Bad Restaurant Trends: What We're Ready to Farewell in 2025
Success in 2025 demands honesty over gimmicks and common sense over trends.
Menu pricing needs transparency.
Hidden fees create distrust.Presentation must serve function.
Instagram appeal can't trump edibility.Environment shapes service choices.
Location dictates menu planning.Health options need authenticity.
Stop padding with unnecessary carbs.Quality trumps origin story.
Source what works, make what matters.
As we raise our glasses to 2025, it's time for some straight talk about restaurant trends that have overstayed their welcome. From sneaky surcharges to Instagram-baiting monstrosities, industry insiders are calling time on practices that prioritise style over substance. Here's our refreshingly honest look at what needs to go - and why your dining experience will be better for it.
The Hidden Fee Fiasco
Let's talk about those sneaky charges creeping onto bills like uninvited guests at a dinner party. Cover charge, kitchen contribution, mandatory service fee, "optional" service that isn't really optional - by the time you've decoded the bill, you need an accountant and a stiff drink. Here's a radical thought for 2025: just charge what things actually cost. If your pasta needs to be more expensive because of rising costs, then make it more expensive. At least then your guests won't feel like they're playing financial hide and seek when what looked like a $50 meal mysteriously morphs into a $75 one.
The Tower of Terror Burger
The time has come to address those burgers that need planning permission from the local council. We're not sure when "can you actually eat this?" became less important than "will this go viral on Instagram?" but we're done dislocating our jaws for dinner. Between the structural engineering required to eat them and the inevitable dry cleaning bills from failed attempts, these towering monstrosities have had their moment. For 2025, let's bring back burgers that actually fit in human mouths and deliver all their flavours in one proper bite.
The Sweaty Charcuterie Situation
We need to discuss those sad, sweating meat plates wilting away on sun-drenched terraces. Yes, we all love a good charcuterie board, but watching premium salumi turn into a glistening, room-temperature catastrophe isn't anyone's idea of luxury dining. Some things, like polar bears and aged meats, simply belong in cooler climates. If your venue regularly hits temperatures that would make a salamander sweat, maybe it's time to rethink that al fresco cured meat selection.
The 'Healthy' Option That Really Isn't
Time to address the quinoa-shaped elephant in the room. Somewhere along the line, 'healthy option' became code for 'bury it in grains'. As more diners embrace keto, low-carb and gluten-free choices, kitchens are still stuck in the carb-loading era, turning every potentially healthy dish into a starch festival. A simple grilled fish doesn't need rice and quinoa - it's not carb bingo. For 2025, let's acknowledge that a properly conceived dish can be satisfying without throwing in every carb in the kitchen.
The 'We Make Everything In-House' Manifesto
Can we finally admit that not everything needs to be made in-house to prove your culinary credentials? Your pastry chef shouldn't be churning ice cream at 6am when there's an award-winning gelato maker down the road. That house-made ketchup that took three days to make and isn't quite as good as the bottled stuff? Nobody asked for it. Great restaurants know when to make and when to buy - it's about serving the best, not proving you can do everything. For 2025, let's celebrate knowing when to showcase others' expertise.
The Never-Ending Guest Chef Carousel
The guest chef circuit has officially jumped the shark. What started as exciting culinary collaborations has devolved into an endless parade of pop-ups, takeovers, and 'exclusive' events that are about as exclusive as rush hour traffic. Some venues now have more guest appearances than their own service days. The message? Your regular menu isn't exciting enough to draw crowds. Here's a thought for 2025: maybe focus on making every regular service special instead of teaching your guests to only book when there's a Instagram sensation in the kitchen.
The Vegan Menu Monopoly
Let's talk about the elephant in the room - or rather, the chickpea. In trying to cater to what's actually a tiny percentage of diners, some menus have become so vegan-focused they've forgotten about everyone else. Vegetarians can't find a decent cheese plate, coeliacs are stuck with limited options, and somehow every other dietary requirement has taken a back seat. Here's a radical thought for 2025: perhaps not every restaurant needs to be everything to everyone. There are brilliant vegan-specific venues out there doing amazing things - maybe it's time to let them take care of that market while the rest focus on balanced menus that serve their core audience well.
Moving Forward
As we head into 2025, perhaps it's time to remember what made great hospitality work in the first place — thoughtful service, honest pricing and food that delights rather than distracts. The best venues have always known that genuine care for your guests matters more than chasing trends or engineering the perfect Instagram moment..
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Marcus Treamer brings over 25 years of experience transforming hospitality businesses across Asia's most competitive markets. Now based in Koh Samui whilst maintaining strong international ties, he combines strategic marketing expertise with deep operational understanding to help venues realise their full potential.
Photo Credit - Mounir Salah on Pexels.