Eating out is no longer just about food and drink. Innovations from apps that trace ingredients to fast-track ordering are shaping service expectations. But can too much seem gimmicky? And should restaurants concentrate on mastering quality ingredients rather than the latest tech?

Dining out is evolving. With the restaurant industry now worth over £40 billion in the UK alone, more venues are taking inspiration from theatre, television and film to create story-rich, immersive and highly sensory experiences that entice new diners through the door.

What will we all be eating in 2015? How will innovation within online deliveries continue to change how we shop for groceries? Why is ‘eating local’ becoming even more niche, and will we continue to eat quite so much kale?

The American appetite for fast food is waning. Instead, people are hungry for experiences. In response, fast food chain Taco Bell has launched an upmarket Mexican-American restaurant brand, aimed at a Millennial demographic demanding fresh, gourmet food in a casual setting.

From paying at self-checkouts to ordering with apps, modern shoppers are handling more and more elements of the shopping journey themselves. But is streamlining the shopping experience removing the personal element of retail?

In a high-pressure culture, traditional routines are dissolving as people look for services that fit around their schedule. Voodoo Ray’s fuses a premium pizzeria with cocktails, music and dancing until the early hours.

As McDonald’s sees sales slump, new reports suggest the brand is losing relevance with younger diners, as fast casual chains like Chipotle and Five Guys are seen as delivering better quality, fresher and healthier fare. Are Millennials over McDonald’s?

Keen for a few but can’t face the queue? The traditional British pastime of going down the pub is waning as impatient drinkers are opting to raise a glass at home. Could the introduction of self-service beer stations restore the pub to its former glory? PourMyBeer thinks so. Is DIY drinking about to replace the barman?