Get ready to roll your eyes and sigh deeply - and hope that in 2025, we can get rid of these food trends once and for all. There are some trends that should just be done by now, or even better - they just shouldn't have started in the first place. Based on online discussions, we collected 12 food trends that everyone seems to be over. From genuinely bizarre combinations to overhyped restaurants, read on to see if you agree!
Digital Menus
One food enthusiast reminiscing on the good old days of physical menus shared: "Graphic designy menus that try to be creative but end up being confusing. Also, PDF-only menus. I'd prefer a physical one."
QR code menus - was it the best or the worst thing to come out of the germaphobe 2020?
No-Dishes Restaurants
One person shared an interesting one: "Restaurants serving food on cutting boards, shovels, paper, shells, or anything that is not an actual plate." Well, presentation is just as important as the flavor! But I agree, sometimes it does go a bit too far, and some restaurants miss the fact that you also want to be able to eat it easily. And also, once everyone is doing it, it's not that fun anymore.
"Handcrafted" Food
One foodie commented: "The term 'handcrafted', as in handcrafted burgers, handcrafted coffee drinks at a convenience store, etc. Seeing handcrafted makes me want to gag."
This just seems like another marketing gimmick. Isn't all food handcrafted in one way or another?
Micro-Sized Portions
One foodie says:Â "Micro-size portions made with overly pretentious food." No, it's not giving French Michelin-star restaurant. It's giving 'I'll get McDonald's on my way home because I'm still hungry.'
But I'd add another point to this as well: Michelin star-tasting menus with great food in small portions, and then in the middle, they throw in a sub-par larger dish just to make sure you don't go home hungry. Yes, I'm talking to you, Alinea, but you are definitely not alone!
"Supposedly" 2 or 3 Ingredient Desserts
One foodie does not like being tricked: "2 ingredient desserts (with 7 "optional" ingredients that appear once you read the actual recipe)." Call it clickbait or genius, but some food influencers need to chill with their "few-ingredient" recipes. What's next? No ingredient fruit salad where every fruit is optional?
Premium Food Trucks
One annoyed eater shared: "Food trucks that charge the same price as a premium restaurant but serve half the size on a floppy plate that I have to stand up to eat." Personally, I'm torn about this one. It all depends on what you think you're paying for - the quality of the food, or the cost to the restaurateur? I'd rather pay more for great food from a truck than for average food in a restaurant!
Recipe Hacks
Another person pointed out the oversold recipe hacks: "Calling a slight alteration to a recipe a 'hack.' Adding parmesan cheese to your grilled cheese sandwich is not a 'hack.' It's a minor recipe change." Yes, the word 'hack' has somewhat lost its value...
Expensive Street Food at Restaurants
We've heard about restaurant-quality food being served in food trucks. But this user shared their frustration with the reverse: street food being served in restaurants, and priced much higher because of that. They commented, "Fancy restaurants that say they serve 'street tacos' and proceed to charge $18 for three."
Well, for me it all depends on the execution. Try Proxi in Chicago and tell me if that "street food" isn't worth a whole lot more than out of a food truck!
Wasting Food for Clicks
A foodie with good ethics shared: "The stupid food-wasting trends on YouTube and TikTok etc." Meanwhile, hundreds of people, including children, sleep hungry. Food waste needs to stop, and I think most of us can agree with that.
Boring-Looking Fast Food Buildings
One person lamented the modern architecture of fast food chains: "Making all fast food buildings look like cookie-cutter beige/grey boxes. They all used to have their own distinct personalities." Getting visually assaulted by bright colors as you walk in the door was a vital part of the fast food experience. And I sure miss it!
Overly Complex Orders
This person commented: "Any TikTok/IG trend that makes life more difficult for fast-food workers with overly complex orders or ordering stuff not on the menu or trying to "one up" each other's orders, etc."
As someone who used to work at McDonald's, I have to agree. This was back in the days when we always had lots of burgers all ready to be served, and the "hack" then was to always make some small change to the order. Skip the pickles or mustard, for example. The point was to not have to pay more, but still get a completely freshly made burger.
As a customer I get it, you want a fresh burger. But it was quite annoying for us working in the restaurant - not to mention all the food waste when we had to throw away perfectly good burgers instead!
Sweets on Sweets
"Sweets on top of sweets. A milkshake with a donut, lollipop, and cupcake attached," one user shared.
Do people actually eat those freak shakes and other monstrosities, or is it just for the camera? I never quite understood how you would even be able to eat or drink it - not to mention, how you'd manage to finish it all!
Source: Reddit
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