The future of food

We do like to eat, but what we eat has changed so much over the years. Consumers nowadays are a lot more calorie-conscious and careful about what they eat.
One thing remains constant when we Americans eat out, however: we want what we want, how we want it.
The latest study by R&I Magazine, the USA's leading source of food and business-trend information and exclusive research on operators and restaurant patrons, shows that less is more in most chain eateries.
'The big theme shaping chain menus in 2009 is the drive to help diners tighten their belts, both literally and figuratively,' says its senior editor, Allison Perlik.
The study also attempts to predict food trends and what we'll all be eating next. Take a look at some of these, and then try not to go an make yourself one...

THE NEXT BIG THING
Chipotles, sliders, mojitos—every few years, an ingredient or recipe makes such a big splash with chain consumers that it becomes a virtual menu must-have. So what’s up next? R&I culled a list of the latest contenders:

Meatballs.
Already huge among independent-restaurant chefs, meatballs make an ideal menu addition for chains for the same reasons they work for single-unit operations: They’re affordable; they’re simple; they’re comfort food. Already on board: A spring promotion at Littleton, Colo.-based Champps Americana featured a Chicken Meatball Sandwich on a toasted hoagie roll with marinara sauce and provolone cheese; Concord, Calif.-based Round Table Pizza got into the act with the Meatball Marvel pizza and sandwich; and Dallas-based T.G.I. Friday’s added a Meatball Sandwich on ciabatta.

Hot Browns.
Sandwiches are about as close to recession-proof as menus get, and Philly cheesesteaks, Reubens and Cubanos have all had a turn as “the” hot build. Next up: the Hot Brown, an open-faced turkey sandwich blanketed in Mornay sauce (béchamel with cheese). Already on board: Atlanta-based J. Christopher’s Kentucky Hot Brown layers turkey over toasted French bread with creamy cheese-and-bacon sauce. Meanwhile, Calabasas Hills, Calif.-based The Cheesecake Factory added the Hot Turkey Supreme, an open-faced turkey sandwich over grilled brioche and fresh spinach with white-Cheddar sauce. Hybrids. Chain diners are notorious for craving new flavors that don’t stray too far from recipes they know and love, so dishes that combine two or more well-established favorites seem a sure bet. Already on board: Carlsbad, Calif.-based Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill’s All-American Taco delivers a char-grilled burger, American cheese, salsa, garlic-chipotle mayonnaise and lettuce inside a warm flour tortilla. San Diego-based Jack in the Box’s Taco Nachos uses chunks of the chain’s signature tacos as a base for Cheddar-cheese sauce, melted pepper-Jack cheese, jalapeños and salsa.

Hot dogs.
This American classic isn’t yet in high supply beyond dedicated concepts such as Carlsbad, Calif.-based Hot Dog on a Stick, but hot dogs’ nostalgic, economical appeal means the ballpark favorite increasingly is cropping up on all kinds of menus. Already on board: Lakewood, Wash.-based The Ram Restaurant & Brewery recently featured beer-battered Crab & Shrimp Corn Dogs. Columbus, Ohio-based Rise & Dine Restaurants offers the Back to Basics Value Menu, built around regionally influenced dogs from Chicago, New York and Texas, as well as jalapeño-cheese and Reuben dogs.

Bowls.
These all-in-one meals are back, and for good reason. They’re fast, versatile and operationally simple. Already on board: Cypress, Calif.-based Chevys Fresh Mex’s $7.99 Lunch Bowl offers ramped-up flavors such as grilled salmon with Mexican rice, tomatillo sauce and roasted-corn salsa, or chicken with house-made mole, rice and mesquite-grilled vegetables. At Jack in the Box, the Hearty Breakfast Bowl with scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage and Cheddar cheese was among the year’s most successful debuts.

Fried potatoes.
Potatoes are a cost-effective kitchen staple, and fried foods are always a home run, so it makes sense that operators are serving up multiple renditions of the crisp, golden treat. Already on board: Glendale, Calif.-based IHOP’s Loaded Country Hash Browns featured toppings such as sausage, Cheddar cheese, grilled onions and country gravy, while Atlanta-based Hooters debuted Bleu Chips (fresh-cooked potato chips covered in blue cheese, bacon, diced tomatoes and green onions) and Lots-a-Tots (fried potato tots with cheese sauce, bacon, green onions and sour cream).

Mmmmmmm. Hungry.
Read the full article here (over a sandwich if you just can't wait).

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