Format innovations — like fast-casual spin-offs of casual dining chains and nontraditional locations — will drive restaurant development in 2025. That’s according to 39% of restaurant development + design readers participating in a pulse survey the magazine fielded earlier this fall.
Other factors the readers feel will drive development were varied but included chef-driven restaurants (18%), drive-thru and takeout-only locations (14%), ghost kitchens and virtual brands (10%) and new franchising (10%).
An additional 9% of readers said “other” and that included renovations, operational simplification and streamlining, and labor costs. One especially honest respondent said “we never know” what will drive development.
rd+d periodically surveys subscribers on the state of restaurant development and design. This survey was fielded in October 2024. Subscribe to The Pulse to get rd+d’s surveys and results delivered to your inbox six times a year.