Trending Now- Pasta on the Menu

Here at Barilla we pay close attention to what’s happening with our category of pasta on the menu. Even though we’ve been doing this for 143 years, there’s always something new to learn! We recently checked in with our partners at the research firm Datassential to take the pulse of the industry, and share the highlights and key takeaways here:

– Pasta is on 38.4% of US restaurant menus

– Pasta is growing +1% over last year

– Over the past 12 months, there have been 79 pasta introductions from the top 250 chains. That is more than 1 new pasta introduction a week!


What’s the story here? Pasta is a menu mainstay, both for consumers looking for value and comfort foods, and for operators who know pasta’s ability to balance food costs and satisfy diners. In the last recession, pasta became even more prevalent on menus, for many of these very reasons. But most of all, it’s because 85% of consumers either love or like pasta – for context, that’s on par in popularity with chocolate chip cookies and cheeseburgers!

pasta guide, pasta trends, best pasta shapes

While familiar cuts and shapes are both widely available and popular, operators are always looking for ways to differentiate their offering. Featuring less common cuts can set you apart or let you tell a story with your menu.

For more on the stories behind the names of some of these shapes, check out the pasta encyclopedia.

For recipe inspiration and collections for takeout and delivery, click over to the recipe section.