Last year was one of the strangest in the restaurant industry since the end of the pandemic, with business results sharply bifurcated between winners and losers as consumers grew choosier in their spending habits. With macroeconomic uncertainty continuing in 2026, it’s harder than ever to predict the outcomes of major trends.
But a few factors do seem certain — at least in the year’s opening weeks.
Beverages are poised to grow. Consumer demand will play a role in this; the desire for cold, caffeinated and photogenic drinks is creating new occasions. Already, major chains have announced a slew of premium drinks, as the QSR segment searches for high-margin hits that don’t add onerous complexity to operations.
Casual dining’s value proposition has shifted relative to limited-service restaurants, giving fleet-footed brands an opportunity to reverse the sector’s slow decline. But that depends on a blend of continued value messaging, menu innovation, off-premise offerings and, especially, a focus on in-restaurant experiences — the key differentiator for the segment.
Overall, the environment will grow more competitive as consumers constrain their spending and cutback on visits to preserve disposable income. In turn, this will put pressure on brands to find cost savings wherever they can, ensuring every transaction is a profitable one. Cheaper proteins, like chicken, offer a way to balance those savings with consumer demand for new, bold flavors and sauces. But diner price sensitivity will place a greater premium on perceived quality and health benefits, in addition to other definitions of value.
On the labor front, the cooling of the foodservice labor market over the last two years has lowered some of the cost pressures facing operators, but the expense and difficulty of finding and training new talent means labor retention — and clear career paths for talented workers and managers — is more vital than ever.
Check out a roundup of Restaurant Dive articles digging into these trends and exploring analyst predictions for 2026.
