Restaurant owners: What's in store for 2025?

This year has seen a lot of changes in the restaurant industry. Trends we’ve kept an eye on for our readers include record sales and employment growth, the implementation of AI in restaurants to drive personalization, sustainability in packaging, the popularity of plant-based menus and even how the November election results affected business.

We asked industry experts about the trends they expect to see in 2025, as well as the ones they hope disappear. Here's what they had to say. 

The answers below have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Kristen Hawley, founder of Expedite, a newsletter covering restaurant technology and the future of hospitality.

What I predict for 2025:

Spontaneity in dining. I’ve been crossing my fingers for this for years, and I think the time is right. I don’t know that we’ll opt out of reservations completely, but I do expect a swing toward the casual neighborhood walk-in. 

Americans have complained about “tip creep” for years as digital ordering and payment methods get more popular. There have been calls to eliminate the practice completely. A major tax code change could further entrench tipping as a viable compensation model for service workers. 

A trend I hope continues in 2025:

Voice AI. One of the most surprising interviews I conducted this year was with a manager at a very popular independent restaurant in San Francisco. They started using voice AI to answer their phones — previously they sent calls to voicemail with a long recording addressing a few FAQs — and noticed an unintended result: People were happier when they arrived at the restaurant because they were armed with the information they needed. 

One trend I hope ends in 2025:

Superfluous AI. Touting “AI-driven functionality” is near meaningless; tell us what your product or service does! Please!

Lauren Fernandez (CEO and founder), Lauren Barash (Chief Marketing Officer) and Lissa Bowen (Chief People and Culture Officer) of Full Course, a restaurant incubator and investment firm.

What I predict for 2025:

Barash: Convenience and experience will redefine value. Brands need to clearly articulate what type of experience they offer and they need to uncover how to be in more places at once. Drive-thrus and delivery will remain popular, but it will also be worth considering subscription services, kiosk ordering and hub-and-spoke real estate models.

Bowen: Continued focus on employee-centric strategies to combat labor challenges and improve performance. Restaurants will adopt flexible scheduling, offer meaningful growth pathways and invest in mental health resources to enhance employee well-being and loyalty. 

A trend I hope continues in 2025:

Bowen: Creating a healthy work culture remains critical in 2025, as restaurants recognized that investing in their teams leads to higher job satisfaction and better customer experiences.
One trend I hope ends in 2025:

Fernandez: Brands standing up franchise offerings but struggling to execute. Whether it is selling franchises, training franchisees or managing brand reputational issues, it seems there are performance gaps throughout the franchising journey that is making it difficult for great brands to scale.

Bob Bennett, head chef at Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Mich. and Independent Restaurant Coalition member

What I predict for 2025:

Regenerative produce over organic. With California leading the way on this shift, I think the regenerative model of running a farm is here to stay.

Wages will be pushed higher for restaurant workers, which is great on numerous levels, but as this will also push already tight margins, the old-school model of tipping will be questioned by a lot of folks.

 More vegetables. Veggies will continue to take over the center of the plate.

 A trend I hope continues in 2025:

Support for restaurant workers. Through companies like Giving Kitchen and Southern Smoke, alongside independent restaurant support from the IRC, support for the hospitality industry is in a very strong place as we move into 2025 and make it a more sustainable industry for long-term businesses and careers.

One trend I hope ends in 2025:

There are so many meat substitutes out there, from tempeh to the Impossible Burger, but I would love to see our reliance on these decline. I'd like to see a push towards eating more vegetables themselves, that already give us all the protein and sustenance that meat provides, but which are grown locally with care and in the right way.

Bryan Solar, Chief Product Officer at SpotOn, a point-of-sale and payment technology company.

What I predict for 2025: 

Data as the backbone of restaurant success. Let’s face it, data is no longer just a buzzword, it’s the core of how restaurants operate efficiently. It's about making data work for you, instead of drowning in numbers.

Navigating shifting consumer behaviors. Consumer habits are changing, and there’s no denying it. Alcohol consumption is on the decline, and that's a big deal for restaurant profitability. Operators will need to get creative, whether it’s refining their menu, adjusting inventory or using tech like pre-ordering tools to boost check averages. 

AI is here, but let's not get carried away; It’s not about robots taking over the dining room. Instead, AI is going to be the behind-the-scenes assistant that helps restaurants do more with less. 

A trend I hope continues in 2025:

Collaborative ordering. I’m talking about the blend of servers and QR code option, giving guests the flexibility to order how they want. 

One trend I hope ends in 2025:

Aggressive tip-flation. Those 25-30-35% tip prompts might boost revenue in the moment, but they can also alienate guests and hurt the business in the long run.

Jose Maria Done, beverage manager and head mixologist at The Bedford Stone Street in New York City.

What I predict for 2025:

Aperitif cocktails will be something more common in bars as people are drinking less strong cocktails.

A trend I hope continues in 2025:

The popularity of espresso martinis in any style and Carajillo cocktail with Licor 43.  

One trend I hope ends in 2025:

The "entertainment" component of bartending. I hope that bartenders can stick with the basics. 

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