Hot menu trends from the Top 100

Restaurants in this year’s Top 100 Independents ranking brought in a combined $1.8 billion last year. They did this in spite of today’s challenging operating climate, and many found success in part by adding new menu options. Popular new permanent dishes and LTOs ranged from cocktails to specialty sandwiches to an overall focus on fresh proteins. A look at the menus of these top-earning independents sheds light onto some bigger trends that have the potential to trickle down to the rest of the industry.