Every year, Menu Matters takes the consumer pulse to understand how they are feeling and what they want from the food industry in the year ahead. Too often we get so caught up in our own issues, goals, problems, etc., that we forget it all comes back to the ultimate end user—the consumer. Because before you decide to leverage a trend, ingredient, dish, flavor, cuisine, etc., you need to know if it’s something your end user even needs or wants.

So how are consumers feeling as we head into 2026? In a word, destabilized. They live in a world of internet slop, brands and leaders they don’t trust, a shaky economy, and a reality that seems to change with every new headline.

Last year, 2025, was a turning point, when advances in AI meant that suddenly every piece of content, from photos to videos to articles, could no longer be trusted—every piece of media now needs to be questioned. According to digital security research firm All About Cookies, 77% of internet users say they have been tricked by AI content online.

What does that mean for consumers? In short, they just want someone to be real with them. They want people and institutions they can trust. They want to know that brands have real people behind them who stand behind their products. They want real products—ingredients they can trust that feel like an actual value. They want real experiences that feel meaningful, not another cash grab.

Here are five ways you can be more real with consumers in 2026.

1. Cut through the noise. According to the International Journal of Communication, the average person is fed 74 gigabytes of information in a single day, or the equivalent of what an educated person would have consumed in their entire lifetime 500 years ago. But while consumers are being fed a lot of information, much of it isn’t very impactful (hours of scrolling through puppy and dance videos) or it’s “AI slop,” the low-quality content that is flooding digital spaces.

Many consumers also say their lives are being inundated with lots of friction—including new or hidden fees, constant subscription services, extra steps or unnecessary hoops they must jump through (like finding it difficult to cancel a service). Knowing this, how can you cut through some of that noise and help them find real content and solutions? How can your product create an easy, frictionless experience? How can your marketing efforts connect in a real way, not just add more noise?

2. Invent experiences that are unique to your customer. Today’s consumers also worry that they can’t be their own, real selves. “Cringe culture” has taken over, particularly for younger generations. They’re so afraid of being called out for doing something wrong, online or even in the real world, that they play it safe, never taking a chance to showcase their unique identity. But consumers are looking to break free from those strictures and showcase their individuality. So how do you help them? It goes beyond just letting them customize a bowl or sandwich and instead focuses on options that are truly unique to an individual.

Can you create products that speak to their heritage or background? What about hyper-local foods and flavors that feel unique to their town or region? Some social media users are even creating their own branded cafes in their homes, a way of using food to showcase who they are to their friends and family (albeit it in a very idealized way). How can your brand be the way that a person communicates their authentic self to the world?

3. Help consumers connect with people who understand them. As consumers discover and celebrate what makes them unique and authentic, they also want to connect with others who understand and respect that individuality. They want to find their tribe.

In the past we’ve talked a lot about the loneliness epidemic, noting that the hospitality industry is uniquely designed to bring people together. But helping them find their community goes beyond a simple lunch or dinner. It’s about bringing people together to celebrate their unique needs, whether it's an early morning dance club for Millennials who don’t want to stay out late at night or a PowerPoint night at the local bar where they can showcase their passions or knowledge. It’s about creating a more inclusive, empathetic world.

4. Develop more meaningful experiences. At a time when every digital technology is available to us, we’re also seeing a concurrent rise in “grandma hobbies” such as knitting, gardening, crafting, puzzles, etc. Why? They feel more meaningful to consumers. They are hands-on and tactile, hobbies designed for fun and pleasure instead of a side hustle, resulting in the development of a real skill and tangible outcome.

Today’s consumers are questioning everything, from work to technology to products, in order to create new paradigms that feel more meaningful and real. Food and cooking can be a very meaningful part of someone’s life—it can be the reward in their day, the way they showcase their creativity, the source of comfort and connection, etc. Are you helping your customer create those more meaningful experiences?

5. Create real trust. According to Gallup, only 16% of US consumers have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in big business, a new low. The default consumer response is often that a company or brand is out to get them—raising prices without ever lowering them, selling the same frozen products from the same distributors, announcing another recall. Consumers are skeptical of ingredients, whether it’s ultra-processed options or seed oils.

So how do you earn real trust from your customer? When Aldi offered a $40 Thanksgiving meal this year, these were some of the comments on social media: “Aldi is the real deal.” “Honestly the fact that a store actually cares is amazing.” “This is a blessing.” It all comes down to understanding your consumers’ needs.

Source: Maeve Webster and Mike Kostyo, Prepared Foods