Dishes get Smaller for a Nation of Snackers

Mixed sliders from STK

The dividing line between meals has been getting fuzzy for awhile now, and snacks are the status quo. According to research firm The NPD Group, 18% of all restaurant dining occasions fall into a non-meal (or snacking) day-part: either mid-morning, late afternoon or late night. And that doesn’t include shareable meals that are made up of smaller dishes, like tapas. The cultural shift is partly generational, and part of a larger move toward casualness and flexibility in dining. Not to mention the fact that these smaller items allow the diet-conscious to order what they want without leaving half their plate untouched.

Naturally, restaurants are adapting their menus to fit the trend, with more and more menus including a small plates or bar snacks section. According to a study conducted in February by Penton Food and Restaurant Group, 43 percent of restaurant operators saw an increase in revenue from snacks in the past two years. What does this revenue look like? It can be anything from sliders at the bar to mix-and-match tacos or sushi – any cuisine is snackable.

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