What has had to happen, though, in order to maintain clientele during this downswing in the nation’s disposable income, is an evolution of sorts within the fine dining industry.  Incorporating lighter fare to accommodate women diners, for example, has brought more traffic to the otherwise conventional steakhouses.  And because attracting new customers has been the biggest challenge over the past several years, these establishments have had to make price point changes to their menus, offering moderate prices but still the same quality of service that has come to be expected in pricier restaurants.  Dress codes in many high-end restaurants have been relaxed, attracting younger generations with money to spend.  Making changes when needed while still maintaining the same lofty integrity haute cuisine is known for has been the goal of high-end operations, and achieving this goal time and again is keeping the industry alive.

And let’s face it, anyone who has dined in any genre of fine cuisine restaurants can tell you that the level of customer service they received is virtually unparalleled by the casual scene, much less the fast-casual restaurant atmosphere.  There is something to the concept that never ceases to impress:  maître d’s holding chairs for women, a rigorously trained staff that is there solely to meet your every need and to satisfy your every whim.  Chefs who deliver mouth-watering meals that are exquisitely crafted, taking risks with their menu items to impress their guests.  A menagerie of employees and atmosphere that can create “an illusion of a life where everyone is happy to see us, every need is met and everything tastes better. We need this now more than ever,” claims Daniel Patterson, chef, restaurateur, and food writer.

So what, then, is the take-away for casual and fast-casual enterprises?  As people are re-entering the world of dining out, the best restaurant owners and operators can offer them is quality—perfection in food, service, and atmosphere—each and every time a guest enters through their doors.  No, fast-casual prices don’t allow for a maître d to present you with a wine list or to escort you to the restroom during your meal.  But that doesn’t mean that customer service should be lacking.  No matter how established your restaurant is, you should value every customer as though they were your only one.  The best fast-casual operators don’t let their concept effect the level of service they provide.  Just a few minutes of interaction with customers can provide them with the same sense of attention they may receive at a high-end restaurant.  As George Green (a fast-casual expert) puts it, the best, most simple way to make a customer choose your restaurant over another is to “hire happy people who care about others and challenge them to make each customer’s experience better.”

When it’s all said and done, people just want to know they matter when they walk in to a restaurant.  Your operation’s ability to prove to them that they are important will bring them back through your doors, and that, after all, is what will make your restaurant a success, whether you fall in the realm of fine-dining, casual, fast-casual, or anywhere in between.

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And if the lingering recession didn’t seal the deal for these fast-casual operations, check this out: in 2008, the biggest rise in sales was from the 18-34 age demographic. That same group now makes up the 24-40 demographic, and their continued patronage of fast-casual restaurants persist in driving the market segment.

This top dining trend for 2015 is in it for the long haul, too, and other chains eager to mimic Chipotle’s style continue to open up nationwide—think Five Guys and Panera, Panda Express and Boston Market. Traditional sit-down establishments are opening their dining rooms for fast-casual lunches while their dinner formats remain unchanged, as demonstrated in Romano’s Macaroni Grill and their new Romano’s Kitchen Counter, where you can order from a special lunch menu customized to be speedy. You pay for your meal, take a seat, and your hot, fresh food will be delivered to you in under 7 minutes. Even pizza has jumped on board, with MOD joining the realm of fast, quality foods on the west coast and Uncle Maddio’s spreading across the east. Individual pizzas, made to order with the freshest ingredients and minimal waiting time, are picking up momentum among even the most environmentally conscientious of America’s time-starved crowds.

Many times a trend is just a passing fad that withers and dies almost as quickly as it caught hold. But this top trend of 2015 doesn’t seem to be at risk for slowing its pace. You can expect that sit-down markets will continue to dwindle as fast-casual establishments stay the course.

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