RESTAURANTS FUTURIST AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER: WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF DINING AND FAST FOOD?

Ask a restaurants futurist or keynote speaker and they’d note that the industry is undergoing a pronounced evolution right as we speak. But where have we been: Where is the future of casual, fast food and fine dining going? We’re glad you turned to your favorite restaurants futurists and keynote speakers for answers: Below is a quick overview of the history and evolution of restaurants:

• To start out: Early inns and taverns served food in ancient Rome, China, and Europe, but restaurants as we know them emerged in 18th century France. All were establishments serving meals at a fixed price at any time of day.
• The first modern restaurants opened in Paris in the 1760s and 1770s, or so restaurants futurists and keynote speakers tell us, offering luxurious dining experiences to upper class patrons. French chefs developed haute cuisine during this period.
• Dining establishments then spread to other European cities and America in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Taverns and coffee houses also began offering more food options.
• The Industrial Revolution and rise of the middle class in the 1800s drove the rapid growth and development of restaurants. New technologies like refrigeration enabled larger-scale feeding operations.
• In the late 1800s and early 1900s, elegant dining halls and posh restaurants catered to the upper class. Meanwhile, modest working-class “diner” eateries became common.
• Prohibition in the 1920s boosted the popularity of diners and luncheonettes, as they replaced bars and taverns as social gathering places, or so restaurants futurists and keynote speakers point out as well.
• After World War II, returning GIs and the rise of the suburbs fueled demand for restaurants in America. Fast food chains like McDonald’s began spreading.
• The 1970s saw the rise of more casual, ethnically diverse independent restaurants. Chain restaurants continued expanding through the 1980s and 1990s.
• Technology, celebrity chefs, and global cuisines influenced restaurants in the 21st century. Social media and review sites like Yelp shaped the industry.
• The Covid-19 pandemic forced major changes, including capacity limits, takeout/delivery, and labor shortages. But restaurants remain an indispensable part of social and cultural life.