Restaurant · Guide Updated August 2026

8 Food Trends Restaurant Owners Should Watch (Based on Yelp Data)

Every one of these trends comes from Yelp’s own data scientists, who tracked the fastest-rising search terms and review phrases across 2019 and 2020. These are not guesses. They are consumer signals you can act on right now.

What Is Quesabirria and Why Is It Up 235%?

Quesabirria is a quesadilla plus a taco, married together. More specifically, it is a cheesy braised beef taco marinated with birria consommé, which is a rich beef broth. The result is messy, deeply savory, and almost impossible to eat without making a sound.

This trend was already popular in Los Angeles and San Francisco a few years back. Now it is making a major comeback nationwide. Yelp data shows the search term increased by more than 235% in a single year. That kind of number does not happen by accident.

The other reason this trend has legs: it is extremely photogenic. Customers pull it apart, dip it, and post it. Your customers do your marketing for you.

Why Detroit-Style Pizza Is Worth Adding to Your Menu

Detroit-style pizza is rectangular, thick-crusted, and known for being simultaneously crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Think maximum gooeyness. That texture is exactly what people crave when they want comfort food at home.

Yelp review rates for this style grew more than 52% year-over-year. That is a meaningful signal in a category as crowded as pizza. If you are already running a pizza concept, offering a Detroit-style option is a low-barrier way to capture a growing audience.

How Does Hard Seltzer Fit a Restaurant or Bar Program?

Hard seltzers are alcoholic, carbonated fruit-flavored soda waters. They are sweeter than traditional beer and leave customers feeling less bloated. That combination is why the millennial crowd gravitates toward them over a standard pint.

This category made a real splash in 2019 and kept climbing through 2020. Yelp review rates for hard seltzer went up more than 189% year-to-date. What is also worth watching: micro-brands and micro-breweries are popping up constantly, and some are building serious audiences on social media, including an Asian hard seltzer brand that built significant traction on TikTok. If your venue sells alcohol, stocking a curated hard seltzer selection is a straightforward win.

What Is Hot Honey and How Do You Use It?

Hot honey is honey infused with chili. That is the whole concept: a classic condiment with one deliberate twist. The reason it works is versatility. It pairs with pizza, bacon, waffles, fried chicken, and virtually any other main course you already serve.

Yelp review rates for hot honey grew more than 48%. The barrier to entry is low. You can source a quality hot honey, put it on the table, and charge a small premium for dishes that feature it. It is an easy, high-margin add-on.

Why Fried Chicken Is Still the Safest Bet on This List

Fried chicken is not a new trend. It is a comfort food institution, and right now it is having a moment that shows no signs of slowing. In my own city of Vancouver, new fried chicken concepts were opening constantly across every style: Japanese, Korean, and American.

Each style has a distinct identity. Japanese fried chicken features a light, crispy coating. Korean fried chicken is fried twice and finished with bold sauces. American fried chicken is brined in buttermilk for maximum tenderness. Yelp data shows Korean fried chicken searches up more than 28% and Nashville Hot chicken searches up more than 60%. If you are looking for a concept with proven, broad demand, fried chicken delivers.

What Are Sandos and Why Are They Up 97%?

Sandos are Japanese sandwiches. The Japanese approach to a sandwich involves extreme precision: perfectly trimmed edges, even layers, soft milk bread, and visual symmetry. That craftiness is exactly what makes them stand out in a saturated sandwich market.

Yelp review rates for sandos grew more than 97%. The format is also naturally photogenic, which matters for organic social reach. This trend carries cultural credibility and visual appeal, two things that drive repeat visits and online word-of-mouth.

Why the Seafood Boil Creates an Experience Customers Pay For

A seafood boil is exactly what it sounds like: boiled seafood served either for dine-in or takeout. What makes it powerful as a restaurant concept is the experience it creates. It is communal, messy, and fun. Families gather around the table and dig in together.

That shared, tactile experience is difficult for customers to replicate easily at home, which gives you a genuine reason to exist. Yelp search volume for seafood boils grew more than 65%. The format also lends itself to high ticket sizes because customers typically order proteins, add-ons, and sides all at once.

How Has Boba Evolved Beyond the Original Cup?

Boba, or bubble tea, tapioca milk tea, has been a dominant trend for years. The fact that it is still on this list is not a surprise. What is worth paying attention to is how much the format has evolved.

Boba is no longer just a drink in a cup. It has moved into popsicle form, bubble waffles, ice cream, and other dessert categories. One of the fastest-rising items within this trend is boba mochi, a topping that has seen search term growth of more than 185% in a single year. If you are in the dessert or beverage space and not watching boba innovation, you are missing a high-margin category with a passionate, repeat customer base.

The Bottom Line

The common thread across all eight of these trends is comfort, visual appeal, and shareability. Customers want food that feels indulgent, photographs well, and creates a moment worth talking about. The data confirms it. Your job is to pick one or two of these that fit your existing concept and execute them with precision. Adding a trend badly is worse than not adding it at all. Pick the trend that matches your kitchen, your customer, and your margins, and own it.

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