The way consumers approach mealtimes has dramatically changed over the past few years. Instead of eating at pre-determined mealtimes, or simply when they’re hungry, consumers increasingly let lifestyle dictate their eating tendencies. This “daypart blurring” is driven by consumer habits like all-day breakfast, snacking, beverage-led dining occasions and more flexible schedules stemming from hybrid and remote work.
This behavioral shift has had an enormous impact on foodservice: 42% of foodservice operators report their guests are eating more meals at non-traditional times or choosing menu items that don’t align with a specific daypart.¹
Check out four key ways you can develop more fluid dining environments and menus to meet the shifting needs.
1. Extend Breakfast
Consumers are increasingly craving breakfast items throughout the day. Today, 42% of restaurants offer all-day breakfast, with those operators who’ve made the switch often seeing increased sales, traffic and profits.2
.jpeg)
Opportunity: Extend your breakfast offerings into all-day menus or brunch-like offerings, especially on weekends when consumers have more time to indulge.
Product Pick: Breakfast just isn’t the same without Smucker’s® portion control complements. Our preserves, jams, jellies, honey and syrup make it easy to serve breakfast flavors any time of day, and in whatever spaces their schedules allow.
2. Heed Hybrid Lifestyles
With the rise of remote and hybrid work, traditional lunch hours are becoming less predictable. Consumers are shifting their lunchtime habits, sometimes opting for lighter, healthier options or grabbing a quick snack on the go. Fast-casual sales are shifting from breakfast to lunch, meaning operators must work harder to hold onto midday diners.2
.jpeg)
Opportunity: Hybrid work will continue to impact weekday lunch. By focusing on better-for-you options that deliver craveability,2 you’ll encourage more dine-in and grab-and-go traffic.
Product Pick: Jif® peanut butter is a satisfaction magnet. Whether it’s mixed into recipes or served in convenient dipping cups with fruits and veggies, it brings the perfect combination of protein and craveable comfort to the table.
3. Bring People Together
Although dinner remains a stable daypart, consumers increasingly seek social, shareable and experiential dining. Even at home, people are looking for comfort food that connects them with others.2
.jpeg)
Opportunity: Focus on creating dinner options that promote connectivity and comfort whether they’re dining in or taking out. Shareable items and family-style offerings are a great way into this trend, and comfort flavors with widespread appeal encourage togetherness.
Product Pick: Pair Smucker’s bulk jams, jellies, and preserves with Jif peanut butter to create comforting, shareable dishes that appeal to both dine-in and off-premise customers. These familiar, nostalgic flavors help foster a sense of connection and comfort that give color to any dining experience.
4. Embrace Snacking Any Time
With cravings driving much of snacking, consumers split their interest between indulgent and better-for-you options.2 Whether it’s for fuel, indulgence or social connection, snacks are now a key part of the modern eating experience.
.jpeg)
Opportunity: Recognize the different motivations behind snacking in your segment. In limited service restaurants, snacking is shifting toward “better-for-you,” with consumers seeking fuel between meals. In casual dining, snacking is about those in-between meal social gatherings, meaning social connection is the top priority.2 Focus on providing options that balance convenience, taste, and nutrition.
Product Pick: Individually packaged Smucker’s® Uncrustables® sandwiches balance portable craveability with better-for-you goodness—like up to 6g of protein—to keep snackers going.
As dayparts continue to blur, aim to balance offerings without trying to be “everything to everyone,” instead ensuring there’s “enough for everyone” at any time of day. Our broad, versatile portfolio—anchored in craveability, portability and ease—is the perfect partner for operators navigating the fluid new world of dayparts.
1Technomic Noncommercial Foodservice Segment Updates January 2025
2Technomic Daypart Dynamics: Identifying Opportunities for Growth: January 2025
