Elevation Burger is a great position to dominate the restaurant industry in 2017.Hollis Johnson
As 2016 comes to a close, the restaurant industry is prepping for a new year.
We spoke with restaurant industry experts Catherine De Orio, an executive director of the culinary nonprofit Kendall College Trust, and Shilen Patel, co-founder of the consultancy Independents United, to see what restaurants chains they are looking out for in 2017.
Here are seven chains poised for a breakthrough in the new year, according to De Orio and Patel:
1. Sweetgreen
"They have had tremendous growth and have seemingly succeeded where many other chains that have tried to redefine healthy fast food have failed," De Orio told Business Insider. "It ticks all the important boxes: clean eating, responsible sourcing and community building."
2. Elevation Burger
Elevation Burger fits the trend of restaurants providing a specific type of "healthy" food, according to Patel. In this case, the 59-location chain has succeeded in crafting a burger made with organic, grass-feed beef that is just as tasty as the competition.
"If I'm going to eat a burger, I'm going to eat one... that's 100% organic, with no antibiotics, no hormones," Patel said. "If I'm the kind of person who not only wants to eat well, but also cares about how I'm affecting the world around me, it becomes a very easy choice for me."
3. Freshii
"[Customers] are looking for healthy options that really work for them," he said.
4. Protein Bar
Protein Bar serves up healthy and protein-packed variations on burritos, bowls, and salads, as well as a vitamin-packed smoothie menu. The chain opened its first location in 2009, and now has 20 restaurants in
Chicago, Colorado, and Washington, DC.
"It’s about flavor, convenience and nutrition," said De Orio. "It hits all the hot button topics in fast causal dining."
5. Chipotle
While Chipotle has had an exceedingly difficult 2016 following an E. coli scandal that
hugely impacted sales, De Orio believes the brand is due for a comeback.
"They are a strong brand with a solid philosophy and a loyal, cult-like following," she said. "2017 should see them on the upswing."
6. Verts
Verts — which opened its first location in Austin in 2011 — debuted restaurants New York and Boston in 2016 and plans to continue its East Coast expansion in the new year.
"The original kebab and eating culture comes from Mediterranean eating culture, which is incredibly healthy," Patel said. Verts is perfectly positioned to remind Americans that falafel doesn't have to be a cheat day treat, he continued.
7. Pret A Manger
Chloe Pantazi/Business Insider
The London-based sandwich shop has more than 350 locations around the world — something that, according to Patel, makes the chain's ability to spot trends even more impressive.
"They have always been slightly ahead of the trend," he said.
In 2016, Pret A Manger's strategy for staying ahead of trends meant opening
a popular vegetarian location. Next year, Patel says he doesn't know what the chain will do — but he's sure it will help set the tone for the rest of the industry.
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