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Chef's hand lifts up glass cloche from a plate with hot food and moving smoke at the restaurant. Exquisite dish, creative restaurant meal concept, haute couture food.

3 Top Restaurant Trends for 2026

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What’s on the menu for 2026? Modern diners are always looking for the next new thing, whether that’s a dish or dining experience. If you want to stay relevant in the foodservice industry, you’ll want to lock in on 2026 restaurant trends.

Foodbuy Foodservice’s Culinary Solutions Team studies consumer trends and has recommendations for your year ahead. Read about the top three 2026 restaurant trends below.

1. Where Technology Meets Dining

A young woman interacts with a digital kiosk in a stylish caf, selecting items for her order, A woman in a white jacket chooses drinks and orders food for dessert in a restaurant or pizzeria coffee shop through a touchscreen screen on her own. The restaurant menu is displayed on the screen in the terminal.

Talk about technological changes within the foodservice space is nothing new. The question is how will foodservice operators leverage technology in 2026?

AI is a big topic across segments and the restaurant industry is no exception. These tools are being used across operations to streamline processes and improve guest experiences. Restaurant owners and operators are leveraging AI forecasting to drive more effective ordering and menuing, as well as create prep schedules and allocate labor.

Automation is the name of the game in other areas as well, as the prevalence of self-order kiosks continue to rise across fast-casual eateries. Self-service elements are being used to not only free up labor bandwidth but allow guests to customize their orders more easily. Meanwhile, robotic kitchen tools are streamlining back-of-house operations, giving employees more time to focus on higher-level tasks.

2. The Personalization Game

Vegan poke bowl with avocado, tofu, rice, seaweed, carrots and mangoes. Vegan food concept.

In a world full of options, consumers are craving experiences that feel like they were created just for them. When it comes to foodservice operations, this means baking flexibility into your menus. Build-your-own dishes and adjustable drinks and sides put diners in the driver’s seat.

Plus, offering health-focused personalization options allows you to leverage two 2026 restaurant trends at once, as healthy eating remains top of mind for many consumers. If you want to capture the attention of health-conscious consumers, you can update your menus to include:

  • Mocktail options for sober and sober-curious guests
  • Reference guides for low-carb and low-sugar menu items
  • Separate menus designed for those with dietary restrictions

3. Around the World in One Menu

As technology becomes more key to our daily lives, access to information on global cuisines and flavors becomes more accessible. As a result, diners are seeking out global tastes more than ever before.

Traditional moroccan tajine of chicken with dried fruits and spices, top view.

As culinary boundaries blur, cross-cultural fusion is becoming a strategic lever for innovation. Think Korean-inspired bar snacks, Mediterranean-leaning grain bowls, or Latin-Asian street-food hybrids. These globally influenced dishes not only spark curiosity but also drive menu versatility. The best part? Operators can refresh their lineups without major operational lifts by simply adding in new ingredients.

At the same time, authenticity is gaining elevated importance. Diners increasingly value menus that celebrate tradition and highlight origin stories. Operators that elevate authentic global ingredients can position themselves as culturally fluent and on-trend. Whether you’re looking for spices from North Africa or broths from southeast Asia, sourcing ingredients based on quality and authenticity shines through in your dishes.

Embark on an Excellent Year of Dining

As operators navigate an increasingly competitive landscape, these 2026 restaurant trends signal a clear mandate: stay agile, stay differentiated, and stay connected to evolving guest expectations. Technology is reshaping how kitchens operate, personalization is redefining the guest journey, and global flavors are elevating menus with fresh relevance. Together, these forces are accelerating a new era of operational excellence and culinary creativity.

Follow Foodbuy Foodservice on LinkedIn to stay up to date on 2026 restaurant trends. We share monthly trend reports created by our culinary experts.