Bidfood reveals 5 Key Food and Drink Trends for 2026

1. Flavours Less Travelled

Consumers’ taste for adventure shows no sign of slowing down. On the contrary, menus are set to extend beyond the familiar to the vibrant, home-style flavours of South America and Southeast and East Asia.

Expect to see Venezuelan arepas, Colombian patacones, and Peruvian ceviche appear alongside the bold, spicy comfort of Malaysian laksa and Korean fried chicken.

These cuisines satisfy on multiple levels, given:

• Over half (54%) of consumers frequently explore new and unique cuisines and dishes when out, (rising to 63% for students and 76% for foodies).

• Perceptions that South American (40%) and Malaysian (43%) are among the most comforting and adventurous cuisines.

Accordingly, these less travelled flavours provide a sense of discovery without intimidating diners, while also offering an exciting platform for new dish development.

2. Topped and Loaded

If generosity was a menu item, it would be this trend, as consumers continue to crave indulgent-looking, tasty, sharable comfort food.

Loaded fries, stacked burgers, dumplings, and even waffles and porridge are all getting the topped and loaded treatment, with their visual appeal and portion abundance contributing to both satisfaction and shareability.

This trend closely aligns with the continued importance of social media as a discovery channel, as 41% of consumers continue to visit venues based on trending foods they’ve seen online.

For all these reasons, bold toppings and customisable ingredients are becoming essential stock list heroes.

3. Whole Lotta Goodness

Health remains a central consumer mindset. But 2026 will redefine what healthy means.
Diners are lapping up nutrient-dense wholefood dishes rich in fibre, texture, and flavour, such as avocado, oily fish, berries, nuts and seeds, rather than chasing restriction.

As a result, menus blending function with indulgence will resonate most with over two thirds of consumers who aim to eat healthily all or most of the time.

This trend bridges the gap when offering “better for you” dishes that still feel like a treat rather than a chore.

4. Tea Tonic

The no / low alcohol movement continues to gather traction, with tea leading the charge.

Notably, it also aligns a wider behavioural shift known as zebra striping – alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to strike a balance and retain control.

Consumers are drawn to everything from bubble teas and matcha blends to sparkling tea tonics and functional infusions drinks for the following reasons:

• Health benefits (41%)
• Refreshing qualities (38%)
• The feeling of indulgence without excess (34%)

Ultimately, tea-based drinks deliver refreshment, as well as theatre, innovation, and margin, giving both suppliers and venues new ways to innovate while engaging mindful drinkers.

5. Sweet Adventures

Desserts are going global and experimental, as consumers’ love of fun food translates into cross cultural, highly visual sweets designed for social media.

Expect Dubai chocolate, Korean croffles, Japanese cloud cakes, bingsu, and Brazil’s beloved brigadeiros to dominate 2026 menus.

These on-point puddings combine flavour, comfort, and tradition, cooking up a perfect storm for emotional connection, indulgence, and experience-led dining occasions.

The Four Macro Drivers Behind Every Bite

There are four key pillars underpinning these trends and characterising consumer choice:

Quality – Quality-led consumers are on an upward trajectory, as high-quality ingredients (46%) and the quality of service (53%) emerge as key factors when they’re choosing where to eat out.

Experience – Consumers are drawn to venues offering a more immersive experience, (over-indexing among foodies and 18–34-year-olds).

Brand – On Premise visitors largely identify as brand-led, favouring trusted and innovative names.

Value – Less motivated by price, and more influenced by quality, provenance, and nutrition.