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From nostalgia-fueled bites to adventurous snacks, several influencers discuss what their followers are looking for in food experiences
Editor’s note: Nation’s Restaurant News is excited to partner with Belle Communication to launch The Influencer Insider, a new content series highlighting social media influencers and how their perspectives — and audiences — can be leveraged for restaurant success. Click here for more information.
Restaurant operators have always tried to maintain a balancing act between staying one step ahead of consumer trends and reacting to what customers want in real time. But with the rise of social media marketing, the trend cycles have picked up speed and it’s become more challenging than ever to remain fresh and relevant in the eyes of the consumer.
Social media influencers have a unique perspective and finger on the pulse of what people are talking about, eating, and noticing on menus. PR agency Belle Communication has built Brilli, an influencer insights tool that surveys influencers on trends that they and their followers are seeing or want to see from restaurants and food operators.
“Balance that sense of urgency that we have to go to market as quickly as possible with making sure you have the right information,” Kate Finley, founder and CEO of Belle Communication, said. “Are we asking the right people? Have we tested this? You have to walk that line because if you wait, then you're not relevant. But if you come out with something that is tone deaf or not actually speaking to your audience, then that won’t work either.”
From this first batch of surveys, several trends have emerged that detail what influencers and their followers are seeing or want to see for food trends this year and beyond. Collectively, the three influencers surveyed have more than eight million followers across social channels, representing mostly GenZ and millennials.
Comfort food nostalgia
While nostalgia is nothing new and has fueled millennial and Gen Z-focused marketing campaigns both inside and outside the restaurant industry for several years, influencers believe that this will continue, noting the popularity of brands that bring back old menu favorites, like the McDonald’s snack wrap.
Although bringing back defunct menu items and pop culture tie-ins (SpongeBob Movie mania, anyone?) have dominated discussion about nostalgia-driven trends, several influencers have linked nostalgia to comfort food with a twist.
“My followers love seeing classic dishes and drinks reimagined with a modern twist,” Danny Kim (aka @DannyGrubs) said. “I think there’s a strong appetite for creative takes on comforting staples like elevated mac and cheese, gourmet versions of childhood snacks, and reinvented traditional desserts like bread pudding or s’mores. On the drinks side, retro favorites like milkshakes or classic soda fountain drinks could be updated with artisanal ingredients or unexpected flavors. The key is balancing the nostalgic familiarity of these dishes with fresh, innovative elements that spark curiosity and excitement.”
Snacks and small bites
Connected to the nostalgia-driven trend, influencers are also hot on snacks, small bites, and flights. This mirrors overall industry trends, where the snack meal occasion has grown in popularity over recent years.
Influencers Nate Llorin (@NateLo98) and Trinh Carreon (@Trinhdoesthings) mentioned wanting to see more chicken wing flights on menus, or other creative food flights like macaroni and cheese or breakfast toast. Carreon also mentioned that “nostalgic snack hacks” are catching on with her followers.
“The key is to offer something that feels adventurous yet approachable — experiences that spark curiosity and encourage sharing on social media,” Kim said about flights and tasting experiences that would resonate with his followers.
Globally inspired flavors
While research from Technomic showed that global fermented foods like kimchi would be hot for 2025, the influencers surveyed did not pick up on these as a trendy ingredient with their audiences. However, global flavors — particularly street foods and fusions — are big across the board.
Kim said that his followers would love to see flights of globally inspired street foods, or “mini desserts showcasing different cultures.” Llorin also predicts that chains will pick up on the persisting trend of Asian flavors.
“I believe Asian-inspired foods and flavors have been popular amongst food lovers, but very minimal fast-food restaurants have been trying it out,” Llorin said. “Once these major fast-food chains begin pushing these unique Asian flavors, people will catch on to the hype and start becoming attracted to the sweet and sour/spicy flavors.”
Popup dining experiences
While kimchi and Yemeni coffee (another predicted flavor buzzword for 2025) were passed over for hottest trends for the year, across the board, popup dining experiences are trending, according to each of the surveyed influencers.
According to Finley, younger customers are really looking for that perfect, exciting “IRL” experience, especially in the years following COVID-19.
“People want those experiences, and they want the facetime, so there are fewer experiences living in the digital space than there were,” Finley said. “[The experience] has to be stellar. It has to be super in-tune with the fan set you’re looking to target. It has to really hit home with them to have impact and resonate offline.”
Authentic brand messaging
While using controversial items (like pineapple on pizza) to drum up engagement might seem like a good idea in the short-term, in the long-run, authenticity is one of the most important aspects of brand currency, especially for younger Gen Z consumers.
“These [love/hate items] definitely drive engagement and encourage debate, which can be great for the brand if it aligns with their message,” Carreon said. “However, if it’s unrelated, it can detract from the brand’s presence and miss the purpose of the promotion entirely.”
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