Menu Matters Monthly Minute | January 2026
It all comes down to people.
Recently, Chicago restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You posted a slideshow on social media showcasing the people behind one of their restaurants, Shaw’s Crab House. “This is who you’re supporting when you dine at Shaw’s,” it noted. The post contained images of two people who have been with Shaw’s for the over 40 years it has been in business, chefs who started at the bottom and worked their way to the top, the Washington family that runs the oyster farm they source from, and more behind-the-scenes players on their team.
The comments on the post were effusive in their praise:
“I’ve been influenced. Reservations are set for Saturday night.”
“This is how you advertise in 2026.”
“Yeah, this worked! Making a reservation now.”
“Booked for family night out. See you February 26.”
One of Menu Matters’ consumer needs for 2026 is to make experiences more meaningful. We live in a world full of faceless transactions, but as we’ve learned in all of our research, consumers say time and time again that it’s the people that make a food experience more meaningful.
As you think about the year ahead, how can you ensure that you never lose sight of that human touch?
Maeve, Mike, and Shelley
DID YOU KNOW?
43% of consumers say life was better before everything was a subscription.
There’s a subscription for everything these days. There are the usual suspects, like software and streaming services. But now there are subscriptions for everything: meal delivery, phone service, printer ink, heated seats, dog food, floss, razors, games, coffee, navigation services, online shopping, in-person shopping, computer storage, the list goes on and on.
Consumers are getting subscription fatigue, not just because of the recurring costs that add up, but because of the underlying feeling that they don’t actually own anything outright anymore.
What does that mean for the food and hospitality industries? First, it means thinking twice about offering another subscription unless it really offers value. Hotel subscriptions are starting to catch on, but many guests will feel like they’re being nickel and dimed, now suddenly asked to pay for something that used to be free, while good service and hospitality are only available to the wealthy.
Second, it means understanding the noise and complications that your customers are dealing with on a constant basis. To some customers, a mandatory gratuity or a product getting smaller is one more example of companies trying to fleece them.
But there’s also the opportunity to offer subscriptions that actually feel like a good deal. AMC’s A-List has over a million passionate fans, with some likening it to a cult because members are such fanatics. One TikTok user devastated their dad, a passionate fan of Panera’s Unlimited Sip Club, by falsely telling him the program was being discontinued.
At the end of the day, it’s all about understanding and centering the consumer.
This data and research comes from our 2026 Consumer Needs Report. Download your complimentary copy here.
What We Learned
On LinkedIn, we start the week with our #MondaySparks (three creative ideas to jumpstart the week) and end the week with our #FridayFive (five things we learned in the past week). Here are five of the most popular posts from the past month:
Why are hotels getting rid of bathroom doors?
Three examples of great hospitality.
One channel produced the top 50 cable movies of 2025.
What is your Jungian archetype?
Why Millennials love prenups.
You can catch every #FridayFive, #MondaySparks, and more here and here.
Buttercup
The Hot List
Delicious meals, excellent hotels, favorite products, thought-provoking books, great TV shows and movies — these are some of Maeve and Mike’s favorite recent discoveries.
“While in San Diego for the Winter FancyFaire*, we had two exceptional experiences. Quixote, in the Lafayette Hotel (which is a vibe itself), looks like a gothic Mexican church, with a bar/altar and plenty of dripping candles. The highlight was the savory corn brioche donut with blue crab, caviar, and burnt chili aioli. And, for drinks, you can’t miss 52 Remedies. Actually, it’s easy to miss because it’s hidden behind a nondescript bar in a strip mall pub. But behind that door are expertly-crafted cocktails inspired by traditional Chinese medicine using flavors like winter melon, chrysanthemum, miso, kabocha squash, and mushrooms.” MIKE
“Given the weather I think it's appropriate to recommend this cookbook made for cold seasons: “Roast Figs, Sugar Snow” by Diana Henry. I've already made some recipes from the book including West Country Pot-roasted Chicken with Apples and Hard Cider and the Roasted Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese. Every recipe makes you want to put on some cozy clothes, curl up by a fire and just savor the flavors.” MAEVE
“Three restaurant recommendations for the next time you are in Chicago, from the south to the north. First up, Buttercup in the South Loop. Part of the booming all-day cafe trend, this concept transforms into an Italian small bites spot with the largest amaro collection in the city every evening; it’s the third concept from former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije. Second, Basant, a modern Indian spot in North Center. The Australian lamb rogan josh is so comforting on a cold night (it was -10 the night we went), while the juicy vindaloo pork belly tonkatsu with plum murabba is a must-get. And finally, in the northern suburb of Skokie: Metekhi, a Georgian restaurant with a massive double-layer khachapuri for sharing and a pan-fried cornish hen with garlic potatoes that will have you licking the plate.” MIKE
Let’s Meet Up
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - February 15-16 - Refrigerated Foods Association Conference
New Orleans, LA - March 2-5 - NAFEM Executive Summit
Denver, CO - March 10-12 - Research Chef’s Association Conference
Boston, MA - March 19 - Private Client Event
Ossining, NY - April 20-22 - IACC America’s Knowledge Exchange 2026
Napa, CA - April 28-30 - Private Client Event
Chicago, IL - May 16-19 - National Restaurant Association Show
What do serial killers have to do with cereal bars?
The latest episode the Menu Matters podcast — The Mess Hall, where we have messy conversations about the thorny topics that matter to the food and beverage industry — is here.
The latest episode of the Menu Matters podcast — The Mess Hall, where we have messy conversations about the thorny topics that matter to the food and beverage industry — is here.
On this episode, we talk to Suzy Badaracco, who went from tracking serial killers to cereal bars. Badaracco's background has taken her from training as a criminalist with the FBI and Scotland Yard to culinary school and studying human nutrition. Today she runs Culinary Tides, where she uses all of those skills to find trends and patterns in the food and beverage industry. On the show we talk about why Dubai chocolate may cheat on his wife with a muffin, why the food industry is one giant crime scene, and the 2026 trend she thinks is way off base. And, in our five questions, she tells us her top pet peeve (hint…it’s related to potatoes).
You can find it on all of your favorite podcast platforms (Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Overcast).
