The LuLac Edition #5, 483, November 1st, 2025

 

FOOD-TASTIC

NEWS

GOING OUT FOR 

A MEAL

Ever wonder why you choose what you choose when dining out? Here’s a deconstruction of the where, why and how. 

 

WHAT’S ON 

YOUR PALLET?

Comfort Food

Hearty Meals: Classic comfort foods like mac and cheese, fried chicken, and meatloaf are always favorites. These dishes evoke nostalgia and warmth, making them popular choices for diners.

Usually these meals are safe and mistake free. Once in a while you’ll get a clunker. But most comfort foods are prepared by good chefs who have tried and true recipes that are hard to screw up with Pot Roast leading that parade.

Plant-Based Alternatives

Meat Alternatives: Dishes featuring plant-based proteins, such as Beyond or Impossible burgers, are gaining traction. These options cater to health-conscious consumers and those seeking sustainable dining choices.

If you are vegan or vegetarian you’ll most likely enjoy these. But that stated, the calories content is a tad higher.

Fusion Tacos

Unique Flavors: Tacos that combine elements from different cuisines, such as Korean BBQ or Mediterranean flavors, are trendy and appeal to adventurous eaters.

Taco is the type of food that can be flexible in adding anything you want. But then there are the old stand bys from a fast food place like Taco Bell where you can always choose boring but tasty rather than complex.

Artisanal Sourdough Pizzas

Crafted with Care: Pizzas made with artisanal sourdough crusts are becoming increasingly popular due to their unique flavor and texture, offering a delightful twist on traditional pizza.

Yeah they’re good. In San Francisco a pesto sauce sourdough pizza was delightful but there are two additions that people in LuLac land like. The burnt cheese pizza which is gaining traction and whole wheat crusts.

Gourmet Toasts

Sophisticated Simplicity: Gourmet toasts topped with high-quality ingredients like avocado, smoked salmon, or seasonal vegetables are a hit for brunch or light meals. With places like Dunkin’, Starbucks, and other fast food places giving their endorsement, gourmet toast is here to stay.

Burgers

Classic Favorite: Burgers remain a staple in many restaurants, with options for premium toppings and unique flavor combinations driving their popularity. They are also highly profitable menu items.

Profitable? Ya think? You’d be hard pressed to get as burger under 10 bucks in most eateries. But they are safe and you can make your own variations on them.

Pasta Dishes

Versatile and Popular: Pasta dishes, especially those with specialty sauces or unique ingredients, continue to be a favorite among diners and offer good profit margins.

When we go to a high end restaurant, I usually let my wife get the lamb, steak or lobster and I go with a pasta. It  is less calories and brings down the bill.

Vegetarian and Vegan Dishes

Health-Conscious Choices: With a growing number of consumers seeking plant-based options, vegetarian and vegan dishes are increasingly popular and profitable.

Vegan restaurants usually start out with a bang but then peter out because there isn’t that consistent constituency that cannot be sustained economically. 

These items reflect current dining trends and consumer preferences, making them excellent choices for any restaurant menu. By incorporating a mix of these popular items, restaurants can attract a diverse clientele and enhance their offerings.

That stated, it’s all about four things:

1.        Choice.

2.        Taste quality.

3.        Price

4.        Service

5.        Consistency of product.

 

WHY SODA SALES 

ARE DECLINING

In the last 15 years, soft drink consumption declined by 60% just for teenagers Americans are ditching their sugary soft drinks and picking up healthier options, primarily bottled water. People arre turning away from high-priced, high-calorie beverages, leading to a substantial decline in demand.

In fact, soda consumption fell to its lowest point since 2016, with many Americans ditching sugary, carbonated drinks for water, coffee, and other healthier beverages. This trend change can be attributed to increased prices, health concerns, and market competition, leading to distinct changes in the soft drink industry and related industries.

Reasons for The Drop in Pop

Soda consumption is declining due to the high cost, health risks, and the increasing number of alternative beverages. Together, these factors have caused soda sales to decline massively. One of the top reasons people turn away from soda and soft drinks is the substantial impact inflation has had on these beverage prices. Since the 90s, the price of soda, like everything else, has only increased steadily without any change in the product.

While inflation is unavoidable, it has an exorbitant impact on soft drinks, as high oil prices, the cost of sugar, certain taxes, the rising demand for ethanol, and the cost of creating plastic all skyrocket. The cost of soda has risen roughly 45% in the last five years, and research suggests that prices will continue to grow.

Increased Health Consciousness 

The public’s increased awareness of healthy living habits has also made soda less favorable. The healthcare industry has taken a firm stance against soft drinks, as they offer almost no nutritional value but are high in calories and sugar.

The soda industry experienced a brief uptick in soda consumption following the release of zero-calorie, sugar-free, and diet alternatives. However, this did not last, as the medical community quickly warned people about the dangers of artificial sweeteners and how they are not as beneficial as some think. Diet sodas can lead to weight gain, slowed metabolism, and diseases like diabetes.

Abundance of Alternatives 

Lastly, the variety of alternative tasty beverages suffocates the soda industry even more. Even people not bothered by soda’s high prices or health risks have pivoted, enjoying other soft drinks that are just as flavorful and satisfying, such as iced tea.

 

Americans have a massive variety of beverage options; according to the US Department of Agriculture, there are over 500 drink choices. So soda companies have plenty of competition, and the market is only becoming more saturated as new and innovative drinks hit the shelves. 

 Questioning Sustainability

Soda has become a public health enemy and a symbol of the world’s greedy plastic consumption and excessive waste production.

While the lack of sustainability within the industry is not the main cause for the declined consumption, large soda companies have developed sustainability approaches to create a positive reputation.

 

MY TOP 5 FAVORITE SODAS

 

1.        Diet Coke.

2.        Dr. Pepper Blackberry Zero

3.        Classic Coke (8 ouces)

4.        Canada Dry Diet.

5.        Black Cherry Reading Soda

 

 

SODA PRICE WATCH

 

8 packs $4.99 to $7.00

12 packs $6.99 to $8.99

24 packs: $9.99 to $15.00

Can

Prices vary

Look for sales that run

Buy 2 got 1 free

2 for $12.00