• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

Consumers start the day opting for “better” dining out choices, but those good intentions may fall short as the day continues.

According to foodservice data provider Technomic’s most recent trend report, guests at top chain restaurants were asked to “profile and evaluate their most recent experience in great detail.” The report specifically asked what “need state” drove their specific choice on the occasion – defined as the “emotional driver” behind their restaurant selections -- which was then divided by daypart.  

The diners reported that the “better for you” need drove about one third of their breakfast choices. But as the day progresses, their “healthy need states” actually recede and turn to the need to “satisfy a craving,” or even morph into an “experiential need state,” driven by the desire for social connections or novelty.

The report found that satisfying a craving was the top need state for ALL other dayparts beyond breakfast, including lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and the late night snack segments.

The report also looked at growth in restaurant industry’s top 1500 chains. The percentage of brands that shrank as compared to the previous year rose from 29% in 2024 to 32% in 2025, which Technomic said signals a “shift toward increased closures and reduced expansion.”

In terms of ingredient trends, the report revealed that shrimp-centered dishes are gaining in popularity at both full- and limited-service chains. Shrimp shows up again in the report under trends in pasta protein choices. Forty percent of global customers said they order shrimp with pasta dishes, most popular with North American diners.

But chicken is the top protein choice for pastas, with 53% of global consumers selecting poultry protein. This is driven by markets in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where chicken was chosen by nearly two-thirds of all consumers. Ground beef was selected by 44% of those surveyed, with meatballs coming in at 41%.