Top Surrey Restaurant Trends For 2024 And How Eateries Can Make The Most Of Them

As 2024 gets underway, many restaurants will be gearing up for another eventful year. Following the pandemic, many eateries are now having to face the prospect of the cost-of-living crisis eating into profits.

With 41% of consumers feeling less financially secure entering 2024 and ‘non-essential’ spending- which includes meals out- set to continue to fall, many restaurants might be wondering how they will survive.

The going won’t be easy, but for eateries, particularly those in popular, traditionally affluent counties like Surrey, there is hope and plenty of opportunities for development and future growth.

Keep reading for some of the top trends the restaurant industry can expect in 2024 and what you can do to adapt.

Kerb Appeal Is More Important Than Ever Before

With diners spending less money eating out, they’ll have higher expectations in 2024, and that begins with the appearance of your property. No longer can eateries get away with a plain facade that might conceal a hidden gem, as fewer consumers will be exploring and taking a chance on a restaurant that doesn’t appeal instantly. So, business owners need to focus on creating a welcoming first impression to draw in customers and keep them coming back. Issues such as bird droppings can make a major difference to how potential diners perceive your establishment, so make sure you have the issue dealt with quickly by bird dropping removal experts. Small changes like ensuring cleanliness outside as well as inside your restaurant can help you to attract more passing trade.

Reducing Food Waste Is Crucial

Another key focus for many diners is sustainability, so reducing your food waste can be a major benefit. Not only does it cut costs significantly, but it can also help you to attract more eco-focused customers to your restaurant. Consider offering lower-priced specials that make the most of ingredients that have a shorter shelf-life, such as fresh vegetables and meat. Using solutions such as sharing uneaten food with food banks might not help with costs, but it can be a simple way to showcase your eatery’s contribution to the local community and commitment to reducing food waste. By advertising your restaurant’s food waste reduction initiatives, you can encourage community spirit and encourage local residents to patronise your establishment over faceless global chains.

Healthy Menu Items Will Attract Diners

Food trends change all the time, as new fad diets come in and others fall out of favour. In 2024, the focus looks to be on removing ultra-processed foods from diets and eating more healthy, whole foods. As such, when writing new menus and adding extra dishes in 2024, the focus needs to be on healthy-sounding meals that contain wholesome, natural ingredients. Consider adapting your popular menu items to include extra vegetables or sources of fibre. For example, you could make pasta dishes with wholewheat pasta or add extra vegetables into sauces. These small upgrades could elevate dishes and make them more appealing to diners who are conscious of what they eat and how it affects their bodies.

Food Challenges Can Still Attract Crowds

Healthy eating might be a focus for many, but food challenges can still be a simple and effective marketing technique for eateries. With the rise in food influencers who make it a hobby to eat large meals and try and beat the clock, a food challenge could help put your restaurant on the map. Consider working with popular Youtubers and food influencers to get the word out about your food challenge, and you could see your popularity soar. These challenge menu items can be a part of your marketing strategy rather than regular additions to your menu, meaning you won’t have to make them often, and can set rules such as ‘pre-order only’ to ensure that the kitchen always has time to prepare.

In Summary

At the end of the day, it’s only the beginning of the year, and there are still many new developments expected in the consumer, food and hospitality markets. As a result, things could change future, but these are some of the initial trends we’re likely to see. With the help of this list, you should be able to find new focuses for 2024 that will allow you to adapt to the ever-evolving market you’re in and push your restaurant closer towards a profitable and successful year.