NRA 2024 Culinary Forecast

Social media is making foodies of us all. The top “Macro Trend” in the 2024 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast— according to more than 1,500 culinary professionals—is incorporating social media trends into restaurant menus and marketing. Making use of platforms like TikTok is top of mind for operators and very much a two-way street when it comes to influence. Viewers help restaurant fare go viral and restaurants riff on online food fads, parlaying them into innovative menu additions or LTOs.  

In the food categories—dishes, ingredients, flavors, and condiments—comfort and community dominate. Soups and stews, stuffed vegetables, and melty cheeses are classic comfort foods and are a safe way for consumers to sample unique ingredients and flavors from other regions, both domestic and international. Social sharing quickly heightens awareness of regional food discoveries.  

When it comes to beverages, energy and health are the keynotes. In the non-alcohol category, beverages that boost energy are in demand, but consumers are increasingly looking for ingredients that boost health, too. The botanicals infusing the cocktail market also carry a health-forward vibe, with easy-to-recognize herbs, berries, flowers, and leaves enhancing the flavor and presentation. Low-alcohol beverages, both the commercial brands restaurants sell and the cocktails they create, have a health hook that’s trending well with adults today. Check out the What’s Hot top picks and look at the emerging trends in each category. These trends have been put together by the National Restaurant Association. 

Top 10 Trends Overall 

1. World Stage Soups & Stews (Birria, Chicken Tom Kha, Laksa, Salmorejo, Upscale Ramen)  

2. Global Chicken Wings  

3. International BBQ  

4. Incorporating Social Media Trends (TikTok)  

5. Grilled/Cooked Cheeses (Provoleta, Queso Fundido, Raclette, Halloumi, Juustoleipa)  

6. Wagyu Beef  

7. Stuffed Vegetables (Chiles en Nogada, Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)  

8. Regional Menus  

9. Streamlined Menus  

10. Hot Honey Breakfast Sandwiches

Comfort Food Dishes 

• World Stage Soups & Stews (Birria, Chicken Tom Kha, Laksa, Salmorejo, Upscale Ramen)  

• Global Chicken Wings  

• International BBQ  

• Grilled/Cooked Cheeses (Provoleta, Queso Fundido, Raclette, Halloumi, Juustoleipa)  

• Stuffed Vegetables (Chiles en Nogada, Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) 

Top Ingredients 

• Wagyu Beef  

• Root Vegetables  

• Birria 

Emerging Ingredients  

• Calamansi (Philippine lime)  

• Cannabis-Infused Dishes  

• Cucamelon (citrusy cucumber) 

Top Flavors 

• Nashville Hot  

• Everything Bagel Spice  

• Agave Syrup  

• Turmeric Ginger  

• Hibiscus 

Top Condiments 

• Chili Crisp  

• Tajin  

• Chipotle Ketchup 

Emerging Condiments  

• Tkemali (a tangy, sour Georgian plum sauce)  

• Pandan (powdered Asian leaf with hints of rose, almond and vanilla)  

• Golden Berry (with hints of pineapple, mango; resembles a tomatillo) 

Top Beverages 

• Nitro Cold Brew  

• Energy Drinks  

• Functional Waters

Emerging Beverages  

• Zero-Proof Spirits  

• CBD Drinks  

• Tepache (brewed with pineapple peels) 

Top Alcohol Beverages 

• Botanical Cocktails  

• Hard Coffees  

• Low-Alcohol Cocktails 

Emerging Alcohol Beverages 

• Sotol Cocktails  

• Pickle Cocktails  

• Low-Sulfite, Low-Alcohol Wine 

Hot Macro Trends  

•Incorporating Social Media Trends  

•Regional Menus  

•Streamlined Menus  

•Restaurants as Entertainment  

•Inventory Optimization 

Emerging Macro Trends 

•Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration  

•Augmented Reality  

•Monthly Restaurant Subscriptions

*This 2024 culinary trends recap in this blog were the results of a survey that was conducted by the National Restaurant Association through the month of October. Find their full What’s Hot in 2024 document here.