There is nothing more sought after the world over than food. For some, it is hand to mouth for survival purposes, but for others, the wide world of food can be an incredibly immersive experience. Every culture around the world features a culinary aspect with recipes being handed down through generations, growing and changing with the times, which has led to the restaurant industry grossing almost $900 billion in the US alone.

The most popular restaurant types

When examined closely, restaurants typically fall into one of four base categories.

• Fine dining
• Casual dining
• Family style
• Fast food

Each of these restaurant styles features unique characteristics that distinguish the difference in category. Within these 4 main categories, there are further sub-categories of cuisine types and origins that further pinpoint the restaurant type.

The introduction of new restaurant styles

As the trend of restaurants continues on its path to grow and adapt, we are beginning to see a little more variation in the style of restaurants that are available in most modern American towns. These new restaurant styles take elements from the 4 base categories and combine them, creating new restaurant sub-categories. The most recent of these new restaurant styles include:

•  Food trucks – the easily transportable restaurant option that can be located anywhere, subject to permit and council approval
• Pop-up restaurants – a stage for popular chefs to showcase their cuisine in a location that is only temporary
• Ghost restaurants – with the recent rise in food delivery sales, these restaurants don’t have any permanent location and are often operated out of a home base

The changing dynamics of new restaurant types

As with the introduction of anything new, there is always a period of adjustment that needs to take place. The current trend in new restaurant styles is the impermanence of their physical location. Food trucks and pop-up restaurants have moved away from the traditional concept of a permanent location while ghost restaurants have dropped the customer-facing locations altogether.

With the changing dynamics of how these new restaurant styles are operated, things like licensing and insurance become more and more difficult for business owners to ascertain. A restaurant insurance quote which was once based on the outlet itself now has new factors in play including the attachment of a motorized vehicle or a changing location. Ghost restaurants tend to be attached to or a part of private residences which can sometimes cause difficulties when it comes to sanitation certifications and business licensing.

Issues faced by innovative restaurateurs

As the fast-paced food service industry surges ahead with change and innovation, support services and certifying bodies are struggling to keep up with the ever-changing dynamics of modern restaurant styles. Without the adaptation of licensing, insurance, and certifications, business owners will continue to face issues with the development of new restaurant ideas which may result in a decrease in the number of businesses that are officially operating within the restaurant space. With improved support, licensing, and services, the sky's the limit for this innovative industry.