Restaurant Business Trends 2025: How to Create a Popular Menu That Attracts Customers

In 2025, the restaurant industry faces high competition, and attracting customers directly depends on the uniqueness and appeal of dishes. To make your menu truly in demand, it’s essential to consider restaurant business trends and adapt to new guest preferences. In this article, we’ll explore successful menu ideas that will help increase average checks and create a popular menu.

1. Variety of Dishes: Small Portions for Big Impressions

Modern guests want to sample as many flavors as possible in one visit. Mini-portions and tasting sets are hugely popular, especially among women and food enthusiasts.

Example: A Japanese restaurant offers a set of five mini-appetizers that pair perfectly with selected drinks. Guests receive not only aesthetic pleasure but also the opportunity to try several flavor combinations at once.

Tip: The menu states “4 appetizers,” but five are actually served—a small bonus that creates a positive impression among guests.

Result: Increased sales, higher average checks, and a habit of ordering such sets with each visit.

Advice: Include mini-appetizers and tasting sets in your menu; they attract attention and help guests experience more.

2. Impressive Presentation: Combining Taste and Visual Appeal

In the age of Instagram and TikTok, the presentation of dishes must be visually striking. If guests want to photograph their food, it automatically attracts customers to the restaurant.

Example: A restaurant developed a burrata show. Guests watch as the waiter cuts the cheese, and a beautifully flowing sauce emerges.

Tip: The waiter asks, “Are you ready to film?”, creating an interactive moment that guests eagerly share on social media.

Result: The dish becomes viral on social networks, increasing customer flow.

Advice: Create interactive presentations—dramatic cuts, steaming effects, pouring sauces, and unusual textures draw attention.

3. Limited Consumption Time: Creating a Sense of Urgency

Dishes with a limited “shelf life” create a sense of exclusivity and pique guests’ interest.

Example: A café offers a “Fruit Tomato Pie”—a sweet baked tomato on a crispy crust. Guests are advised to eat it within 1 minute to enjoy the perfect texture.

Tip: The menu highlights “1-minute shelf life,” immediately catching attention.

Result: Guests’ curiosity increases orders and makes the dish popular.

Advice: Add time-sensitive items to your menu to create urgency and interest.

4. Combining Two Hits: Double Delight

When a dish combines two favorite flavors, it becomes a real hit.

Example: A restaurant created the “Hambagu-Omelet,” merging a burger and an omelet. The guest sees a whole golden omelet, cuts it with a spoon, revealing a juicy burger inside.

Tip: This unexpected combination makes the dish memorable and photogenic.

Result: High demand, increased average checks, and free advertising through social media.

Advice: Experiment with original combinations, such as sushi burgers, seafood carbonara, or pizza rolls.

5. Gastronomic Finale: Impressive Dishes to Conclude the Meal

Guests desire a memorable end to their meal, and the trend for unique desserts and final dishes is gaining popularity.

Example: One restaurant offers fish kamameshi – slow-cooked rice with rare fish, served on a burner and prepared right at the table during the meal.

Tip: Spectacular presentation and rare ingredients create a sense of exclusivity.

Result: Guests order this dish more often, and social media photos attract new customers.

Advice: Include a unique final dish in your menu that guests will definitely want to try.

Conclusion: How to Create a Popular Menu and Attract Customers?

To make your restaurant menu successful and in demand, utilize modern strategies:

• Variety in one order: mini-portions, tasting sets.
• Visual appeal: striking presentations that draw attention.
• Sense of urgency: dishes that need to be consumed immediately.
• Original combinations: merging favorite flavors.
• Memorable meal conclusions: gastronomic impressions at the end.

Implementing these methods will increase customer flow, boost average checks, and make your restaurant popular!