After the Maman Salted Tahini Honeycomb Latte and Edith’s Tahini Frozen Cold Brew went viral on social media, Yelp searches for tahini coffee drinks soared. While the plant-based sesame seed paste has been a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries, lately tahini has been carving out a space for itself within the coffee category.
The 2025 American Diner Trends Report uncovered the top dealbreakers that deter diners, such as negative word-of-mouth, health inspection warnings, and long wait times. With distinct preferences emerging among Gen Z and older cohorts, the report illustrated how restaurants can win over consumers.
Hawaiian cuisine is getting more popular on the mainland, with searches for Hawaiian barbecue up 88% from last year and Hawaiian Mac Salad up 523% over the same period. What’s behind this boom?
Yelp searches for dirty soda rose 609% year over year, a trend largely driven by Hulu’s show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and the continued momentum of the sober curiosity movement.
A recent trend report by Yelp revealed that women-owned businesses saw a 17% increase in new openings across several industries in 2024, with book bars, colorful matcha concoctions, and “sleepy girl mocktails” on the rise.
In 2024, online reviews can have an immeasurable impact on restaurants. The difference in public perception between a 4.5-star Google review and a 4.0 rating, for example, can be costly.
Yelp has released its first-ever list of the 50 fastest-growing brands in the U.S. Restaurant chains dominate the top ten, half of which are “challenger brands” – businesses that are not market leaders but aim to compete by disrupting their industries.
The all-night diner is all but dead in America, with Yelp revealing that the number of 24-hour eateries is down 18% since 2020.
The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on a potential revival for virtual restaurant brands and ghost kitchens.
Consumers across the country are going out to dinner more often—and much earlier—than they were before the pandemic. Turns out, being an early bird isn’t all that special anymore. “Our data indicates that fine-dining customers …
Chad and Karen have always been mad as hell. Now they just have more outlets to vent about businesses like restaurants. How you respond simply makes all the difference.
Blaze Pizza, in the opinion of college kids, is “lit.” And sandwiches from Five Guys and Jersey Mike’s, apparently, “just hit different.”
Shrinkflation isn’t sneaking by savvy shoppers, and many consumers are changing their purchase behaviors in response.
For Earth Day, The Food Institute takes a closer look at recent industry efforts to meet the growing sustainability expectations of consumers. RETAILERS Sam’s Club recently revealed new sustainability efforts for its Member’s Mark private-label …
