FoodInsight: Barbecue Trends

As we move from summer to fall, barbecue surely won’t be forgotten. Nearly 60 percent of restaurants feature barbecue on the menu, as it has the versatility to be used for sandwiches, pizza, wings, and even burgers, according to Datassential’s MenuTrends database.

While consumers are drawn to the independent barbecue restaurants and willing to wait in line for hours just to get a taste of authenticity and quality, there are plenty of other ways to experience the flavor of barbecue today because it has expanded far beyond its roots. 

Sweet, honey and spicy are some of the most commonly paired descriptors on barbecue menus. Both regional and global barbecue are pushing the bounds and creating some complex food profiles. Barbecue can’t be pigeon-holed into one bucket and continues to innovate into new formats and flavors.