Based on millions of daily consumer interactions, Yelp data is at the center of the cultural conversation and can track emerging trends across hundreds of categories, including what’s new on menus across the country.
The platform’s June Trend Tracker is now live, surfacing trends that saw increases in searches from May 2024 vs. May 2023 to forecast the trends of the moment. One trend that is particularly interesting right now is that searches for Red Lobster are up 113%, with fans (even Flavor Flav) rallying to support the national chain (and save its famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits) after it recently declared bankruptcy.
Among the other notable food and drink trends from this month’s Trend Tracker:
- Pride Month – June is Pride Month, and Yelp users are increasingly searching for ways to support businesses owned by members of the LGBTQ+ community. Searches for “open to all” are up 34% and searches for “LGBTQ-owned” are up 18%.
- Mango Madness – This year, restaurants are finding creative ways to serve this sweet summer fruit and diners can’t get enough. Searches for “mango dessert” are up 182%, “mango sticky rice” up 91% and “mango sago” up 78%.
- Sober Summer – Searches for mocktails this May were higher than any other May in the past 5 years, with “mocktail” searches up 38% and "non-alcoholic" up 34%.
- At-Home Hibachi – People are taking the Blackstone Grill craze up a notch and bringing the entire hibachi experience to their homes. Searches for “hibachi catering” are up 241%.
- Protein Power – People are looking for delicious ways to boost their protein intake in their favorite breakfast foods, like protein pancakes, smoothies and even cottage cheese in their eggs. Searches for “protein smoothie” are up 77% and “protein pancake” up 10%.
The Yelp Trend Tracker is updated at the beginning of every month with trends the platform is seeing based on consumer search data.
