
TREND BITES:
Dinner Parties
Dinner parties are back in style! Younger generations want to get out with groups of friends to try new foods and socialize. In Yelp's "2025 Food and Drink Trends," the popular review website analyzed users' search terms from 2024 to determine what people want more of in this year. Searches for restaurants with "private dining rooms" was up 6,531% and "large group restaurants" was up 1,461% compared to 2023. Consumers are seeking large group dining, so start promoting your restaurant as perfect for group reservations and snatch up some new business!
Shareable Courses
There are several fun ways to dine on shareable meals. For spoon-served foods like pastas, dips, and veggie sides, invite guests to try Family Style Dining, with large dishes they can pass around the table. TableCheck explains that Family Style Dining has several benefits for restaurants: increased revenue potential, more marketing opportunities, simplified menus, and optimized inventory management.
If Family Style Dining isn't your thing, opt for serving fun, grabbable portions like the Grilled Chicken Caesar on a Stick and Pub Sliders below. For more shareable ideas, check out our "Skewers" and "Little Treats" Trend Bites!Boneless Wing Appetizers
Appetizers are meal starters and conversation starters, so make sure the discussion around your food is positive and exciting by featuring on-trend ingredients and formats. We love to use boneless wings as a base for new trends, and they'd be a great starting point for new appetizers for you too! Datassential's menu data shows that boneless wings have increased by 24% on appetizer menus over the past four years, and we have several delicious boneless wing recipes that will make amazing appetizers.
Try these dinner party applications!
Highlight Your Best
When you're serving large groups, you're likely serving some new customers for the first time. Give them a taste of your best meals so they come back for more! To secure the approval of new customers, pair a classic staple that your kitchen always serves well (like chicken tenders) with a buzzworthy ingredient to show your culinary prowess. These Citrus Chicken Tacos use Crispy Barrel Breaded Tenders with pickled red onion, cilantro, and achiote citrus sauce for a modern take on tacos, which, per Datassential, had the biggest increase in appetizer menu mentions in 2024. And you can't go wrong with Hot Honey Chicken and Waffles. Fluffy waffles and satisfying chicken tenders are a definite hit, and when you add trendy hot honey, you're sure to make an amazing impression!
Great Chicken for Dinner Parties:
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