"I can't complain so much; in San Francisco, I'm happy people are going out again at all. Still, let's name that, in the year of our lord 2025 - as in the year of our lord 2024 and years stretching back to 2010 - it has become slightly more socially acceptable to be a total tool at restaurants with tripods, light fixtures, boom mics, director's chairs, etc. Here's the pot calling the kettle black, but let's focus on the food, people!"
"Please don't make me download an entire app specifically for your restaurant. I know you're just scraping my data and sending extra marketing through it, and it really isn't more convenient either."
"Anything that makes dining more impersonal, so tablet ordering, QR code menus, robot servers, iPad wine lists. Bring people back into the forefront of hospitality!"
2025 delivered notable food highs alongside frustrating trends that should fade in 2026. Popular moments included creative bakeries, livelier restaurants, and standout regional items, but excessive lining for hype, impersonal dining tech, mandatory restaurant apps that harvest data, appetizer-focused menus with forgettable entrees, and performative content-creation at meals undermined experiences. Restaurants should restore human-centered hospitality, ensure entrees receive equal attention, and offer convenience without invasive data practices. Diners and operators can both push back on performative behaviors and excessive marketing tactics to preserve food quality, privacy, and genuine enjoyment of meals.
Read at Eater
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