It’s 5:47 p.m. A guest sits in the car, phone in hand, scrolling.

They’re probably not asking, “Where should we eat?”
They’re likely considering, “What will feel worth it tonight?”

That question is the new reality—and it’s why experience has become one of the most strategic levers in foodservice. Even as some indicators show stabilization, confidence is still fragile. In the University of Michigan’s January 2026 final results, consumer sentiment moved up to 56.4—yet remained 21.3% below January 2025. (SCA ISR) People aren’t done being cautious. They’re just getting more selective.

Restaurants feel it in the day-to-day grind. The National Restaurant Association reported that after adjusting for menu-price inflation, eating and drinking place sales increased 1.2% between November 2024 and November 2025—positive, but not a demand wave that lifts all boats. (NRA) Meanwhile, wholesale food costs remain structurally elevated: as of November 2025, the Producer Price Index for All Foods stood 37% above its February 2020 reading. (NRA)

So, operators are building in a narrow corridor:

• guests are value-sensitive and intentional
• traffic is inconsistent
• costs remain elevated
• and loyalty is increasingly fragile

Our EMERGENCE® Q4 2025 data puts a bold underline on what leaders are living: 71% of operators say driving and maintaining customer traffic remains their top business challenge—remaining the top challenge for the past 10 quarters. And 60% indicate their traffic was flat or down in October 2025,  virtually unchanged versus a year ago.

That’s the tension. And it’s exactly why reinvention matters.

In our 2026 Predictions, we were clear: many brands won’t reach the next level by optimizing the old model. Breakthrough growth will require reinvention—new daypart roles, new channel economics, new operating systems, new value architecture, and in some cases, a new definition of what the brand is.

But reinvention has a truth test: Do guests feel it—and trust it—every time?  Because reinvention without trust becomes expensive experimentation. And trust is earned in the everyday moments guests experience faster than they can explain.

The proof: experience is now a profitability strategy

Operators aren’t treating customer experience like a “brand nice-to-have.” They’re treating it like a business lever. In our EMERGENCE Q4 Report, 57% of operators say enhancing the overall customer experience is their top strategy for maximizing profitability. That single number tells a bigger story: when demand is inconsistent, and discounting is a dangerous crutch, the most resilient brands don’t just win visits—they win return visits. Experience is how you earn the next choice.

What “memorable” really means in 2026

Here’s what’s striking: when operators define a memorable guest experience, they don’t lead with novelty. They lead with belief. A memorable guest experience isn’t accidental—it’s engineered through consistent, repeatable behaviors that build trust and drive loyalty. That’s why the “memorable” conversation is so powerful right now. It’s not fluff. It’s a blueprint.

(and how to turn them into action—fast) Source: Based on our EMERGENCE Q4 Report, Operators identified these top 6 drivers of what makes a memorable guest experience.

1. Consistent Quality — 72%
2. Consistency is the guest’s exhale. It’s the moment they stop evaluating you and start enjoying you.
   How to win at it: reduce variability (steps, handoffs, low-volume complexity). Train to outcomes (taste/temp/portion), not just procedures.
3. Warm, Genuine Hospitality — 69%
4. Hospitality is the human differentiator—especially as automation grows and teams are stretched.
   Where to start: operationalize “micro-hospitality” (greeting, handoff language, recovery moment). Make warmth a system, not a personality trait.
5. Speed & Efficiency — 62%
6. Speed signals respect. When time is protected, satisfaction rises—and throughput becomes revenue.
   The fix: map bottlenecks by daypart; redesign flow; measure speed with accuracy and recovery time.
7. Clean, Well-Kept Environment — 59%
8. Cleanliness communicates care. It tells guests your standards apply everywhere—not just the food.
   How to systemize: build visible cleanliness into the shift rhythm (ownership + checkpoints), not the “if we have time” list.
9. Welcoming First Impression — 49%
10. The first 10 seconds set the tone—friendly greetings build psychological safety and trust.
    Assign ownership: assign greeting ownership every shift. Script it: acknowledge → welcome → guide.
11. Consistency Across Locations — 47%
12. Consistency builds brand trust, reduces variability, and allows systems and scale to work as intended.
    Memorialize moments: standardize the moments, not just the menu—then coach to those moments relentlessly in checks and balances across the system.

The line I’d anchor on in 2026 planning: “Memorable experiences aren’t created by chance—they’re created by design.”

Days 0–30: Define belief

• Pick 3 “experience non-negotiables” that support your reinvention priorities
• Identify the top two experience leaks by daypart
• Build a one-page scorecard that field leaders can run weekly

Days 31–60: Engineer consistency

• Reduce steps where quality and speed break (prep/build/hold/handoff)
• Bake micro-hospitality into SOPs so it scales through turnover
• Make cleanliness + first impression visible and owned

Days 61–90: Prove the ROI

• Track throughput, remakes/refunds, review themes, repeat-visit signals
• Double down where the guest feels the lift
• Lock the new standard so reinvention doesn’t create chaos
  

EMERGENCE® is designed to move leaders from insight to action—combining senior-level operator surveys and interviews with live operator-supplier roundtables that spark collaboration and build solutions that actually scale. If you’re leading reinvention in 2026, the goal isn’t only designing the next model. It’s building the experience system that makes customers believe in it—across teams, dayparts, channels, and locations.

If you want, let’s run a fast Experience-to-Growth diagnostic: where belief is leaking (by daypart/channel/location), what to fix first, and which moves will lift return visits without adding complexity.

Kim Letizia  is a strategic innovator and transformational leader with Kinetic12, specializing in accelerating growth through powerful, collaborative partnerships within the foodservice industry. Kim inspires restaurant chains and suppliers to achieve exceptional results by challenging conventional thinking and embracing strategic innovation.

Kinetic12, is a Chicago-based foodservice and general management consulting firm. The firm works with leading foodservice suppliers, operators, and organizations on customized strategic initiatives, marketing communications, and culinary sales and innovation, as well as guiding multiple collaborative forums and best practice projects. They also engage as keynote speakers at operator franchise conferences and supplier sales meetings. Their previous leadership roles in restaurant chain operations and at foodservice manufacturers provide a balanced industry perspective.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help your organization through customized consulting, sales benchmarking, culinary & marketing, or through participating in our Collaborative Innovation and Emerging & Growth Chains programs.