Comfort Food vs Trend Food: What Actually Sells in 2026

A foodservice perspective from The Original Baker

At The Original Baker, we work closely with cafés, food-to-go operators, farm shops and travel locations across the UK. Every day, we see what sells quickly, what holds up operationally, and what quietly drops off menus.

In 2026, one debate comes up more than any other: comfort food versus trend food.

Operators feel pressure to stay relevant, react to flavour trends and offer something new. At the same time, they need food that moves fast, bakes reliably and delivers margin without adding complexity. From our perspective, the answer isn’t choosing one over the other; it’s understanding how the two now work together.

Savoury pastry sits right at the centre of that shift.

The Reality of Food-to-Go in 2026

What we’re seeing across foodservice is a more demanding environment on every level. Costs remain high, staffing is tighter, and customers expect speed without compromise. At the same time, menu prices have risen, which means customers are more deliberate about what they choose.

That has changed how products need to perform. Food must justify its price immediately. It has to feel substantial, satisfying and worth the spend. And it has to work consistently, from frozen to oven, from oven to hot-hold, from counter to takeaway bag.

In this environment, anything that slows service or needs explanation struggles. Products that are familiar, reliable and flexible perform best. That’s one of the reasons savoury pastry continues to earn its place on the counter.

Across foodservice, three pressures continue to shape menus:

• Premiumisation without excess — customers will pay more, but only when value is obvious

• Faster service expectations — hesitation kills conversion

• Ingredient scrutiny — customers are more aware of what’s inside their food

In response, products now need to:

• Sell instantly, without explanation

• Deliver a “proper meal” feeling

• Work reliably from frozen or chilled

• Justify price through quality, not novelty

This is where savoury pastry has proved remarkably resilient — and adaptable.

Why Comfort Food Still Anchors Menus

From what we see, comfort food hasn’t lost relevance — it’s become more important.

Familiar formats like sausage rolls, pies, pasties and turnovers remove friction at the point of sale. Customers understand them instantly, which speeds up decisions and keeps queues moving. In busy food-to-go environments, that matters.

What has changed is the expectation of quality. Customers now want comfort food to feel like a proper meal. They’re looking for generous fillings, good pastry, confident seasoning and visible value. “Cheap” is no longer the draw; well-made is.

That’s why classic savoury pastry continues to deliver strong, consistent sales when it’s done properly.

Premiumisation: What It Really Means on Counter

Premiumisation is one of the biggest shifts we’re seeing, but not in the sense of luxury or excess.

For customers, premium now means reassurance. It’s about knowing where ingredients come from, seeing quality in the product and trusting that what they’re buying is worth the price. All-butter pastry, higher-welfare meat and carefully developed fillings are cues customers recognise immediately.

For operators, this type of premiumisation works because it doesn’t complicate service. The product still bakes the same way, holds the same way and packages the same way - it just delivers more value per sale.

From our point of view, the strongest premium products are those that elevate familiar formats rather than reinvent them.

Trend Flavours: How We See Them Working

We’re absolutely seeing interest in global and fusion flavours — including Indo-Chinese, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences, but how they’re used has changed.

What performs best are culinary infusions, not full reinventions. Gentle spice, added depth, warming aromatics or subtle heat can refresh a familiar product without alienating customers or slowing decisions.

When trend flavours are layered into known pastry formats, customers feel confident trying them. When they dominate or require explanation, conversion drops. That’s why we believe trends work best when they enhance comfort food rather than compete with it.

Global flavours are still in demand, but in controlled doses.

Indo-Chinese, Korean, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences are appearing most successfully when they:

• Sit inside familiar pastry formats

• Enhance, rather than replace, the core flavour

• Avoid alienating less adventurous customers

Think warming spices, umami depth, gentle heat or aromatic notes - not dishes that require explanation at the counter. If you’re curious about where savoury pastry is heading next - from plant-based options to portable formats and proudly British classics - our Pastry Trends 2026 round-up dives into the flavours and formats set to shape the year ahead:

Multi-Texture: The Quiet Upgrade

We’re seeing more demand for multi-texture pastry, creamy toppings against crunchy, flaky bases. It’s a simple way to make familiar formats feel premium: better bite, better satisfaction, better perceived value. The key is performance: stay crisp, hold shape, and pack cleanly. Do that, and multi-texture becomes the easy “upgrade choice” on a counter, without slowing decisions.

What Makes Multi-Texture Pastry Work on Counter:

• Creamy + crunchy contrast (soft top, crisp base, flaky edge)

• Stays crisp under service (doesn’t steam and slump)

• Holds its shape (looks good in cabinet, survives a grab-and-go rush)

• Packs cleanly (no messy topping smear, no soggy base)

• Feels like an “upgrade” without needing a long flavour story

Savoury–Sweet: A Secondary Driver, Used Carefully

We’re also seeing more interest in savoury–sweet balance, particularly in products that bridge lunch and treat occasions. Subtle sweetness can add complexity and appeal without pushing a product into unfamiliar territory.

That said, we see these products working best as part of a wider range rather than as core lines. Comfort still drives volume. Savoury–sweet products add interest and variety, but only when they sit comfortably alongside more familiar options.

Sweet-savoury fusion is growing, but it’s a supporting act, not the headline.

We’re seeing interest in:

• Subtle sweetness to balance savoury fillings

• Pastry formats that bridge lunch and treat occasions

• Products that feel comforting rather than challenging

When used sparingly, these cues add interest without slowing decisions.

Ingredient Mindfulness: What Customers Are Responding To

Customers are more ingredient-aware than they were a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean they’re chasing low-fat or “diet” food.

What they want is confidence. They want to recognise ingredients, trust the process and feel good about what they’re choosing. In pastry, that means better fats, simpler formulations and clear communication around how products are made.

From our experience, when food feels honest and considered, customers are more willing to pay for it - and more likely to come back.

What We’re Building For in 2026

The most successful menus we support aren’t choosing between comfort and trend. They’re anchoring in familiar savoury pastry, then refining it through better ingredients, subtle flavour development and strong operational performance.

Classic lines still do the heavy lifting. Elevated comfort products create differentiation and margin. Limited or seasonal variations add freshness without disrupting flow.

Crucially, everything works within the same operational system, same bake, same hot-hold, same packaging. Trends are adapted to the realities of foodservice, not the other way around.

Our View

In 2026, trendy food doesn’t replace comfort food - it refines it!

Savoury pastry continues to perform because it delivers what both customers and operators need: familiarity, value, reliability and flexibility. Trends matter, but only when they strengthen those fundamentals.

The food that sells best isn’t the loudest or the most novel. It’s the food that customers trust, understand and enjoy eating again and again.

That’s the lens we build through, and it’s why comfort, done properly, still wins.

The operators seeing the strongest results are:

• Anchoring menus in familiar savoury pastry

• Using trends to enhance, not complicate

• Focusing on ingredient quality over novelty

• Keeping service fast, consistent and confident

Comfort still sells. It just wears better clothes now!

Want to go deeper on where premium comfort is heading next? Have a read of our earlier piece on how the humble sausage roll has levelled up - and why it’s become one of Britain’s strongest food-to-go sellers: