Predicting the next big thing in restaurants may seem like a fool’s errand. After all, consumer preferences and market forces have a tendency to make hairpin turns, particularly in the volatile and crowded foodservice industry. Today’s buzzy brands can become tomorrow’s cautionary tales in less time than it takes to get through a Chick-fil-A drive thru.
Still, there’s value in evaluating and recognizing the rising chains that have captured the appetite of consumers. They offer signposts of sorts for where the industry stands at any given time, a glimpse at where restaurants may be going in the future — and how far they’ve come.
That’s why, each year, NRN’s editors take the time to comb through hundreds of submissions and select a group of concepts that are capitalizing on existing trends and shifting into growth mode. This year’s Hot Concepts — powered by our partners at The Coca-Cola Company — are perhaps the most diverse we’ve ever featured, not only in flavors (from Nashville hot chicken to Asian soul food to authentic Mexican) but also in service style (from eatertainment to hybrid casual to traditional fast casual).
Is it a guarantee that each will accomplish national success? Certainly not. But we’re confident these six chains will leave an impact one way or another on the restaurant industry’s endless march toward satisfying the hunger of the American customer.
Read on to meet this year’s six Hot Concept winners.
