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The Modern Foodie and Experience

Instructor: Blaine Aberdeen
Virtual & Augmented Technology
Download the Virtual & Augmented Technology Trend Report
As consumer desires shift with the experience economy, food and restaurant industries are evolving to become more immersive. Restaurants are adding multisensory elements into their spaces to educate and entertain their consumers through their dining experiences.


In this module, you will explore the Modern Foodie through the lens of Trend Hunter’s Experience Megatrend and look at how consumers' purchasing patterns have shifted from buying “things” to spending on experiences. We will explore case studies of how brands are turning dining into an experience where their consumer can learn and engage with their food, whether through the use of technology or through total immersion.
Related Trend Report: Virtual & Augmented Technology
Workshop Questions:
1. How could your brand create a shared experience for your customers?
2. What is one part of your product or service your customers are interested in learning about? How can you creatively inform them?
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Featured Insights

Foodie Park
Amusement parks that feature cuisine-focused experiences highlight sophistication
Trend - Amusement parks are integrating "foodie" features as a response to the way consumers experience and share food. This includes everything from theme park alcohol tours to theme parks that revolve around specific cuisines.
Workshop Question - How do transforming Millennial needs impact your business?
3
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Popularity
Activity
Freshness
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Megatrends
Multisensory Dining
Restaurants tap interactive, sensory elements to creative immersive settings
Implications - Keeping in line with the experience economy, those in the restaurant industry are evolving their dining experiences to incorporate more immersive, multisensory elements. Not only looking to surprise and delight their consumers, restaurateurs are tapping into themed décor, eccentric settings, and mood lighting as a way to mimic places not typically associated with food. From forest-themed experiences to dinners held in libraries, these examples speak to the need to engage consumers in a way that makes them feel immersed, engaged and completely detached from their day-to-day environments.
Workshop Question - How could you create an environment for your consumer that completely detaches them from their day-to-day?
5
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Megatrends

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Fatal Feasts
Dining experiences integrate gameplay alongside food and beverage
Trend - Dining formats are evolving to incorporate interactive mystery elements alongside traditional meals. Restaurants and venues are introducing role-play, live storytelling and participatory gameplay, positioning dining as a social entertainment experience rather than a purely food-focused occasion.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create participatory and memorable consumer experiences?
6.5
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Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Experiential Pour
Bars prioritize entertainment value alongside beverage quality
Trend - Bars and hospitality venues are incorporating theatrical elements into their service models, transforming drinking into entertainment. Tableside cocktail preparation, dramatic presentations, and immersive environments position these establishments as entertainment destinations where the drink is just one component of a broader experiential offering.
Workshop Question - How could your brand transform a routine transaction into an experience worth talking about?
6.4
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Popularity
Activity
Freshness
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Megatrends
Soft Clubbing
Gen Z pioneers wellness-focused nightlife experiences that prioritize connection
Trend - A new wave of nightlife experiences is emerging that strips away traditional club culture's emphasis on alcohol and late nights. Coffee clubbing events, sober raves, and wellness-centered dance parties are creating spaces where Gen Z can socialize, move, and connect without the usual nightlife baggage.
Workshop Question - How might your brand create social experiences that energize rather than drain your customers?
7
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Popularity
Activity
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Megatrends
Elevated Kit
Meal kits with higher price tags and higher-quality foods are gaining popularity
Trend - New meal kit services are launching with a focus on premium, higher-end meals. Rather than prioritizing affordability and marketing themselves as cheaper alternatives to groceries, these target higher-income consumers that want to save time without compromising on quality.
Workshop Question - How might we create an elevated experience within our product/service that appeals to consumers seeking premium quality and convenience?
4.8
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Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Immersive Escapism
Entertainment venues transport consumers beyond traditional experiences
Trend - Entertainment brands are investing in fully immersive spaces that blur the lines between reality and digital fantasy. These venues use advanced projection mapping, spatial audio, and multi-sensory elements to create environments where visitors can step into different worlds without leaving the city.
Workshop Question - How can we design experiences that transport our audience beyond their routine environment and immerse them in transformative adventures?
5.8
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Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Hyperlocal Evolution
Brands strengthen community connections through enhanced physical experiences
Trend - As consumers flock to physical retail spaces, both established and emerging brands are reimagining their local presence through enhanced experiential offerings. This shift extends beyond traditional retail to include direct-to-consumer brands creating innovative physical touchpoints.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create meaningful local connections with or without a permanent retail space?
7.1
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Activity
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Megatrends
Culinary Connection
Cookbook stores increasingly operate as community hubs for food enthusiasts
Trend - Cookbook stores now operate as community-centric “third spaces” to help consumers bond over the culinary arts through events like cooking classes and book signings. This speaks to a deepening interest in food as more than sustenance; it is now a means of social engagement and personal expression.
Workshop Question - How can your brand inspire collaboration in unexpected or unconventional spaces?
4.3
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Popularity
Activity
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Megatrends
Fashion Cafe
Luxury fashion labels are opening in-store cafes to foster in-person connection
Trend - Luxury fashion labels across Europe and Asia are opening dedicated restaurants and cafes. These are designed to transform the boutiques from simple shopping ventures, to full-blown experiences. The experiential retail helps build consumer connections to one another and the brand.
Workshop Question - How can your brand integrate unique experiential elements to foster deeper connections with consumers?
5.5
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Activity
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Megatrends
Branded Rage
Pop-up rage rooms provide a space for consumers looking to de-stress
Trend - As rage rooms become popular among consumers, brands are replicating this activity in their activations to craft a memorable experience that is also an effective outlet for stress reduction. This controlled environment allows individuals to release built-up frustration in a tangible, expressive way.
Workshop Question - How could your brand incorporate wellness concepts into its product or service?
5.6
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Activity
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Megatrends