What the workplace dining experience will look like in 2025, according to Eurest

Eurest, the business dining arm of Compass Group North America, serves nearly one million meals to more than 1,600 facilities across the country. So, it's no exaggeration to say Eurest has its fork on the pulse of B&I foodservice and where it's going. B&I was arguably one of the most affected segments of onsite foodservice destroyed by the pandemic. While other segments, like K-12, are getting back on track, the work-from-home phenomenon means B&I has been on shaky ground for going on 5 years now. That means this side of the industry has had to be more clever and nimble than ever. Eurest uses real-time data from those millions of meals served to serve B&I in the most effective, meaningful — and profitable — way possible.

Eurest's Elev8 Hospitality group, alongside Compass Group's E15 insights, is constantly tracking and analyzing sales trends, guest preferences, catering and industry innovations.

“We leverage data to craft our menus and stay in touch with consumer preferences — everything from global demands to what people are ordering [from] the most popular restaurants in America,” said Chris Ivens-Brown, Chief Culinary Officer for Eurest and Compass Group North America. “Understanding the full scope of guest preferences, coupled with our R&D efforts, we are able to deliver exceptional culinary experiences that rival anything our guests can get outside of our marketplaces.”

Here are the four experiential B&I dining trends Eurest is betting on:

No one is getting bored with boards

Boards can get portable, but they're always shareable.

Many American diners, following popular dietary and fitness advice, are in love with protein. It's a priority, and charcuterie boards happen to fit that space perfectly. Eurest is seeing a "surge of interest for deli classics, like meat, cheese and nuts, but through an elevated experience," according to a report. Eurest kicked off the new year with a new deli offering called Boxed that allows guests to customize their own on-the-go charcuterie board.

Grab-and-Globe

The bolder, the better, Eurest guests have communicated.

Flavor fusions of sweet, spicy, tangy, creamy and rich flavors are what workforce diners are craving, according to Eurest's research. Last year, an expansive global menu lineup was released, and the company is looking to build on that through this year, with more development in the popular Street Eats menu that takes viral bites like quesabirria and bao buns that serve both outrageous flavor seekers and those looking for quick grab-and-go options.

It's Brunch O'Clock somewhere

A working lunch could become a working brunch, theoretically.

No one knows what the workday of the future will look like, but as work evolves and norms continue to shift, workers will likely be looking for connection, if they're in the office anyway. Eurest is anticipating a demand for more creative culinary experiences that foster connection and socialization among guests, and brunch is a time-honored friendly get-together zone.

Cozy Classics

Sloppy Joe is a great co-worker.

And finally, Eurest predicts the resurgence of comfort classics from the family dinner table, embracing the age-old connection between home, cooking and community. A micro-trend within the comfort trend is making these classics lighter and better-for-you without losing the cozy vibes.