Yelp Predicts Upcoming Food & Drink Trends in 2024
Buckle up ladies and gents, it is that time of the year again: Yelp has released its annual trend predictions for 2024, and for food lovers who thrive on having their finger on the pulse of the next latest thing, this is our Christmas.
Yelp leaned into its team of data scientists, community managers and trend expert, Tara Lewis, to give a yearly round up of all things up and coming in the food space. The platform pored through millions of searches for keywords, phrases and businesses that saw exponential interest between 2022 and 2023 in order to come up with a definitive list of prospective food trends for 2024.
When asked about the accuracy of 2023’s food trend predictions, Lewis said, “Last year, we predicted that pickles would be the main course for 2023 when searches for pickle-flavored foods went up 55%. This year, we saw pickle-themed food and cocktails pop up on menus across the country – take pickle martinis, pickle flavored hard seltzers, and Heinz’s recently released pickled ketchup as examples – it’s everywhere! 2023 was definitely the year of the pickle, so I’m excited to see which of this year’s trends have the same impact.” Needless to say, when it comes to getting ahead of the craze curve, you’ll definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for Yelp’s new year predictions.
Below are some of the up and coming food trends Yelp’s advising us to watch out for in 2024.
MARTINI MULTIVERSE:
With the resurgence of espresso martinis taking over everyone’s Pinterest board (and bar tabs) earlier this year, Yelp predicts that the martini isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Instead, the classic cocktail will see a reinvention through other unique flavors including matcha, truffle and even tomato. The martini renaissance is far from over, and while it had itself a moment in 2023, Yelp’s trend experts are sure this won’t be the last.
GIRL DINNER:
The viral “girl dinner” trend has now become a pop culture phenomenon (an inside joke, if you will) for women everywhere who opt to enjoy dinner at home in the form of snackable, side dish items rather than a full blown meal. Yelp predicts that next year, the girls are heading to dinner together for more bite-sized munches at restaurants, with a preference for those with mezze-serving style. Lewis anticipates that the redefining of consumer behavior towards dining out will lean more towards comfort and what brings joy to each individual person. “People are definitely being more judicious about how and when to dine out, finding enjoyment in both cooking at home and going out to eat,” she explains. With the platform seeing a 140% increase in searches for “noshing” across the country and with some restaurants even offering girl dinner menu specials, it’s clear that this trend isn’t going anywhere next year, and may even evolve as consumers do.
COFFEE COCKTAILS:
Heads up, espresso martini, there’s a new coffee cocktail in town that’s peaking everyone’s interest. Introducing the carajillo, a spiked two-ingredient drink that combines espresso with Spanish liqueur, which has seen a 118% increase in searches this year. For coffee lovers everywhere, this new caffeinated alcoholic beverage will be your next happy hour favorite.
LITTLE LUXURY, CAVIAR BUMPS:
What was once a delicacy reserved for royals and society’s elite, caviar bumps have become the latest food trend for customers who want to indulge in a little luxury over dinner. Searches for caviar have gone up 31% this year and Yelp anticipates that in 2024, more consumers will dabble in the regale of salt-cured roe.
BONUS TREND – EARTHY TONES:
Tara Lewis predicts that more natural ingredients will start to pop up on consumer searches next year. When asked about non-mainstream food that she thinks deserves more recognition, she responds, “I think that entomophagy (the practice of eating insects) is emerging more than people are discussing. Insects are being incorporated into classic dishes like tacos, ramen, and desserts, as more cultures explore how they can be a food source – definitely something to keep an eye on.” She also reveals that the expansion of mushrooms in both culinary and beverage industries is something to take note of as well.
While you’ve probably heard of (or even succumbed to) these food movements in 2023, these predictions are not the end all, be all of trends in the upcoming year. In familiarizing themselves with trends that implement unique ingredients within lesser-known dishes, consumers are able to broaden the opportunity for culinary innovators to experiment further. Lewis goes on to say, “Trends present opportunities for chefs or restaurateurs to incorporate ingredients or dishes onto their menu that are already of high consumer interest, thus driving additional business.”
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the predictions on Yelp’s 2024 Food and Drink Trends here.
