Corporate, noncommercial operations could learn a lot from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) 2017 Restaurant Industry Pocket Factbook. The NRA provides research to help operators make smart, strategic decisions and grow their business. By understanding what’s going on today, you’ll have a better idea of what might happen tomorrow. In 2017, the restaurant industry is projecting over $798.7 billion, a 36.1% gain over 2010. How can corporate foodservices get a piece of that pie?

Here are just a few of the Consumer Trends that you could incorporate in your corporate cafes:

• Offer breakfast items all day – 54% of consumers who say they would order breakfast items more often if they were offered all day.
  • Consider offering breakfast all day on the day of the week when your participate is the lowest.
• Increase ethnic cuisines – 63% of millennials eat a wider variety of ethnic cuisines than they did 2 years ago.
  • Incorporate regional favorites
• Provide unique favorite restaurant foods – Seven out of ten consumers said they prefer to purchase favorite foods that they cannot easily make at home.
  • According to the 2017 SHFM Benchmarking Study, only 3.9% of participating companies offer take home meals. Consider offering your most popular meal options as a ‘make at home’ meal kit option.
• Utilize locally sourced foods – 56% of the average restaurant consumers prefer that food establishments purchase locally sourced foods.
  • Purchase locally grown seasonal fruits and vegetables. Advertise it and promote the grower!
• Provide nutritional data – 40% of the consumers choose one restaurant because of the diet specific menu.
  • Include in all your menus the allergens and nutritional information.

Consumers will be more engaged and discerning than ever when dining out this year. They are more knowledgeable about food and have come to expect menu options that fit their dietary preferences no matter when or where they visit foodservice locations.