We live in an attention economy where every platform, app, brand, email, text, notification, streaming service and algorithm is competing for our focus. Google Trends data shows searches for “feel overwhelmed” and “feel stressed” are higher than ever this year, while “stress relief”, “burnout at work”, and even “burnout from life” are also at record levels in 2026.

In this hyper-stimulating environment, the ability to choose where we direct our attention — or to turn it off entirely — is becoming a luxury. People are now actively seeking it out. Where being “busy” was once a sign of importance, being unreachable is now the ultimate flex.

Hotels & Travel: Checking-In to Check-Out

The biggest buzzwords in travel right now are rest, recharge, and reset. The goal: disconnect (from devices) and connect (with ourselves and others.)

Research from Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report found that the number one motivation for travel this year is “to rest and recharge,” followed closely by improving mental health, and spending time in nature.

“Digital detox” is driving headlines as well with countless articles like:

• “11 Global Luxury Resorts For A True Digital Detox” (Forbes)

• “Is Being Offline the Latest Luxury? Here Are 11 Stunning Resorts Where You Can Digital Detox” (Vogue)

• “Want a Real Vacation? Leave Your Phone at Home.” (T: The New York Times Style Magazine).

Hotels and travel operators are rising to the occasion with experiences designed to meet this need.

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A few years ago, it felt like umami was everywhere. Loosely translating to “deliciousness” the term was first coined in Japan in 1908, and has long been recognized in Japanese culinary lexicon as the elusive “fifth taste.” Over the past decades, the term broke into mainstream Western food writing and consumer vocabulary as shorthand for savory, depth, richness, and craveability. It provided a new way to talk about flavor; a new lens to understand why a dish resonates.

Now we’re seeing a similar obsession take hold, but this time it’s not about taste. It’s about texture.

Chefs, of course, have always known this. Texture has long been one of the quiet levers of great cooking—something that adds intrigue and contrast to a dish. Pastry chefs, in particular, are adept at utilizing texture: crisp against creamy, airy against dense, molten against crunchy. The kind of interplay that turns something good into something memorable.

What’s changed is that consumers are now actively seeking multi-sensory eating experiences. They’re more open to textures that once felt unfamiliar, even polarizing. Chewy, gelatinous, bouncy, foamy—textures that used to live on the margins are moving into the mainstream. And they’re not just noticing texture on the plate; they’re looking for it everywhere, from beverages, to snacks, to fast casual formats.

If umami expanded how we think about flavor, texture is broadening how we experience food altogether—adding a new dimension that’s just as critical to what’s considered craveable, memorable, and increasingly, shareable today. In a feed-driven world, that stretch, crackle, and pull resonates.

From Flavor to Feeling

What’s driving excitement—and attention—today is how food feels. The contrast of crispy and creamy. The pull of melted cheese. The bounce of a chewy bite. The crack, the stretch, the crunch. It’s not just about what something tastes like; it’s about what happens when you bite into it. It’s visual, it’s visceral, and it gives people something to react to.

According to Purato’s 2026 Global Taste Tomorrow Report—built on insights from over 23,000 consumers in 56 countries—71% of consumers say texture drives enjoyment, while 67% are actively seeking “novelty through new formats or unexpected mouthfeels.” The report also cites “texture mash-ups” as the second-fastest-growing trend in the bakery category today.

This shift is showing up everywhere—from menus, to marketing language, to the way people engage with food online.

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A Food Festival That Was All The Rave

The most Gen Z–coded food festival just returned for its third year. It’s bigger than ever and it’s continuing to grow each time—offering a clear blueprint for what younger consumers actually want.

For many years, food festivals have followed a familiar format—chef-driven, multi-day events with tastings, demos, culinary products and legacy media as sponsors.

Now, in the 2020s, we’re seeing a new kind of festival model emerge. New York–based food influencer Jack Goldburg (@jacksdiningroom) brought together 30+ top restaurants in major cities—first New York, and now Los Angeles—for a food event that looks very different from the traditional model.

Yes Chef Food Fest is a two-day event built around constant high energy and intentionally over-the-top experiences. Despite its name, the festival doesn’t lean on celebrity chefs or traditional programming; the lineup spans everything from cult-favorite restaurants to brands like Raising Cane’s. High and low sit side by side, reflecting how younger audiences actually engage with food—less reverence, more experience.

For decades, media companies like Food & Wine helped turn small regional gatherings into destination events. What started as local tastings evolved into multi-day experiences designed to drive tourism, spotlight chefs, and attract national attention. By the 2000s, this model had scaled with celebrity chefs, cooking demos, wine seminars, and large-format tastings.

That model hasn’t disappeared, but it’s worth paying attention to the curation of these newer models and how they are breaking the rules. The mix—high-low, fast food to fine dining—is intentional. It reflects how younger audiences actually eat: fluidly driven more by experience than category.

A Raising Cane’s chicken finger eating contest (yes, really!)

A live tuna cutting… staged like a DJ set.

A full 100 lb pig roast carved on-site, accompanied by Hawaiian dancers.

The VIP tier pushed things even further: an 18-seat Michelin-star “micro omakase” featuring wagyu sliders and premium cuts, a hand-carved prime rib station, Italian truffle tastings, and a lineup of unapologetically luxury-coded offerings.

Indulgence Is The Baseline

The biggest unlock here is that indulgence isn’t a perk anymore—it’s expected.

General admission tickets started at around $45 and it didn’t hold back. Guests weren’t just sampling—they were fully participating. Caviar bites (and bumps), cannolis, unlimited Cane’s chicken tenders, black truffle kielbasa, honey mustard pickle chips, chocolate-covered dates, fresh-cut tuna sashimi, oysters shucked on the spot and so much more. This wasn’t about portioning or restraint—it was about perceived value. If someone is paying for access, the experience has to feel generous, not controlled.

That extended to the smallest details. Buckets of free bottled water on ice were everywhere—something that’s oddly rare at most festivals, where even basic necessities are monetized. It’s a small detail, but it signals something bigger: when the experience is designed to feel abundant, people notice.

“Healthy-Ish” Still Plays By Internet Rules

Even the “better-for-you” brands showed up with the same cultural energy as everything else.

A pickle sampling bar centered around a viral pickle fountain. An LA-style fruit stand served hand-cut fruit with Tajín and citrus. Premium nuts and dried fruit were presented more like lifestyle products than traditional health food.

Larger brands also showed up in ways that aligned with this shift. Pepsi introduced a prebiotic cola while FAGE leaned into clean-label dairy.

The throughline is relevance. That these offerings showing up alongside caviar, truffles, and fried chicken fingers reflects what consumers are engaging with culturally - and online.

The Real Shift: Experience As The Product

This is where the generational difference becomes most apparent.

Younger audiences aren’t just showing up for food—they’re seeking experiences that feel curated, immersive, and worth documenting.

Even the merchandise reflected this mindset: high-quality materials, locally sourced, and designed to be worn beyond the event itself. It functioned as an extension of the experience, rather than a traditional souvenir.

Importantly, the festival wasn’t structured around discovery in the traditional sense. It brought together restaurants that audiences were already familiar with—from TikTok, Instagram, and group chats—and provided a physical space for those existing communities to engage in new ways. The demand was already there; the event simply organized and amplified it through high-energy entertainment—live games and competitions on stage, DJs, lighting, and champagne-fueled moments.

At the same time, indulgence and wellness are no longer seen as opposites. Consumers move fluidly between both. The same audience that seeks out caviar is equally interested in prebiotic soda.

Pickles, caviar, chicken tenders, bone marrow, prebiotic soda—none of these choices are incidental. Anyone who has been reading this column knows these products are social media - and Gen Z darlings. They reflect what is already circulating culturally. In this environment, alignment matters more than being first.

This Model Is Already Spreading

Food influencer Keith Lee (@keith_lee125) is hosting his first-ever “Familee Day” this May in New Orleans—a large-scale event bringing together local restaurants and curated food experiences under a creator-led banner. It’s another expression of the same model: personality-driven, experience-first, and built around what audiences already engage with online.

Insight-OUT: Creating value today isn’t about what you serve—it’s about how it’s experienced. The brands that win are the ones designing moments that feel abundant, intentional, and worth showing up for. It’s not about reverence - it’s about engagement.

Private dining has always been one of the most attractive revenue streams in the hospitality business—higher price points, predictable spend, and a space that, when booked, works harder than the rest of the floor. The challenge is that too often it’s positioned like inventory: a room to fill, a minimum to hit, a line item to sell. In a landscape where every operator is competing for the same birthday celebrations and team dinners that approach starts to flatten fast.

The operators pulling ahead are reframing the pitch entirely. They’re packaging private dining into complete experiences: themed environments, immersive formats, chef-led moments, and interactive elements that give the event shape and story. In some cases, these are turnkey experiences or add-ons groups can reserve at any time; in others, they’re one-off or ticketed activations designed to turn slower nights into something with urgency and demand.

For operators working with a straightforward—or even underwhelming—PDR space, this approach is how you fill the room.

This approach mirrors a broader change across hospitality: people aren’t chasing exclusivity for its own sake—they’re chasing moments that feel curated, personal, and worth talking about. Private dining is one of the most flexible canvases to deliver that.

Read on for a selection of creative formats, activations, and packages from operators around the country who are evolving their private dining rooms from a space that can be sold into demand-driving experiences.

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Part 2 of the series:

We also took a look at the latest food & hospitality topics trending on the internet.

and how butter can become a must-order menu item.

We’ve got a breakdown of the most common hotel complaints showing up across digital channels today—and more importantly, what they signal about evolving guest expectations, along with practical ways operators can respond and strengthen perception.

Cleanliness: The Small Appliance That Raises Red Flags

Cleanliness is the fastest judgment a guest will make—and the hardest one to recover from. Within seconds of walking into a room, guests are scanning for signals: does this feel fresh, or does something feel… off? And while obvious missteps like dirty linens are dealbreakers, today’s complaints tend to focus on the gray area—the places where cleanliness is assumed, but not always trusted.

Take the in-room coffee maker. It’s a standard amenity across price points, and yet it’s become one of the most questioned items in the room. Blame internet lore, guest skepticism, or a few too many viral horror stories, like the influencer who faced world-wide viral backlash for suggesting people clean their underwear in hotel coffee makers—but the perception issue is real. Whether or not the concern is fully justified almost doesn’t matter; guests are walking in with doubt.

@brandongonezshowHave you heard about this “hack” of people apparently cleaning their underwear in the hotel coffee maker? 🤔💭 #Underwear #Hotel #CoffeeMaker

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Clean isn’t assumed anymore—guests want proof. This is where operators have an opportunity to get ahead of the narrative.

The Operator Move:

• Make the invisible visible. A simple card, or better, a sticker on top indicates the coffee maker has been cleaned, and goes a long way. It’s low-cost, high-impact reassurance.

• Show your work. Short-form video content of housekeeping protocols—done with a bit of personality—can both educate and build trust. This is also one area where a little humor (“yes, we actually clean these”) can disarm skepticism, while reinforcing standards and showing your brand identity.

Sleep Quality

Delivering a good night’s sleep is core to the hotel experience. Everything else—design, amenities, F&B—adds value. When guests can’t sleep, it doesn’t matter how beautiful the lobby is, or how good the cocktail program might be, the fundamentals have been missed.

The challenge is that many of the biggest sleep disruptors are invisible during the day—and unforgettable at 3:17 a.m.

Guests may not remember a good night’s sleep, but they rarely forget a bad one.

Well noise is the #1 complaint, lighting is one of the most underestimated disruptors of sleep—and one of the most common sources of guest frustration. Blackout curtains go a long way, but too often hotels neglect the light from within the room. Controls should feel clear and intuitive, yet often they don’t. Hard-to-find switches, touch-operated lamps, or overly complex “smart system” panels can turn something as basic as turning off the lights into a trial-and-error exercise.

Indicator lights, under-bed glow strips, and motion-activated features may feel design-forward, but in practice they often work against the core function of the room: rest. Bathroom motion-sensor lights are a frequent offender. What was intended as a convenience, has become a nightmare—a full-brightness light blasting on at 3 a.m. is more likely to wake a partner—or make it harder to fall back asleep—than to enhance the stay.

The Operator Move: Offeri a clearly labeled “all-off” master switch by the bed, and ensure indicator lights can be dimmed or disabled. Program motion sensors to low-level night lighting rather than full illumination, and pressure-test smart controls with real guests before rollout.

Increasingly, hotels are also layering blackout standards into brand guidelines, recognizing that true darkness is as essential as thread count.

Insight-OUT: The best hotel rooms don’t just look good—they disappear when it’s time to sleep. The operators who get this right think beyond aesthetics. They design for darkness, intuitive control, and the ability for guests to tailor the environment to their own rhythms.

Privacy: The Amenity Guests Notice Most When It’s Missing

Privacy has quietly become one of the most polarizing issues in hotel design—and one of the loudest on social media. What started as a modern, design-forward trend has, for many guests, crossed the line into daily frustration.

Open-concept bathrooms might photograph well, they don’t always live well.

Frosted glass walls, partial partitions, or full windows into the bedroom are often positioned as elevated design features. Guests tend to experience them differently. What is usually done in private…is often best kept that way.

Barn-style bathroom doors have also become a frequent flashpoint. They’re cost-effective and visually on-trend, but they rarely seal properly, offer inconsistent locking, and do little to contain sound. Entire Reddit threads are devoted to frustration with bathroom barn doors—and there’s even a website cataloging hotels that don’t use them. The Wall Street Journal even dedicated an article to the topic.

Sound is also an unspoken driver behind many complaints. It’s not just about visibility—it’s about audibility. For couples, families, friends, or colleagues sharing a room, these design choices introduce friction into what should feel like a comfortable, low-stress environment.

Privacy isn’t a “nice-to-have,” it’s a must, and discomfort in this category lingers. For couples, friends, families, or colleagues sharing a room, these design choices introduce friction into what should be a comfortable, low-stress environment. Guests may not raise the issue in the moment, but they remember it—and they talk about it online.

At its core, this is a classic case of design priorities colliding with real guest behavior. Good design doesn’t stop at aesthetics. It anticipates how people actually use a space—and what they don’t want to think about while they’re in it.

The Operator Move:

• Reintroduce true separation. Where possible, prioritize fully enclosed bathroom layouts or add solid swing doors during renovations instead of barn-style solutions.

• Offer layered privacy options. Consider adjustable panels that allow guests to control visibility rather than forcing a single design outcome.

• Pressure-test rooms with real sharing scenarios. Evaluate layouts not just for solo travelers, but for colleagues, families, and friends sharing a room.

• Address expectations in advance. If a room features an open bathroom concept, set clear visual cues during booking or check-in to reduce surprise—and dissatisfaction.

• Prioritize privacy in future brand standards. As guest feedback becomes more vocal, privacy is shifting from a design choice to a baseline performance expectation.

Insight-OUT: Market privacy as a feature. If rooms include fully enclosed bathrooms and solid doors, show it. Consider listing it in the amenities too. If you’re going to list a hairdryer which we know you have, you can definitely list the solid door that we expect. Clear photography, floor plans, and simple callouts on booking pages can turn what used to be assumed into a point of reassurance—and even differentiation. And yes, you can have a little fun with it on social media too, if that’s appropriate for your brand.

(In)Convenience

Unlike cleanliness or sleep, convenience issues rarely trigger a formal complaint. Instead, they show up as eye-rolls, minor frustrations, and “why is this so hard?” moments that stack up over the course of a stay. And increasingly, these are the exact moments guests vent about online.

Social Media Is An Outlet For Outlet Frustration

The challenge? The fast pace of technology, and corresponding guest expectations. If there’s one universal complaint for today’s modern traveler, it’s this: not enough outlets, and not where they should be.

• Too few outlets—especially near the bed - Guests are charging phones, watches, headphones, and laptops…all at once.

• Outlets that don’t work

• Awkward placement - Behind beds, under desks, or just far enough away to require a stretch, a reach, or a minor engineering solution involving a lamp base.

• Nowhere to put the device while charging - The modern balancing act: phone perched on bedside lamp…or worse, the floor.

The Operator Move:

• Prioritize bedside charging—on both sides, not just one!

• Integrate USB-C and standard outlets

• Pair outlets with actual surfaces—a plug without a place to rest a phone is only half a solution

More Bathroom Complaints

Bathrooms are a close second when it comes to convenience complaints—and the issues are surprisingly consistent.

@heyyyitskatemarieWho tf invented this shower and said yep this is good…. ? What da helliante @Marriott Bonvoy

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• The half-shower door problem - Sleek, minimal, and almost guaranteed to leave a puddle on the floor. Guests notice—and complain.

• Weak or nonexistent ventilation - Fogged mirrors, humid rooms, lingering moisture. It feels uncomfortable—and reads as poor upkeep.

• Towel placement (or lack thereof) - Too far from the shower? Annoying. Too close—or worse, in the splash zone?

• Missing the small things - No hand towels. Nowhere to hang them. Nowhere to put toiletries. These are small misses that feel disproportionately frustrating.

Convenience is the accumulation of details. No single issue ruins a stay—but five or six? That’s a pattern. And patterns are what show up in reviews. Guests don’t expect perfection—but they do expect things to work the way they should.

The Operator Move:

• Design the bathroom for convenience - including space to put toiletry bags, and towels within reach of the shower.

A well-designed guestroom anticipates behavior, supports modern habits, and eliminates the small, nagging inconveniences that turn a good stay into a forgettable—or worse, frustrating—one.

Questionable Added Amenities

This category tends to generate a very specific kind of frustration: not outrage, but irritation. The sense that something is being packaged as a benefit when it doesn’t quite deliver—or worse, isn’t optional.

If guests feel forced to pay for it, they expect to actually use it.

Resort Fees In Urban Locations

Guests often don’t fully understand what the fee covers—or why it isn’t simply included in the room rate.

• Mismatch between name and experience - In a true resort setting—where there are pools, equipment rentals, programming, and experiences—the fee can make sense. In a city hotel? The label alone creates friction.

• Non-optional - Because the fee is mandatory, it doesn’t feel like an add-on—it feels like a pricing tactic.The operator move:

• Eliminate Resort Fees. Incorporate it into your regular pricing.

• Reconsider naming. “Resort fee” in an urban context sets the wrong expectation from the start.

• Be transparent and specific. Spell out exactly what the fee includes—in plain language. And make sure to add actual value!

The Hotel Gym Dilemma

Guests searching for a hotel gym aren’t all looking for the same thing—but they are looking for something usable. Common complaints include:

• Micro-gyms with minimal equipment - a treadmill, a yoga mat, and a set of 10 lb dumbbells does not meet most guests’ expectations of a “fitness center.”

• Limited access or overcrowding - Small spaces + peak usage times = guests who can’t actually use the amenity they were promised.

• Included in the fee, not in practice - If the gym is part of what justifies a daily fee, guests expect access—not a waitlist.

An amenity that can’t be used isn’t an amenity—it’s a liability.

Operator move:

• Set expectations clearly - If it’s a compact fitness room, say so.

• Prioritize usability over checkbox amenities - A small but well-equipped, thoughtfully designed space beats a token gym every time.

• Consider partnerships - Nearby gym access or day passes can be a stronger offering than an underwhelming in-house setup.

• Make Working Out Easy - Provide running maps with distances, or a schedule of workout classes from a nearby gym. Consider an app for a full-body in-room workout if space allows.

Guests don’t mind paying more—they mind feeling like they’re paying for nothing. In a landscape where pricing is already under scrutiny, “questionable” amenities can tip the perception from fair to frustrating very quickly. Value isn’t about what you include—it’s about what guests believe they’re getting.

Get the Basics Right—or Pay for It Later

These are the fundamentals. The unglamorous, unsexy, absolutely essential parts of the guest experience. Getting these right won’t win design awards or drive buzz on their own. No one is booking a hotel because the outlets are well-placed or the bathroom door actually closes. But get them wrong—and that’s exactly what guests will talk about.

The basics don’t earn praise—but they absolutely earn criticism when you miss them. If you don’t get these right, someone else will, and that’s where your next guest goes.

In a world where every stay is documented, it’s not just about what you offer—it’s about what guests say when they leave.

On paper, the all-day restaurant is one of the most compelling ideas in hospitality. More hours open means more chances to generate revenue, capture different dining occasions, and make better use of expensive real estate. But as we explored last week, the reality is more complicated. Extended hours bring operational complexity, staffing challenges, and the constant risk of brand confusion if the concept isn’t carefully designed to flex across the day.

In other words, simply staying open longer isn’t the strategy. What are some of their secrets to success? Read our article: All-Day Dining Concepts: Monetize Time, Not Just Tables.

The operators who succeed with all-day dining don’t improvise their way through different dayparts—they build concepts specifically designed to thrive across them. Over time, a handful of models have emerged that consistently solve the challenge.

Here are some of the formats working hardest right now—plus a few of our favorite examples and why they’re so effective.

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On paper, the all-day restaurant is one of the most compelling models in hospitality. The math is seductive: more hours open = more opportunities to generate revenue and fewer dead zones where rent, utilities, and fixed costs quietly drain profitability. When it works, an all-day concept turns real estate …

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This week: McDonald’s handed their competitors a gift — and Wendy’s gave a masterclass in how to win the internet without even starting the fight. Plus, a local restaurant that blew up online thanks to a creative frozen drink, and the gym bro eating trend that’s quietly making its way into the mainstream.

CEO Shenanigans

When McDonalds decided to have their CEO do a video trying their new Big Arch burger, they were likely inspired by the success of young, charismatic CEOs that have become social media darlings, like Damola Adamolekun of Red Lobster. The McDonalds video did go viral, but for all the wrong reasons…

Unfortunately the delivery fell flat and received a lot of criticism online with many finding the video forced and stiff. The internet took major issue with the tiny bite he took and the fact that he called the burger “the product.” The video has gone mega-viral with even late night comedians including it in their monologues.

Of course, competitors were quick to clapback with their own executives chowing down on their own food in a more “real” and “authentic” way. Hint: if you’re going to make a clapback, make sure it hits.

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Bread and butter used to be an automatic, quiet gesture — complimentary, expected, and largely forgotten. Then chefs began elevating the bread itself. Out went anonymous dinner rolls; in came house-milled heirloom grains, crackling levain, laminated brioche, airy shokupan, and regional vari…

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In a climate where menu prices are under a microscope, and guests are increasingly selective about where and how they spend, “value” has become hospitality’s most loaded word. But value and discount are not the same thing. As Warren Buffett famously said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” And in hospitality, what you get extends far beyond the line item on the check.

Value isn’t reserved for fast food or budget-driven concepts. It operates at every price point. A $95 porterhouse for two can feel like a steal in the right setting; a $25 slider-and-martini pairing can feel indulgent, playful, and perfectly justified; a mini-meal with the right design can feel curated rather than constrained. Value has never been about the lowest price; it’s about the strongest proposition.

Consumers aren’t just asking, “Does this cost less?”
They’re asking, “Is this worth it?”—and “worth it” is a design problem.

Value is about increasing the return — emotionally, experientially, or socially. It’s how something is packaged, presented, portioned, or positioned. It’s about creating a format that feels generous, clever, or exclusive, even when margins remain intact.

The restaurants and bars winning right now aren’t racing to the bottom. They’re redesigning the offer— turning one hero item into a weekly ritual; reframing portion size as curation; or making a presentation transform the ordinary into a must-order menu item..

Across the country, operators are proving that the most compelling expressions of value right now aren’t built on slashing prices — they’re built on smart packaging. Steak frites pop-ups. Reimagined prix-fixe nights. Tiny ‘tinis and unique “mini meals.” Happy hours designed as experiences rather than afterthoughts. The structure is the strategy.

We’ve collected a few of the most unique ways we’re seeing restaurants and bars reimagining value — across price points, dayparts, and creative executions.

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In food and beverage, consistency keeps you alive; but fresh ideas are what keep you relevant.

The strongest restaurants don’t just rely on being good; they create distinctive moments: A themed night, a playful pricing idea, a limited-time pairing. Small but intentional ideas give people a reason to come in.

This isn’t about chasing trends or reinventing your concept; it’s about programming your business in a way that gives your marketing something to amplify. Something specific, timely, and easy for people to share.

In today’s landscape, a steady rotation of ideas, activations, specials, and promotions shouldn’t be reactive. They should be part of the plan. Whether you have 4 locations or 400, innovation within your concept gives people a reason to visit now. Without strong, timely programming, you’re simply waiting for the moment when your restaurant happens to fit someone’s occasion.

Better to be the occasion.

Here are six restaurant marketing ideas we loved.

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We’re well into the new year, and the internet is already showing us what’s in store. Nostalgia isn’t going anywhere — even if we’re only looking back 10 years. There’s a new sensory-driven way to post food content (yes, scent is involved) and a growing interest in Chinese wellness routines.

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Nowhere is that shift more visible than in ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages.

RTDs remain one of the few bright spots in the alcoholic beverage landscape1. The category’s momentum didn’t come out of nowhere: the rise of hard seltzer—propelled by White Claw’s 2016 launch, and explosive growth in 2019—normalized low-calorie alcohol, casual daytime occasions, and cans as a legitimate cocktail format. It reset expectations around how alcohol could look, taste, and fit into everyday life.

From 2017 to 2022, hard seltzer grew at an incredible pace, rapidly scaling from novelty to default. And as quickly as it rose, the segment began to fragment—revealing the limits of sameness in flavor, format, and experience.

Today, the category has evolved well beyond bubbles. What we’re seeing now isn’t a pullback from RTDs, but an evolution of them. NIQ data shows the shift clearly: while hard seltzers have declined, spirits-based RTDs are up double digits.2 Consumers didn’t lose interest in convenience—they simply became more discerning. The brands winning today are the ones that understand how, when, and why people want to drink now.

What emerged in hard seltzer’s wake is a new set of expectations. We break down the current table stakes in the RTD space, the direction the category is heading, the new brands on the rise, and where the opportunity lies.

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The burger is forever beloved—and one of the categories operators watch most closely for the next big idea. From bun swaps, to smash techniques, to ever-more-inventive toppings, it’s familiar, flexible, and endlessly adaptable, which makes it a natural platform for experimentation.

Over the past year, we’ve been seeing a playful new evolution popping up that doesn’t reinvent the burger itself, but rather, what it’s sitting in. Across markets, formats, and price points, chefs are splitting burgers and sandwiches and serving them directly on sauce rather than topped with it. Cheese, broth, beurre blanc, peppercorn gravy—these sauces aren’t condiments anymore; they’re the star of the plate. As sauce culture continues to heat up—and diners show no signs of tiring of dips, drizzles, pools, and pours—this format turns the plate into one big dipping experience. It’s indulgent, a little absurd, and taps into the same impulse driving the resurgence of French dips and au jus–soaked sandwiches: the joy of dunking, and an abundance of sauce.

Then in January of this year, Applebee’s dropped its O-M-Cheese Burger: A classic beef patty topped with American cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, and spicy honey mustard, cut in half and served face down in a sizzling skillet of molten cheese.

What’s surprising isn’t that they put it on the menu (long known for their signature sizzling fajita platter, this taps into the same sensory appeal, while meeting the new sauce-obsessed moment), it’s that legacy casual-dining brands like Applebee’s don’t typically adopt emerging trends this quickly.

What started as chef-driven experimentation moved fast. Very fast. In a matter of months, this format has jumped from independent restaurants and cult sandwich spots to casual chains and theme parks—signaling not just a trend, but that innovation and adoption cycles are accelerating. What once took years to trickle down is now moving in months.

When a familiar category like burgers starts to evolve at the format level—and that evolution shows up simultaneously in indie kitchens and national chains—it’s a signal that the idea is both resonant and scalable. “Sandwiches on sauce” doesn’t ask diners to learn something new; it simply amplifies what they already love: dunking, indulgence, and a little bit of mess.

Check out some of our favorite examples from across the country.

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Last year belonged to cherry. This year, Cherry got a plus-one — and her name is Shirley Temple.

In 2025, cherry showed up everywhere at once: as a flavor, a color, a visual cue, and a cultural mood. From soda aisles to beauty launches to fashion feeds, it was everywhere. First, it landed as an aesthetic. Then, it scaled as a flavor.

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Social media in 2026 is no longer about simply showing up—it’s about showing intention. Algorithms are smarter, audiences are pickier, and attention is harder to earn (and easier to lose). Winning strategies now require deeper research, real social listening, tighter storytelling, and personalization that actually feels personal.

For brands in food, beverage, and hospitality, this shift is especially real. The scroll is crowded, but the appetite for good content is still there. The brands that stand out won’t be louder—they’ll be clearer, more intentional, and more entertaining.

Here’s what’s in and what’s officially out for social in 2026—specifically on Instagram.

The 5 Ins

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