2022 has been a wild start so far, but that doesn’t mean inspiration has been limited! From TikTok to Popcorn, chefs and culinary teams across the world are putting some of the best ideas on your plate. Let’s dive into some of these trends…
Creator Collaborations
First there was the Travis Scott Meal at McDonald’s Then BTS. Then J Balvin. Then Saweetie (probably the most popular ‘remix’ of McDonald’s signature feasts). Most recently, Megan Thee Stallion showed off her signature “Hottie Sauce” at Popeye. Celebrity collaborations are creating a new revenue opportunity for restaurant chains and celebrities alike.
The appeal of creator collaborations works two ways, in favour of both the celebrity and the customer, with the fast food brand being the medium to deliver the goods. Not only does the customer get to enjoy what celebrities like to eat, at an affordable price, but it also makes the celebrity relatable! ‘See, I love McDonalds too!’
Most notable are the instructions celebrities have given to these fast food giants to give the meal their own flavour, vibe, style, and a touch of personality. These iota of suave changes are what makes the meals stand apart. The Travis Scott meal swapped tomato ketchup for barbecue sauce with fries, and BTS added Cajun and Sweet Chili dipping sauces to McDonald’s famed Chicken McNuggets. So, who will be next? This is a trend we will continue to see in 2022.
TikTok Influences
With TikTok surpassing 1 billion users in 2021, it’s no wonder that the latest social media platforms are bringing new food trends to the table. The app allowed users to connect through recipe and food challenges, even while the pandemic kept us at home. Social media trends can come and go very quickly, making it difficult for chefs to take advantage of them. But creating interactive, stunning and visually appealing food rooted in pop culture resonates and engages with customers ordering online.
Some TikTok Food and Beverage Trends that you might find on the menu this year:
Popcorn
Popcorn? As in, cinemas popcorn? Yeah! Popcorn! This one might seem a bit left of field and hilariously antiquated, especially because of popcorns complementary relationship with movie watching but sales internationally for popcorn grew 9% in 2021, and is expected to apace in 2022.
The likely reason there has been a boom for popcorn is the increase of at-home streaming whilst movie theaters across the country remain closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Popcorn, in addition to being the perfect movie snack, is a perfect low-calorie ‘canvas’ upon which you can layer many other flavours, and create a variety of both seasonal and trending flavours. Dalgona flavoured popcorn, anyone?
Popcorn seems to be a product for all seasons, and while its peak period for home consumption is during the cooler months, year-round consumption is being assisted by the ever increasing number of seasonal offerings, such as peppermint bark and match in winter, or watermelon and lemonade for summer.
In the Philippines, popcorn is exploding, with places like the Chef Tony’s Popcorn and Popperoo, switching up what popcorn means!
Time-Saving Hacks
No time like the present to get cracking onto new and improved operations. If we have learnt anything from 2020 and 2021, it’s that restaurants and restaurant owners need to be more flexible, more accessible, and more individual than ever. Establishments have to pull out all the stops to boost hiring and to retain staff, be online and engage with their customers as much as possible, and have a certain flair or mystique about them that certifies them as original in the customer’s eyes. Who has time for all that? Well, we are starting to see trends in the Philippines of restaurants using time-saving hacks so they can focus on what they do best, for example:
- Sticking to classic comfort foods with a twist
- Think fries dusted with za’atar, burgers with fried pickles, or mayonnaise mixed with miso paste. Simple additions like these don’t require extraneous labor and help your menu stand out.
- Ready-to-eat products and Speed scratch Items
- Small menus will help make work in your venue more manageable for your kitchen staff, giving them less time to memorize a complicated menu and increased time producing the best quality food possible.
- Digital Solutions
- Enduring multiple devices to manage your order flow seems like yesterday’s way of thinking. Like many modern restaurants, delivery has become a necessity to survive, and being on multiple delivery platforms seems more common than just being on one. Using order aggregation technology, like klikit, allows restaurants to save time and manage their order flow better, giving more time back to the restaurant.
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