As this year draws to a close, let’s see what’s in store for 2022 from global food and restaurant consultancy Baum+Whiteman. From cooking robots to plant-based chicken, here are the highlights from their latest food and beverage trend forecast:
The big picture
The pandemic has changed the way people eat out these days. Shorter menus, fewer servers, vaccination cards for entry, earlier closing time, QR codes, tricky deliveries, greater surcharges in response to rising food costs, to name a few.
Michael Whiteman—President of Baum + Whiteman—foresees a profitable second-half of 2022 for restaurants. “That’s because of higher vaccination rates; gradual untangling of supply chains; consumers’ increasing willingness to pay higher prices, and restaurateurs figuring out how to do more business with fewer employees. Outdoor dining will become permanent in many cities, adding to restaurants’ seating capacities and revenue,” he noted.