The demand for barbecue-related dining options has grown in recent years—and it’s helped items such as pulled pork, ribs and brisket become more popular in U.S. restaurants.1
Pork is actually one of the most frequently included ingredients in barbecue-oriented dishes. Items that contain it have appeared on more than a third of midscale restaurants’ menus (34.2%) and at approximately 42% of the casual dining establishments that serve dishes with barbecue elements.2
Read on to find out how you can craft the best lineup of barbecue selections to meet the escalating desire for smoky, filling fare.
Trends to Watch
Some of today’s popular culinary practices can give barbecue items extra appeal. More than 70% of restaurants refer to at least one of their menu items as spicy, for instance; ghost and Carolina reaper peppers can now be found on chain restaurant menus, and the milder aleppo peppers have begun to appear at trendy restaurants.3
Global cuisine elements can be another potential menu inclusion. Spicy components that have traditionally been utilized in Asian cuisine—like gochujang and other fermented bean pastes—can help deepen dishes’ flavor. For example, references to Thai barbecue have been appearing more frequently on menus in the western U.S. in the past year. International barbecue styles such as asado, braai and souvlaki have also gained ground.3, 4
Incorporating aspects of U.S. regional barbecue cuisine in dishes—one of the top trends the National Restaurant Association predicted we’d begin to see in 2024—can also potentially enhance menu items.4
Patrons at Big Chicken, a chain owned by Shaquille O’Neal with locations in 17 states, can order Uncle Jerome’s Nashville Hot chicken sandwich and sides of Carolina and Memphis BBQ sauce; Cracker Barrel Old Country Store began offering slow-cooked St. Louis-style ribs on Saturday nights in June 2024, served with a tangy-and-sweet barbecue sauce.5,6
To learn more about barbecue basics and state- and city-based varieties, check out our Definitive Guide to U.S. Regional BBQ.
Innovative Twists
Operators face frequent pressure to offer a fresh array of dining options—without drastically increasing prep time needs or expense. Reimagining classic pork barbecue dishes can help you create an easy-to-make menu adventurous eaters will appreciate.
Recipes like Korean Style Pork Tacos with Kimchi Slaw, Char Sui Pork Belly with Sesame-Celery Salad and Pork Tenderloin Ramen with Roasted Chiles and Asparagus provide a blend of unique flavors with an Asian twist.
To simplify operations, consider offering a rotation of seasonal or short-term dishes—such as a barbecue pork slider topped with pickled onions and a mustard-based sauce or a spicy barbecue pork sandwich with a jalapeño slaw—instead of introducing an endless stream of new dishes.
Creating your own signature barbecue sauce—served as a fried appetizer dip, inside a quesadilla or on a plate of pulled pork nachos—can be another great way to personalize your menu.
A mustard-tinged sauce, for instance, like the kind that’s used in South Carolina barbecue, could feature tangy and savory notes; a bold, smoky sauce made with chipotle peppers can help operators cater to customers who favor extra heat. A barbecue sauce made with mayonnaise and vinegar that’s akin to Alabama white sauce can infuse dishes with a creamy, tangy and slightly spicy taste.
Combining ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and spices will produce a sauce that’s both sweet and spicy—two elements that are now essentially ubiquitously included in restaurants’ barbecue ingredient-focused dishes. Highlighting any sweet components in barbecue sauce, such as honey or pineapple, is also a growing trend.2
While taste has the biggest influence on consumers’ food and beverage purchasing decisions, 62% say healthfulness is a factor. The number of consumers trying to consume more protein rose from 67% in 2023 to 71% in 2024.7
As a result, offering lighter barbecue pork fare that ties into better-for-you eating plans—like these Bulgogi-Marinated Pork Loin Lettuce Wraps or Pork Loin and Eggplant Skewers with Persimmon Chimichurri—could also help you attract customers looking for lighter options.
A New Take on Sides
Offering a wider array of side dishes than just the traditional coleslaw, mac and cheese and baked bean-type items may help you draw a larger pool of customers who have diverse tastes.
Trend-driven options could include Brussels sprouts—a vegetable that showed 123% menu penetration growth between 2019 and 2023—tossed in a balsamic glaze or maple syrup and smoked for a rich flavor.8
Grilled corn appeared 153% more often on menus during that four-year time period; zesty versions can include charred corn on the cob served with chile-lime butter.8
Pickled ingredients are also trending. More than 6.9 million pickles were ordered in 2023, an 89% increase from the year before. Pickled cucumbers, onions, watermelon or other produce can help provide a tangy contrast to the rich, smoky pork you serve.9
Enhancing the Dining Experience
While barbecue is often served in a somewhat casual setting, you can elevate customers’ dining experience by presenting dishes with a little flair.
Instead of picnic tables and disposable plates, restaurants such as Chicago Q serve barbecue classics in an upscale environment. The Chicago eatery features an elegant dining room, private party space and rare and exclusive bourbons.10
You don’t have to renovate your restaurant’s interior to provide a new atmosphere, though. Instead, try serving pork belly sliders on wooden boards—or presenting barbecue ribs on butcher paper alongside a container of your signature sauce.
By working elements like flavor trends, regional pork dishes and an expanded amount of sides into your menu planning, you can effectively address consumers’ growing interest in barbecue cuisine—and ensure each item has the maximum effect.
For additional information about how to successfully serve barbecue-inspired dishes, check out our complimentary Pork Pairings Guide.
[SOURCES]
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Barbecue Restaurants in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029), IBISWorld, May 2024
- The World of BBQ As Ingredient Report, Datassential, August 2023
- The World of Spicy Flavors Report, Datassential, February 2024
- What’s Hot 2024 Culinary Forecast, the National Restaurant Association, November 2023
- Menu, Big Chicken, January 2025
- “Cracker Barrel Announces Largest Menu Test in Brand’s History,” PR Newswire, June 25, 2024
- 2024 IFIC Food & Health Survey, the International Food Information Council, 2024
- The World of Plant Based Report, Datassential, March 3, 2024
- “Grubhub’s 2023 Delivered Trend Report Reveals Ordering Was All About ‘Doing it for the Vibes’ as Diners Found Joy in the Unconventional,” Grubhub, Dec. 12, 2023
- “Our Story,” Chicago Q website
