Trends & Predictions for 2022

The last two years brought radical change to the foodservice and food retail markets. Simply put: The pandemic fundamentally changed what, how and where consumers eat. New tech tools that put the consumer in the driver's seat have opened up new revenue streams, but also brought with them some operational hiccups. Office and school closures altered once dependable spending habits. And more recently, pricing and supply chain challenges have forced businesses to rethink how they keep customers happy without sacrificing profitability.

All of these factors are poised to continue shaping the noncommercial foodservice, restaurant and grocery markets for the year ahead.

To outline the challenges — and opportunities — that lie ahead, the editors at Food Management, Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality and Supermarket News have compiled a list of 73 trends to expect in 2022. They drew upon data, input from industry watchers and their own deep industry knowledge to identify the biggest shifts to expect in operations, tech, labor, menus, marketing and more. Read on and learn what to watch for in the months ahead.