On the plate: Proteins with power
Between the effects of the economy and changing consumer tastes, developing menus is no longer a “meat-and-potatoes” proposition, thanks in part to what proteins attract today’s restaurant-goers.
Let’s go back to 1976, when restaurant menus were simpler, as was the sections of available proteins, compared to 2026, with the range of available proteins far more extensive, giving restaurant kitchens and consumers more options—even when it comes to all-American comfort food and “traditional” dishes at white tablecloth restaurants. Fifty years ago, diners leaned toward steaks and prime rib, fried chicken, creamy chicken casseroles, pork and lamb chops and shrimp with a side of potatoes and whatever vegetable was in season. The “diet” plate of 1976? A naked hamburger patty with cottage cheese or green salad.
