Although there has been a rebound in catering services since the pandemic, pre pandemic levels have not quite returned. Bord Bia has reported that the “out of home” sector has increased in the past year by 5.2 per cent (totaling more than 9.8 billion) across both Ireland and Northern Ireland but this was mainly due to inflation and higher menu prices that were increased to cope with the cost pressures in the sector. Due to these increased costs, the larger restaurants and foodservice providers are faring better financially than the smaller establishments. Rising minimum wages have also increased labor costs substantially and some establishments are finding it harder to maintain profitability.
Bord Bia has also reported however, that consumers are still interested in special “experiences” and therefore, businesses following and investing in new trends give them an edge - which could lead to increased profitability.
The catering industry is constantly evolving be it; consumer preferences, a growth on sustainability, or tech driven solutions, the most successful catering businesses are always on the lookout for new trends and improvements that can be made in an ever-changing industry.
This article will be examining just that; FIVE CATERING TRENDS to stay competitive and profitable.
1. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Catering
2. Interactive & Experiential Catering
- CASE STUDY: Gordon Ramsay
3. The Rise of Technology in Catering
4. Health-Focused & Specialized Menus
5. Corporate & Micro-Event Catering
Using locally sourced food and supporting small businesses and farms, has become trendier than ever. It helps the environment by:
People are becoming more aware of the damage to the environment and are actively looking for businesses that do not participate in the damage. Things like reducing food waste, not using plastic bottles and using energy efficient equipment will also garner the business more custom.
Being transparent about the business’ environmentally friendly services is also important. Consumers want to know where their produce is coming from and it provides assurance that the food and services don’t have a huge carbon footprint. Sustainability is becoming not just an option for consumers but an expectation and requirement.
Younger generations are more willing to pay more for a sustainably friendly meal. In a study by Simon Kucher, younger diners are willing to pay an average premium of 20 per cent for sustainable meals. As the people become more educated about environmental impact, the search for sustainable options is likely to grow. Sustainability for restaurants is therefore, a growth opportunity.
More and more restaurants are adopting the following zero-waste catering principles:
Refuse – Avoid unnecessary items (e.g., single-use plastics, excess packaging).
Reduce – Cut down on consumption and waste generation.
Reuse – Find ways to repurpose items instead of discarding them.
Recycle – Properly sort and recycle materials that cannot be reused.
Rot (Compost) – Compost organic waste like food scraps to enrich soil.
Strategies for zero waste catering principles include menu design – wherein chefs focus on whole foods and fermentation - and menu innovation – wherein the chefs get experimental and resourceful with their leftover ingredients. Using all of the ingredients not only minimizes waste but also allows the restaurant to create different delicious meals that attract consumers for their versatility.
Eco-friendly packaging is an important part of the sustainability trend in catering. Many restaurants use plastic straws, plastic containers and plastic cutlery that end up in the landfill taking hundreds of years to decompose. Plastic bags in particular, are one of the largest causes of plastic waste. They are used in sandwiches and takeout by restaurants all over the world. Using kraft paper bags as a substitute (which are environmentally friendly; biodegradable and compostable) can be an effective alternative. These bags are also reusable – as opposed to the single-use plastic bags some restaurants use.
Sustainable cutlery can reduce the need for plastic cutlery and is a lot more sustainable. They are made from renewable materials which means that they are biodegradable and compostable.
Coffee mugs; at one time were used once and then thrown away, now many consumers are bringing their own reusable coffee mugs with them when buying coffee. Restaurants using compostable cups and lids is a good way to let their clientele know they are environmentally friendly.
The trend of sustainability and eco-friendly catering is not impossible to implement. Most of the renewable containers are also reusable and can last for a significant amount of time. They are generally both cost-effective and eco-friendly. It is also good for marketing for the business. Consumers are increasingly aware of the damage that plastic does on the environment and will therefore look to frequent places that are looking to combat this problem.
This year we will see a demand for live food stations, chef demonstrations and DIY experiences. Immersive experiences are gaining in popularity as they will transform the experience of catering. They allow guests to customize their meals and learn how to cook just like the professionals! From a make your own sub, to a more complex tagliatelle, “give us the experience!” people shout – and so caterers will oblige.
This means that food is prepared in front of guests. It is appealing in several ways:
There are many different types of food stations that can be suitable for different events: sushi rolling station, pancake station, taco station… You name it and the catering company can probably oblige!
Along the same lines, there is live cooking demonstrations where chefs can do something as simple as giving guests tips, to doing an elaborate demonstration. They also provide a sensory experience allowing guests to see, smell and taste the food that is prepared. Some live cooking experiences have been very successful with a large audience. For example: arguably the best known chef in the world Gordon Ramsey. His eccentric personality and skill in the kitchen have made his cooking renowned and a household name.
Audience engagement is crucial for any event so live cooking demonstrations can help make an occasion memorable. The audience can participate in the live cooking event by asking the chef questions or assisting the chef, and of course tasting the delicious food!
The benefits are ,of course, numerous:
The Role of Live Cooking Demonstrations in his Career
He uses these events to showcase his cooking skills, entertain audiences, and promote his brand, products, and restaurants.
1. The Purpose of Live Cooking Demonstrations
2. Key Features of Ramsay’s Live Demonstrations
Notable Live Cooking Events
Impact and Success
1. Audience Engagement
2. Business Growth
3. Digital Expansion
Conclusion
Gordon Ramsay is a celebrated chef all over the world. This is, in no small part, due to his live cooking demonstrations that promote his brand, cooking and restaurants. Although its unlikely that the majority of chefs or restaurants will reach the type of fame he has garnered for himself, conducting live demonstrations can garner you significant amounts of business for your catering enterprise and could boost it notably whilst also having fun!
Digitalization is revolutionizing the catering industry. More and more business is being conducted electronically – from card payment machines (Point of Sale systems) to payroll software, to shift scheduling software and the importance of a social media presence.
And then there’s food delivery. A service that has been around for many years (grown spectacularly in the COVID era) sized at 2647 billion in 2023 and is expected to swell to 5400 billion by 2030.
Then there’s Artificial Intelligence; shown in the use of chatbots (taking customers queries), smart refrigerators (can track inventory) and apps on smartphones (enable customers to order food and give feedback).
Technology is even used to take table orders - with waiting staff using tablets or phones to input the order in restaurants. This saves time, as the employees do not have to keep travelling back to the kitchen with customers orders and reduces human error (from handwriting and such).
Walkie talkies can also be beneficial during catered events such as a wedding or conference. Workers can communicate with the others in a quick, effective way, saving time. Fluid communication is needed in these instances and such communication tech devices assures that it is.
Automatic and robotics in catering equipment mean that the need for a high level of staff is lessened, lessening labour costs. Self-service kiosks have become a staple now in some restaurants, allowing customers to order their meals on an interactive touchscreen display without needing staff to take their orders.
Robotic chefs are the newest kitchen technology in restaurants that there may be an increase of in coming years. Although in its infancy of what it could achieve in the future, they can chop vegetables, wash dishes and mix ingredients. A lot of businesses who have these robotics use them more in conjunction with humans – perhaps doing some of the more mundane tasks and freeing human employees to do other more complex tasks and lessening training and labour costs.
Smart ordering systems and virtual catering experiences, including gourmet meal kits for remote events, are expanding how and where people enjoy catered food. Additionally, data-driven insights allow caterers to predict trends and tailor offerings to individual preferences. As technology continues to evolve, catering services will become more seamless, interactive, and customer-focused than ever before.
Healthy eating has been top of the food industry trends for over 10 years.
According to a recent survey of 1,517 consumers conducted by Datassential, 87% of consumers consider their health and well-being when making a food purchase.
Health and wellness means different things now than they once did. Gone are the days where a “salad” and “diet coke” were seen as “healthy eating”. Nowadays, healthy eating includes knowing a lot of the ingredients that are in the food offered, and although plant based meals still have a large seat at the table, words like “organic” “locally sourced” and “animal welfare” are also cropping up more and more.
Restaurants these days do not specify a “healthy food” but rather highlight the ingredients. And almost all restaurants stipulate dietary restrictions. Restaurants often have vegetarian, gluten free and even vegan options and this is becoming more and more popular as it appeals to a wider demographic.
If a restaurant doesn’t cater for these dietary restrictions they are doing themselves (and their profits) a disservice, as we see the wish of the consumer to have more food options like this is booming (44 per cent of consumers say that they would eat fastfood more if there was healthy options on the menu).
Since healthier eating can prevent or reverse some illnesses (Heart trouble, obesity, diabetes etc.) it is important not just to be “trendy” but to actively make a difference in improving people’s health. Some consumers can therefore think of food as medicinal and extending their life.
Healthy eating may not be about weight control either. “Low calorie” sometimes is not as popular as “organic food” or nourishing food for nutrition and mental health.
More than 80% of consumers in China, the UK and the USA consider gut health to be important, while over 50% anticipate making it a higher priority in the next 2-3 years.
In order to keep up with the trends, offering more plant based dishes to your restaurants menu as well as stipulating the ingredients in each dish, would mean a lot in attracting consumers. Making it optional for a meat or fish product that can be added to the dish could also be a way of catering to the broader dynamic. Serving whole foods rather than processed and sourcing it locally can also win you points with the younger demographic who are also looking for sustainability in restaurants. Don’t forget to experiment with different dishes and especially to make flavours big and bold – going out to eat has become such a special occasion for many, and they want their food to be nutritious but also delicious!
In 2025, Functional foods (Ie foods that make you healthy beyond just nutrition) will be increasingly featured on menus. Superfoods such as chia seeds and turmeric will be included on menus and restaurants will be offering food that is good for gut health, cognitive thinking and other foods that promote well-being.
The amount of meat alternatives will soar in 2025. By 2025, lab-grown meats—cultured in a lab to mimic the texture and flavor of real meat—will likely become a mainstream option on high-end restaurant menus.
There will be a demand for healthier desserts and so there will be a big increase in the use of artificial sweeteners.
The typical menu of restaurants where they are serving fatty food with no ingredient information will eventually become obsolete.
Catering events are becoming more popular with more businesses investing in them.
In contrast to the largescale corporate events that have dominated the past few years of the catering industry, there will be a growth of smaller, boutique events or “micro-events”. This will forge more connections and deeper relationships amongst the attendees. These events generally have fewer than 50 attendees.
These “micro-events” will be tailored to the attendee and personalized in a way not really possible for other larger events. It will be aiming to foster friendships and connections with others who have the same interests, hobbies or goals.
Micro catering is beneficial for many reasons such as:
Companies are now looking for catering options that can seamlessly adapt to hybrid work environments, such as gourmet boxed meals for virtual meetings as well as in-person meetings.
Corporate and micro-event catering is evolving to meet the growing demand for high-quality, personalized, and flexible dining solutions. As businesses embrace hybrid work models and smaller, more intimate gatherings become the norm, caterers are adapting by offering personalized catering menus, individually packaged meals, and on-demand services. Corporate clients seek efficient catering for board meetings, team lunches, and networking events, often incorporating healthy, dietary-inclusive options. Meanwhile, micro-events—such as private celebrations, boutique weddings, and executive retreats—focus on elevated, chef-driven experiences with artisanal presentation and locally sourced ingredients.
The catering industry is constantly evolving. It is therefore important that catering businesses follow the latest trends in the industry for 2025 including: sustainability, interactive and experiential catering, healthy eating and menu optimization, technology and corporate and micro event catering. Applying each one of these will guarantee growth in your catering business but also has other benefits (example; healthy ingredients can help with the overall health of consumers, sustainable practices can help with the business’s carbon footprint etc.) Sustainability will remain a top priority with locally sourced ingredients shaping menus and zero-waste initiatives becoming commonplace. Consumers will also demand greater personalization, from customized dietary options to curated culinary experiences. By embracing these trends, caterers can deliver more memorable, seamless, and socially responsible dining experiences in the years ahead.
Ciaran Kilbride is the CEO and Founder of Caterboss, Ireland's leading supplier of catering equipment. With years of experience in the food and hospitality industry, Ciaran established Caterboss in 2017 to provide high-quality, reliable equipment tailored to the needs of professional caterers. His commitment to innovation and customer service has helped Caterboss grow into a trusted name, known for anticipating industry trends and consistently meeting the needs of its clients.
