TREND BITES:

Flights

Food Flights Deliver Variety, Value, and Visual Appeal

September 15, 2025

Think flights are just for alcohol? Think again. Today's diners want a variety of small samplings, and they're ordering them in impressive numbers. A food flight is a curated set of three or more portions served together, like sliders, soup cups, or mini desserts. They’re designed to spark curiosity and give customers a taste of multiple flavors. Operators are using flights to boost engagement, increase check averages, and make their menus more memorable.

The Numbers are "Soaring"

According to Yelp’s 2025 Food and Drink Trends, searches for egg flights were up 496%, cookie flights up 384%, and pasta flights up 127% last year. That kind of growth signals strong customer interest and fun, profitable opportunities for operators.

The National Restaurant Association featured flights in their "What's Hot 2025" report, noting, "Flights ranked highly in the beverage alcohol category, but food flights are appearing with increased frequency." Restaurant Business also covered the trend, crediting TikTok's viral egg flights—which prompted Google searches for egg flights to surge over 350% last year—for the rise of flights made of French fries, mac 'n cheese, queso, and lattes.

Why Consumers Love Flights

Food flights tap into what today's diners crave: variety, interaction, and visual appeal. Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, was featured in TODAY.com's "Food Flights are Taking off in Restaurants." She explained that flights are booming because they fit perfectly into the growing demand for experiential dining, which is a key driver of restaurant traffic today.

Flights also offer a fun, interactive way to explore flavors and allow guests to try new things without the risk of ordering a full entree they might not like. They're perfect for indecisive or adventurous eaters, and they offer creativity for social media users who love to post eye-catching plates.

Why Operators Should Love Flights

In addition to pleasing your customers, serving flights can also help your bottom line. For TODAY.com, Ming-Tai Huh, head of food and beverage at Square, explained that flights help restaurants combat tighter margins and competition by offering “a fun and novel opportunity for consumers to taste more of the menu.” Here's how flights help:

Inventory Efficiency. Repurpose ingredients, reduce waste, and refresh your menu without adding complexity.

Upselling potential. Their uniqueness and variety justify a higher price point than the standalone dishes, helping boost check averages.

Prep Smart and Plate Fast. Batch cooking and portioning make flights easy to prepare. Plating is quick but still delivers that “wow” factor.

Flight Ideas to Get You Started

Wing Flight

This bold wing flight offers a sweet and spicy flavor journey that impress your guests. Use premade sauce and chopped cilantro for Mango Habanero Wings, create Spicy PB&J Wings with this recipe, and finish with Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Wings using premade sauce and chopped parsley.

Soup Flight

This comforting trio features our recipes for Beer Cheese Soup with Rotisserie Chicken, Chicken Lasagna Soup, and Chicken and Dumpling Soup. These soups are batch-friendly, hearty, and craveable. Post your soup flight on social media and watch the engagement and sales pour in.