More people are eating little and often, at different times of day, and in places that don’t always lend themselves to a sit-down meal. This shift has opened up real opportunities for hospitality businesses across all sectors to capitalise on the food-to-go market.
Although today’s food-to-go customers still want speed and value, they also expect flavour, care and a sense of occasion. According to the latest food and beverage trend analysis by thefoodpeople, snack-ification, comfort-led formats and elevated convenience are driving innovation across global foodservice as we head into spring and summer.
Snack-time is the new meal-time
The traditional three-meal day has faded and, in its place, consumers are choosing compact, flexible options that satisfy hunger without committing to a full sit-down experience. “We’re now seeing consumers spread their food intake across several smaller moments, from morning pick-me-ups to moments of escapism in the afternoon,” says Stéphanie Brillouet, Marketing & Innovation Director, Délifrance. “Think freshly baked pastries with coffee in the morning, such as an indulgent cinnamon bun or the savoury fan-favourite cheese twist; and inclusion packed breadsticks for apéritif served with a selection of dips, cheese and olives. Adapting formats, portion sizes and recipes to fit evolving needs – whether for convenience, indulgence or nutrition – will be key to capturing these growing snacking moments and increasing sales.”
Comfort food, made portable
Comfort remains a powerful driver of choice, especially when budgets are tight and routines are busy. Carbs, familiar flavours and nostalgic formats offer reassurance, but they need updating to fit modern expectations around quality and presentation.
“Pizza is the ultimate on-the-go menu item,” says Charlotte Perkins, Commercial Manager, Pan’Artisan Ltd. “It’s highly customisable, incredibly flavourful and satisfying across a wide range of dietary needs. We are seeing clear momentum in the UK for artisan and regional style pizzas made with premium ingredients.”
Bill Mathieson, Managing Director, Clawson Farms agrees, noting “Demand for more exciting toppings has grown, chefs are experimenting with flavour fusions, transforming their pizzas with their own twist to create stand-out offerings with a point of difference. We know that Stilton is already popular on the cheeseboard, but Stilton can also be paired with a variety of other ingredients on pizza. Its well-balanced and slightly tangy taste complements super sweet ingredients such as pear, fig, apricots and honey, and we know it goes extremely well with chicken, salami and mushrooms.”
In care catering and education, comfort formats are especially valuable. Familiar dishes encourage residents to eat, while small upgrades like better bread or potato-based products that offer value, versatility and innovation can lift perception without complicating service.
“We’re expecting growth in formats that align with the ‘anytime eating’ trend,” says Ash Liles, Trade Marketing Manager, Lamb Weston. “Loaded fries with bold global flavours (shawarma, gochujang, Mexican) continue to be a hit across foodservice, and we see opportunities in using potatoes as a carrier for these trending concepts. Lamb Weston products that lend themselves well to loading up and taking out include Stealth Fries and our latest innovation, Frenzy Fries, for their great hold time and long-lasting crunch. Most popular among our snackable formats are our Crisscut, Twisters, seasoned / coated and Sweet Potato Variants.”
Adding a premium touch
One of the biggest challenges in food-to-go is balancing speed with quality. Premium doesn’t have to mean slow or expensive. Often, it’s about restraint and detail.
A cheese toastie becomes more appealing when the cheese is specified and paired with a spring onion or wild garlic relish. A brownie feels more special when cut neatly, wrapped well and labelled clearly. These details matter just as much in a staff restaurant or hospital café as they do on the high street.
“Operators should take a lesson from coffee,” recommends Stéphanie. “Start with a great base product that lends itself well to personalisation – our vanilla teardrop is a good example of this. Then offer finishing touches that are either complementary or come at an incremental cost – these could be extra fillings or a topping for texture, such as granola crumble.”
As we head into the warmer months, this also applies to ice cream too, so elevating your offering in readiness will be time well-spent. “Seasonal ripples, textured inclusions, single-serve premium pots and strong flavour storytelling all transform a simple snack into something memorable,” says Fabiano Franzoso, award-winning gelato master and UK Gelato Festival World Masters Champion 2021.
“High-grade nuts, especially pistachio, remain timeless, while international pairings such as matcha-yuzu, black sesame or dark chocolate with Mediterranean spice create distinction. Diversify your offer with dairy, vegan and sorbet options, and experiment with seasonal or bold flavour combinations, but remember to maintain strict handling and storage standards to preserve texture.”
Sweet treats, any time of day
Dessert has firmly escaped the end of the meal. Sweet food-to-go now appears at breakfast, mid-afternoon and late evening, often replacing larger dining occasions. Look out for companies like Lotus Bakeries who are supporting this move with innovative new products specifically designed for foodservice. As Frances Booth, Head of Marketing at Lotus Bakeries UK notes, “Biscoff has made it easier for chefs to inject the taste and texture of their popular biscuits into grab and go items to make elevating presentation simple with a drizzle of Biscoff Topping Sauce and a sprinkle of Biscoff Biscuit Crumbs. Both are pre-made using Biscoff’s unique recipe and ready to use without hassle.”
Products such as these will generate increasing opportunities for getting creative with cakes, traybakes and bars, as well as pastries and batter-based items like waffles adapted for takeaway.
As food-to-go continues to develop, menus that combine convenience with creativity, comfort with freshness, and speed with care will stand out. The opportunity for the hospitality sector lies
in treating food-to-go with the same thought and pride as any plated dish. Done well, it isn’t a compromise. It’s one of the most exciting growth areas in foodservice today.
Tips to elevate everyday snacks
- Using one standout ingredient per item, such as a distinctive cheese, herb oil or seasonal
vegetable - Adding texture with seeds, crunchy toppings or crisp salad elements
- Finishing dishes thoughtfully even in packaging, with visible colour and contrast
- Naming ingredients clearly on menus to signal care and provenance
