We are a nation obsessed with food.
We’re also getting more particular about it. We talk about whether it’s organic or home-grown, whether it’s slow cooked or triple smoked, whether it was inspired by Jamie or Bill. That’s right, Oliver and Grainger. We’re on a first name basis these days.
What does this mean for the food court?
Retail centres have had to redefine food courts and will continue to do so in order to compete in today’s ever-changing market. Here at Hames Sharley, we’ve ridden the wave of this evolution in the design of numerous ‘dining terraces’ where once stood sterile spaces akin to the old school canteen.
Food consultants and regular Hames Sharley collaborators, Brain & Poulter have created an interesting list of Food and Beverage trends they claim will hit our shopping centres in 2017.
The biggest challenge, according to them, is to meet the needs of different demographic groups with varying budgets and shopping habits.
They say that fresh food is here to stay and that we will see a growing amalgamation of fresh food and dining zones, combined with experiences such as cooking demonstrations and even cooking classes. This includes a move towards deep, narrow menus that cater to niche markets as well as steps to bridge the gap between plastic cutlery and silver service.
Fancy your food being delivered via roller coaster? They predict that the continued development of memorable diner experiences, touch screen tables and other technology are likely to hit our shopping centre food outlets soon.
To read the whole article, please visit Brain & Poulter.
