New research from Datassential shows how social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube create visually driven spaces where food can become an art form. “Viral food content not only captivates the public’s attention but also encourages them to try new items, often propelling these concepts into mainstream menus. However, the fleeting nature of social media can make it hard to differentiate a long-lasting trend from a momentary fad,” according to Datassential.

Datassential said the key to predicting whether a new food or flavor is in fact a trend or just a short-lived fad that will stand the test of time is embracing data and safe experimentation.

Datassential’s Social Media Sensations, a “real-time pulse on what’s trending on social media,” was created as a way to help showcase how each social media food or beverage fares in consumer interest. Food posts are ranked on #TheIndex and are compared to all of the items Datassential has tested to date, which is now nearly 70.

Smashburger tacos, chocolate strawberry cups, and scrambled pancakes currently rank high on the Index. Forty-six percent of those surveyed show an interest in trying smashburger tacos, which consists of ground beef smashed onto a tortilla, topped with classic burger toppings and eaten like a taco according to Datassential.

The chocolate strawberry cup, which is sliced strawberries layered in a cup and topped with melted chocolate, received a 45% interest in trying. Coming in third, scrambled pancakes, which are pancakes cooked like scrambled eggs “yielding crispy funnel-like pieces,” received a 44% interest in trying.

Other trending items on the index include a chopped Italian sandwich, freakshake, pastina, pasta chips, Brazilian lemonade, and a salmon rice bowl.

Read more about evolving food and beverage taste preferences in the October 2024 issue of NACS Magazine article, “Flavor Forward.”