Want to know what’s set to be big in dining out and cooking at home? Then read on for some of the big predictions for food trends in 2026.
OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, has recently revealed its 2026 dining trends. With dining in the UK up 4% year-over-year (YoY) in 2025, and Brits set to dine out on average six times a month in 2026, dining out is on the menu for the year ahead and restaurants are front and centre. Gen Z are particularly enthusiastic, planning to dine out nine times a month, second only to Millennials at ten.
The dining trends that shaped 2025 and what’s on the menu for 2026, based on OpenTable data and consumer research include: The more the merrier. Almost half of diners (44%) say they’d prefer eating with others over going solo in 2026.
Group dining also grew by 5% in 2025 YoY, with the most popular days for group dining on Mother’s Day weekend and major sporting events, including rugby matches.
Looking ahead, the appetite for togetherness shows no sign of slowing down, with more than a third (36%) of Brits wanting to see more group and private dining in 2026.
Happy hour and strategic spenders: Brits are also adjusting how and when they dine. In 2025, dining between 4pm–5pm rose by 6% YoY.
When it comes to spending, nearly half (49%) of Brits plan to spend more on dining out in 2026 vs 2025, rising to 70% of Gen Z and Millennials. Despite this, 54% of Brits want to see more happy hours and value promotions in 2026.
Speaking about these trends, Sasha Shaker, senior director at Open Table in the UK and Ireland said: “Dining has become about far more than what’s on the plate this year. It’s about connection and creating unforgettable moments together, with new research showing that 79% of Brits say eating out helps them feel more connected to others. With Brits set to dine out six times a month on average in 2026, we’re confident that restaurants will remain at the heart of the UK’s social scene in the year ahead.”
Bold flavours and retro favourites: When it comes to taste, 2026 is shaping up to be a year that blends global cuisines with nostalgia.
Mediterranean (+35%), Greek (+27%) and Contemporary Asian (+21%) cuisines saw the biggest YoY dining increases in 2025, reflecting a growing appetite for bold, vibrant flavours.
This is something that global market intelligence and research agency, Mintel, agrees with naming it “Maxxing Out, Diversity In” and calls it the number one global food and drink trend for 2026. The team at Mintel are predicting a shift from extreme eating towards more balanced and inclusive diets that celebrate variety.
The report suggests consumers are moving on from the viral trend of ‘maxxing’, where people focus heavily on hitting specific targets such as protein or fibre intake, and instead turning to diverse diets that prioritise a wide range of ingredients, flavours and cultural influences.
However, nostalgia is also making a comeback, with Gen Z diners championing retro comfort classics like bangers and mash and prawn cocktails as dishes they’d love to see on menus of restaurants in 2026, according to Open Table.
One of the most surprising food trends for next year? Sharing plates are becoming less popular as 56% of Brits prefer individual servings. Brits expect to see fried chicken, gourmet burgers, protein-packed dishes, and espresso-based drinks taking centre stage in 2026.
Peter Harden of Harden’s restaurant guide thinks that things are looking up, but that consumers are still looking carefully at prices.
He said: “Restaurants will likely continue to feel squeezed between cost-conscious consumers and their rising costs of doing business. So I think we can expect lots of competitively priced menus for customers and more promotions than usual as the trade works even harder than usual to entice in diners.
“Perhaps I’m just an optimist, but I don’t think it will be all quite as gloomy as many in the media suggest. There seems to be a race to talk everything down right now. The economic figures seem to keep on surprising people by being far from dire and in fact not bad and, fingers crossed, 2026 will reveal that the situation is not quite as dark as many are currently painting.”
When it comes to Scottish businesses, Katy Koren, co-owner of The Gilded Saloon in Edinburgh said: "We’ve seen audiences are looking for a more diverse mix of events at venues, rather than a venue only hosting music, club nights or comedy.
"Providing a wide variety of events in one space is proving popular with audiences who have had to prioritise their spend on entertainment but want to support a diverse range of artists within the local community such as we do.
James Snowdon, co-owner of The Palmerston thinks the trend of early dinners will continue. He said: "Diners are booking earlier, and I see this continuing into 2026.
"We've always aimed for a big uptake of early diners, it's how the system is set up to maximise covers, but I was surprised about how full we were around 18:00 as we all know everyone calls asking for the 19:30 table that caps your covers.
"It's a great time to dine. However, I'm all about being home by 20:00 instead of getting stuck into a big meal then - I’m still an advocate of long lunches going into early dinner. So those 6pm bookings do put a cap on these, which isn’t a bad thing as it means you can be in Kay’s by 18:00 with a Jarl or three - Mother Nature’s digestif!"
James Clark, owner of Sotto said: "After the six nations, the performative love for Guinness will be so overdone that it’s no longer cool.
"The world is in such disarray that comfort food will be on trend, but also - fibre will take over as the new protein! Pulses and grains will be in, and gut health will be en vogue."
