Accessible luxury rises as APAC diners move away from set menus
59% guests opt for casual dining experiences over formal ones.
A faster, more flexible dining experience is now the preferred choice amongst consumers in the Asia Pacific, with one in two preferring quick, casual dining to formal dining, according to the Future of Food 2026 Asia Pacific by Marriott International.
The report revealed how guest preferences have changed between 2025 and 2024, with more diners turning away from multi-course menus in favour of faster, more flexible experiences that don’t sacrifice quality or creativity.
53% guests prefer à la carte dining over set menus, whilst 59% guests opt for casual dining experiences over formal ones.
The report said this points to a trend towards accessible luxury, where exceptional and innovative cuisines are consumed in a more relaxed atmosphere.
In Asia’s new culinary landscape, accessibility trumps exclusivity, comfort food replaces haute cuisine, and rigidity gives way to relaxed dining. The report referenced burger chain Shake Shack’s collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs to create exclusive, elevated menu items.
The most popular in-room dishes were burgers, rice meals, and sandwiches.
Meanwhile, health has been high on the priority list for consumers. In a separate report by Mintel, interest in high protein claims has grown around the world, but has particularly taken off in APAC. Fibre-rich diets are also more popular in APAC, with this trend just starting to emerge in the West.
