2019 trend: ‘The virtual restaurant’

Slimmed-down menus, a trend towards vegan offerings and “virtual restaurants” run by deliveryonly operators such as Deliveroo are among the trends tipped for the food scene in the coming year.

A report showed British consumer spending on food delivery could grow by 10 per cent in 2019 to reach £5 billion, with food made in “dark kitchens” on industrial estates likely to take off.

Delivery aggregators will thrive as consumers cocoon themselves indoors

Driven by technology, the rise in in-home entertainment subscription services like Netflix and Amazon Prime and a desire to save money, consumers are likely to ‘cocoon’ more and eat more meals at home.

Transparency and trust will make their way onto the menu

Consumers want to know more about the contents and source of the food they consume and the impact on their health and the environment.

Veganism and vegetarianism will grow

There is wide debate about consumption of meat and dairy products, and whether a different approach to what we eat can help protect the world’s climate and environment.

Virtual restaurants will take off

The delivery boom is driving another trend: virtual restaurants. Usually run from ‘dark kitchens’ owned by the aggregators such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, a virtual restaurant brand is a delivery-only brand.

Menus will become slimmer and easier to digest

In the face of today’s fierce competition, operators try to innovate but this often results in crowded menus, with some operators trying to be everything to everybody. But consumers do not want to waste time searching for food and drinks