Discerning palates have just about everyone claiming the foodie title these days.
More discriminating taste and the trickling in of new food concepts has pushed Orange County’s restaurant industry to collectively up its game on quality and creativity, regardless of industry segment and business size.
Growth was definitely had, with sales of OC’s largest restaurant chains in 2018 growing 7% to $23.4 billion, according to this year’s list of the largest restaurants based here. The workforce of those same companies also ticked up some 4% to 24,000.
Self-improvement remains the dominate theme. Irvine-based Taco Bell Corp. continues to push the button on marketing with concepts such as this summer’s The Bell Hotel. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. of Newport Beach has added a second order prep line in its kitchens solely for digital order fulfillment—a channel that will only continue to grow for Chipotle and the rest of the industry. Companies such as Habit Restaurants Inc. and Juice It Up, both of Irvine, are growing door counts, while others like Wienerschnitzel look to new ad agencies to help breathe new life into their brands.
Expect 2020 to be another year driven by a focus on all things digital, improving in-restaurant experiences, creative marketing and sustainability.
