paid search, email marketing, and websites all revolved around being visible when someone typed a question into Google.

Today, buyer behavior is changing faster than most organizations realize.

Increasingly, business buyers and consumers are asking ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity for recommendations before they ever visit a website or contact a salesperson. They are also discovering brands through TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, and industry communities where conversations, not advertisements, shape purchasing decisions.

The question is no longer, “Can customers find my company?” It’s “Will AI recommend my company?” That’s a fundamental shift.

Circana customer survey from March 2026 on use of AI in buyer discovery.

AI doesn’t simply rank websites. It looks for signals of authority, expertise, and trust. Companies that consistently publish original insights, customer success stories, industry expertise, educational content, and credible thought leadership are far more likely to become part of AI-generated recommendations.

This is where buyer discovery and buyer intent intersect.

Buyer intent begins long before someone fills out a contact form. It starts when a prospect asks an AI platform for advice, watches an industry video, reads a discussion among peers, or researches a business challenge. Every one of those moments creates an opportunity for your brand to be discovered or overlooked.

At Creative Energy, we believe the next generation of marketing is about earning visibility where modern buying decisions begin. That means creating content AI understands, building authority buyers trust, connecting marketing to CRM data and sales outcomes, and identifying emerging buyer intent before your competitors do.

The companies that thrive over the next five years won’t simply have better advertising. They’ll become the brands that AI recommends, buyers trust, and sales teams can prove are driving measurable business growth.

If you are looking to tool up your AI discovery, let’s have a conversation.

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How GS1, AI and Connected Packaging Could Change the Way Food Manufacturers Manage Recalls such as Cyclospora

Recent food contamination events involving products such as leafy greens and eggs remind us that food safety remains one of the greatest responsibilities facing the food industry. While regulators and manufacturers have become much more sophisticated in identifying contaminated products, one important challenge remains. Once a recall is announced, consumers often struggle to determine whether the package sitting in their refrigerator is actually part of the affected lot.

That uncertainty has consequences beyond public health. Retailers often remove more inventory than necessary, consumers discard products that may be perfectly safe, and manufacturers can suffer significant damage to brands they have spent decades building. In many cases, the industry has the information needed to identify affected products with precision. The challenge is communicating that information quickly, accurately and in a way consumers can easily understand.

The good news is that the technology to accomplish this is rapidly coming together.

Most people recognize GS1 as the organization behind the familiar UPC barcode, but its role is much broader. GS1 develops the global standards that allow manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and foodservice operators to identify products and exchange trusted information throughout the supply chain. Those standards already support everything from product dimensions and nutritional information to allergens, ingredients, and digital product content used by retailers across North America.

At the same time, manufacturers routinely assign lot or batch numbers during production that connect finished products to manufacturing records, ingredient sources, and quality documentation. Those records are invaluable during a recall because they allow companies to determine exactly which production runs are affected. Unfortunately, that information has traditionally remained behind the scenes, available to manufacturers and regulators but difficult for consumers to access or interpret.

That dynamic may soon change as the food industry adopts GS1 Digital Link and other two-dimensional barcode technologies. Rather than serving only as a checkout barcode, a single package can become a secure digital gateway to current product information maintained by the manufacturer. Depending on how the manufacturer chooses to implement the technology, consumers may be able to access recipes, nutritional information, sustainability initiatives, promotional content, and other brand resources simply by scanning the package with their smartphone.

I believe the most compelling opportunity, however, lies in food safety.

Imagine scanning a product after hearing about a national recall and immediately learning whether the specific package in your kitchen is part of the affected production lot. Instead of searching government websites or trying to decipher a small lot code printed on the package, consumers could receive a clear response based on validated manufacturer data. If the product is unaffected, they gain confidence that it is safe to consume. If it is included in the recall, they receive immediate guidance on what to do next, along with links to official recall information.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to make this experience even more valuable. AI should never determine whether a product is safe. That decision must always be based on verified quality records and guidance from regulatory authorities. AI can, however, make trusted information easier to understand by translating recall notices into multiple languages, answering common consumer questions, simplifying technical information, and guiding consumers through the appropriate next steps. Rather than replacing food safety systems, AI becomes a communication tool that helps manufacturers deliver timely, consistent and understandable information.

This also represents a significant shift in how manufacturers think about packaging. For decades, packaging has primarily been a vehicle for branding and regulatory compliance. Increasingly, it can become an ongoing communication platform that strengthens the relationship between brands and consumers long after the product leaves the manufacturing facility. The package becomes more than a label. It becomes a trusted source of information throughout the product’s life cycle.

Although current FDA traceability requirements focus on maintaining records rather than providing lot-specific information directly to consumers, the direction of the industry is clear. Consumers increasingly expect transparency, immediate access to information and confidence that the brands they purchase are prepared to communicate openly when problems occur. Companies that invest in connected packaging and thoughtful digital communications today will likely be better positioned to meet those expectations tomorrow.

For food manufacturers, this is about much more than adopting another technology. It is an opportunity to strengthen consumer trust, improve recall communications, and differentiate brands in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The companies that successfully combine trusted product data with clear consumer communication will likely define the next generation of food marketing.

For more than three decades, Creative Energy has partnered with food manufacturers to communicate the value of their brands and products through strategic marketing that drives measurable business results. As technologies such as GS1 Digital Link, AI, and connected packaging continue to reshape the food industry, we believe the greatest opportunity is helping manufacturers communicate those innovations in ways that build confidence with customers, consumers, and supply chain partners alike.

If your organization is exploring how emerging technologies can enhance your marketing strategy or strengthen consumer engagement, we’d welcome the opportunity to share our perspective. Contact Creative Energy to learn more about how we help food manufacturers communicate innovation, build stronger brands, and prepare for the future.

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Food manufacturers invest heavily in trade shows, digital advertising, email campaigns, content, websites, and sales materials to generate qualified leads. Yet one of the biggest threats to marketing ROI often occurs after the lead is created.

Each year, Creative Energy generates thousands of leads for our clients. We carefully monitor leads that come through our advertising or marketing tactics. When leads that represent a big sales opportunity arrive, we immediately contact our marketing contact to alert them that there should be an immediate response from the sales team. 

Some big prospects receive an immediate call. Others sit untouched in a spreadsheet or CRM. Many promising opportunities disappear simply because no one nurtures them through the buying journey.

Creative Energy Helps To Close The Gap

As a food manufacturing and foodservice marketing agency, Creative Energy helps clients build automated lead generation and sales funnel systems that connect marketing activity directly to revenue. Leads can be routed into a client’s CRM, assigned to the appropriate salesperson and placed into an automated follow-up sequence. We can go the extra step of crafting automated outreach e-mails to the target operator to humanize the message and break through built in spam filters.

We likewise can nudge operators down the sales funnel to a distributor where they can purchase the product. We can then build in systems tied to buying incentives that instantly attributes the sale to the lead whose origin came from a particular marketing effort.

Sales teams receive alerts when prospects demonstrate buyer intent by opening emails, downloading content, visiting key product pages or, requesting information. Marketing teams can see which campaigns are producing qualified opportunities. Leadership can track whether a closed sale originated from a trade show, digital advertisement, email campaign, or other marketing tactic.

This creates greater accountability across the organization. Sales knows which prospects deserve immediate attention. Marketing understands which programs are generating pipeline. Management gains a clearer picture of true marketing ROI.

Creative Energy’s approach to CRM automation for food manufacturers is designed to do more than generate clicks, impressions, or raw lead volume. It creates a connected revenue process that nurtures prospects, improves sales follow-up, and attributes new business to the marketing investments that helped produce it.

For food companies seeking stronger marketing and sales alignment, the opportunity is clear. We are stopping qualified leads from falling through the cracks and starting to build a measurable system that moves them toward the sale, with or without support from sales, brokers, or distributors. Are you interested in making your foodservice marketing a money maker? Let’s start a discussion.

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If there is one consistent theme throughout my life, it’s this: I’ve been lucky.

Lucky to have been born in America. Lucky to have grown up believing that hard work mattered. Lucky to have crossed paths with people who saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself.

As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, I’ve found myself thinking more about the word opportunity. America has never promised equal outcomes. It has promised something even more powerful, the freedom to pursue them.

That promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness has fueled generations of entrepreneurs, inventors, teachers, artists and risk-takers. It has certainly fueled my own journey. Every meaningful achievement in my career can be traced back to someone who opened a door, offered encouragement, shared wisdom or simply believed I was capable of more.

At Creative Energy, we’ve tried to carry that same philosophy forward.

Our leadership team believes one of the greatest investments we can make is in people. We look for young professionals with curiosity, creativity and an uncommon work ethic, then give them the opportunity to grow. Some have gone on to remarkable careers elsewhere, and we’re proud of every one of them. Many have chosen to build their careers here, helping our clients grow while strengthening the culture we’ve built together.

Advertising and marketing are often viewed as ‘the business of informed ideas’. I believe it’s really a business of people. Great campaigns don’t happen because someone has a clever headline. They happen because talented people challenge one another, trust one another and never stop learning.

As America celebrates 250 years, I’m reminded that our country’s greatest competitive advantage has never been its geography or even its economy. It’s our ability to create opportunities for dreamers, builders, entrepreneurs and the next generation of leaders.

So yes, I feel lucky.

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At Creative Energy, we believe the best creative in the world means nothing if it doesn’t move the needle.

Too often, brands fall in love with advertising that wins attention but fails to drive sales, build market share, or create lasting momentum. Great marketing is not simply about making noise. It’s about creating a movement with a cult-like following by people eager to spend money.

We often pick up new clients because of our great creative, but it was informed by strategy first.

Before a campaign is ever designed, filmed, or launched, we focus on understanding the deeper opportunity with our clients. Where are the fastest paths to growth? What emotional triggers influence buyers? What trends or market forces can we leverage?  Which audiences are most likely to convert quickly? Most importantly, where can a brand stand out instead of blending in?

When strategy is smart and focused, breakthrough creative becomes far more powerful.

The creative doesn’t just look good, it simply works harder. It connects faster. It becomes more memorable because it is rooted in insights that matter to consumers, operators, buyers, and decision-makers.

At Creative Energy, we’ve spent more than 30 years helping challenger brands and established leaders uncover those opportunities. From foodservice and retail to tourism and entertainment, our campaigns are designed to generate traction quickly by aligning strategy, messaging, media, and creative execution into one focused growth engine.

We believe in strategic creative that generates demand, opens doors, builds loyalty and drives results.

Because in today’s competitive environment, the brands that win aren’t always the loudest, they’re the smartest. If you are in search of real results from strategies that inform great creative, we’re ready to listen.

The post Why Smart Strategy Is The Real Driver Of Breakthrough Marketing appeared first on Creative Energy.

Only a few of the 50,000 attendees + three from the Creative Energy Team in Chicago.

With 50,000 operators and suppliers rubbing elbows at this year’s NRA Show, it was evident that consumer and industry trends were front and center in most discussions. Here’s our quick take from two days of walking the aisles at McCormick Center.

Protein-Packed

Not unexpected in the growth of GLP-1 were users with skinnier appetites and a focus on protein. It was everywhere on the show floor, such as Egglife Foods’ use of egg whites to impart more protein in pasta and grab & go wraps.

Sticking Their Toes Into Foodservice

More than any other year, we witnessed more exhibitors who are sticking their toes into foodservice with CPG products. Some were demonstrating products in CPG packaging to indicate that they are novices in our world that they are exploring. This was especially true in grab & go items.

Operator Shortcuts

From prepared foods that are heat-and-serve to Heartland’s Java House^® Espresso Martini Mix and Cold Brew Coffee Concentrates, we saw many good examples of operator shortcuts for less staff stress and faster turns.

Plant-Based Pivots

With plant-based meats sagging, some brands were pivoting toward other products. Case in point: Beyond Meats^® who shared its Beyond Immerse sub-brand of functional beverages, loaded with protein, fiber, and antioxidants.  

Food Cost Solutions

This was the year where conversing about saving food cost dollars was a consistent theme. From stretching a few more days out of cooking oil in a deep fryer to bulk packaged items for back-of-house and operator Group Purchasing Organizations, it’s evident that operators are searching for ways to cut their food costs.

‘Swicy’ Flavors Everywhere

Even Garner Foods CEO Matt McCullum
was selling the benefits of Swicy flavor.

The marriage of sweetness with heat was on every aisle in all of the halls. Honey’s healthy halo has many ingredients, and others, such as Texas Pete^® Sweet CHAbanero Sauce marrying the sweetness of a sriracha sauce with habanero pepper was the solution for Gen Z’s and Millenial palates.

Newstalgia Remains A Draw

A quick look at the J&J Snack Foods booth saw lines of operators wanting to taste the debut of their Birthday Cake-Flavored Churros, proving that small, indulgent bites with memories of childhood birthdays earned operators interest.

AI Permeation

The hottest term today, suppliers of restaurant software promising to better target customers online was the primary theme. Funny that sales reps were in search of a personal relationship with operators to be the source of automated solutions.

Relationships Are The Most Valued

Nearly 900 enjoyed Flavors in the Sky, a Creative Energy-crafted event.

As evidence was this year’s Flavors In The Sky off-site event. Creative Energy has managed the event for more than a decade. A record attendance of nearly 900 gathered for a relaxed night time conversation with sponsors and the iconic Chicago skyline as the backdrop. Proof that the NRA Show’s biggest draw is curating relationships on and off the show floor. By the way, the list of new potential sponsors for the 2027 event is at an all-time high.

A Special Thanks

Our Creative Energy Team was on the prowl on the show floor and serving sponsors and clients at Flavors In The Sky. This great crew included Vice-President Teresa Treadway, Vice-President of Creative Services Will Griffith, Brand Executives, Trinity Lancaster, who is the grand master of Flavors In The Sky, as well as Brand Executives Jessica Klug and Jackie Silver. I hope to meet you next year or let’s make it sooner.  

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As restaurant chains head into the new year, one thing is clear: traffic growth is harder to earn, discounting is riskier, and customers are more intentional about when and where they dine. In this environment, seasonal limited-time offers (LTOs) are no longer “menu novelties.” They are one of the most reliable levers brands have to create urgency, relevance, and repeat visits.

According to Datassential, more than 70% of restaurants are using LTOs to drive traffic. Creative Energy is helping restaurant chains identify easily executable LTOs and the marketing to connect with consumers. We’re also helping food manufacturers suggest LTOs to restaurants that feature their products. Based on the experience, we’ve uncovered value in promoting seasonal ingredients that drive success for both types of clients.

The most effective seasonal LTOs don’t rely on shock-and-awe innovation. Instead, they tap into something far more powerful… timing. Customers don’t just crave new flavors—they crave reasons to come now. Weather changes, cultural moments, sporting calendars, and emotional needs all create natural windows where certain foods feel more appealing and more justified.

Winning chains design seasonal LTOs around familiarity first. Today, consumers want comfort and confidence when ordering, especially as prices remain top of mind. The strongest LTOs typically feature a recognizable platform—an existing protein, sandwich, bowl, or dessert—enhanced with a seasonal flavor, topping, or finish that feels special but not risky. This balance shortens order time, improves operational execution, and increases trial.

Seasonal LTOs also work best when they reinforce brand rhythm. Customers respond to menus that feel predictable in the right way: the winter comfort drop, the summer heat series, the fall indulgence they wait for each year. Repeating high-performing seasonal items builds anticipation and loyalty, while introducing one or two new elements per season keeps the menu feeling fresh.

Operationally, the smartest chains treat LTOs as menu architecture plays, not R&D experiments. Shared ingredients, limited training impact, and strong off-premise performance matter more than culinary complexity. The easier an LTO is to execute, the longer it can stay on the menu and the more marketing momentum it can build.

Finally, marketing matters as much as the menu item itself. High-performing LTOs are introduced in phases: anticipation, launch, and last call. Scarcity must be communicated clearly. If customers believe they can get it anytime, they’ll wait—and often forget.

Seasonal LTOs done right create urgency, protect margins, and give customers a reason to choose your brand again and again. If you’re a restaurant chain in search of seasonal LTO inspiration, or a food manufacturer looking to tap into the opportunity, we’re happy to help.

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Foodservice sales has always been a coverage game. Brokers prioritize their biggest opportunities. Sales teams focus on accounts most likely to close. And as a result, large portions of a brand’s potential footprint never hear the story—despite being a perfect fit for the product.

That’s where Creative Energy is using geo-targeted foodservice marketing to change the equation.

We are helping food brands use national trade media and advanced targeting tools to reach operators by geography, job title, operational size or segment by zip codes, filling the gaps traditional sales coverage can’t. The approach works for both regional and national brands—but the strategy flexes depending on the growth challenge.

For regional food brands, the goal is simple: dominate the backyard. Most regional brands already have distribution or broker representation in place, yet awareness across the territory is uneven. Independent operators often never see the brand unless a rep physically walks in the door. Geo-targeted campaigns allow regional brands to blanket their footprint with consistent messaging—through targeted e-blasts, paid social that is served within specific zip codes, and programmatic digital advertising that follows operators across the web. High-impact print tactics, such as localized poly-bag inserts or false front covers in national trade publications, add credibility and authority in the market. The result is faster sales conversations, higher close rates, and brokers who walk into warmer accounts.

National brands use the same engine differently. Instead of spreading dollars evenly across the country, geo-targeting allows them to apply pressure where growth matters most. Underperforming regions, new distribution wins, product launches, or LTO rollouts can all be supported with region-specific campaigns that align directly with sales priorities. By turning regions on and off strategically, national brands improve ROI, build momentum faster, and ensure sales teams aren’t carrying the burden alone.

In both cases, geo-targeted campaigns don’t replace sales teams or brokers—they amplify them. When operators recognize a brand before a rep arrives, meetings go better. When demand is built in advance, distributors pay attention. And when awareness is consistent across a market, fewer opportunities fall through the cracks.

Growth in foodservice doesn’t come from being louder everywhere. It comes from being more relevant where it matters most.

If you’d like help deploying a geo-targeted foodservice campaign that helps your sales team sell more, Creative Energy is here to help.

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The Flavor Experience is known as the premier annual gathering of top chain menu developers. Led by Flavor & The Menu Publisher and Editor-In-Chief Cathy Holley and Managing Editor Katie Ayoub, the August event shares trend details and emerging flavors through presentations, collaborative workshops, and extraordinary networking opportunities for chain menu developers and the suppliers they count on.

This year’s event was a great one as chains continue their recovery from two years of sagging sales. Here is a quick glimpse at trends that Cathy and her team believes will emerge on restaurant menus next year.

Sharable & Pullable Breads

It’s comfort and nostalgia rolled into a wonderful restaurant dine-in occasion. Pulling apart a monkey bread or milk bread with a cultured or flavored butter or flavored cream cheese with garlic sprinkles is at the heart of the idea. It’s perfect for any daypart. 

Comfort Dips

Indulgent dips for appetizers or even sharable entrees are headed your way. Like a Maryland crab rangoon dip and a mae ploy sauce with wonton crisps for dipping. Or, a whipped aged cheddar, beer, spicy maple dip made for dipping Ritz^® crackers for a nostalgic journey.

Kimchi Is Back

Think of kimchi as a spicy, umami-rich condiment that also follows the pickled, fermented trend. Early adopters are using kimchi as a veggie condiment in sandwiches or hot dogs and kimchi worked into a compound butter sauce drizzled over fried chicken, shrimp, and other proteins. 

Breakfast Wraps

The ultimate handheld creation compared to biscuits or bagels, this trend is re-emerging within c-stores, quick service restaurants, and college campuses. Expect to see more fun ingredients inside, such as tots or Cheetos^®. Ultimately, the driver is protein-centric and driveable.

The Chopped Cheese Sandwich Heroes

From NYC bodegas, they call them Chopped Cheese, which is an indulgent take on Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. Think a chopped up hamburger reinvented with lettuce, tomato, and a great sauce as a condiment.

Stacks Of Comfort

At breakfast, early adopters are lining up pancakes, waffles, and crepes on a plate, then adding healthy halo fruits and drizzling the plate with sweet sauces. Others are blending sprumps of maple, honey, and melted butter for an aromatic memory. Flavored butter sauces are a big opportunity. Also, there are opportunities for ice cream on buttered toast, sweet cereal milks.

Snack-First Meal Design

Attention toward GLP-1 users at restaurants is growing. They are customers who still like restaurants but want smaller, protein-centric portions. Think permissible indulgence and bite size options.

The Texturization Of Menus

There’s growing interest beyond flavor and smell to the texture of a menu item. From authentic coatings such as panko or tempura to the experience of a crunch in a bite is now a focus for differentiating a menu.

Scooping Up Great Ideas

2026 is the year when traffic and sales numbers move to the positive for those who win at delivering a unique customer experience and add excitement around their menu. At Creative Energy, our business is to deliver actionable insights that grow sales and brand loyalty for our chain restaurant and food manufacturer clients. If you are in search of an agency partner that stays atop of market opportunities, we are ready to start a conversation.

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