Top Restaurant Menu Trends & Equipment Pairings for Canada in 2026
Discover the top restaurant menu trends for 2026 in Canada and the commercial equipment that maximizes ROI. Smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, cold brew, soft serve bars, and more.
Canadian operators are being forced to do two things at once in 2026: keep menus exciting and protect margin. The fastest path is pairing a trend with the right equipment so you can execute it faster, more consistently, and with lower labour.
This guide includes what to sell, what equipment drives ROI, and answers to common questions for each trend.
Quick Answer: The Best 2026 Equipment Pairings in Canada
Smash burgers: Two-sided grills for speed and consistency
Fried chicken sandwiches: Henny Penny pressure fryers for throughput and repeatability
Plant-forward bowls and proteins: Commercial air fryers when you want crisp results without oil
Cold brew and premium coffee: Franke coffee machines to reduce labour and standardize quality
Soft serve and sundae bars: Commercial soft serve machines to add a high-margin dessert anchor
Non-alcoholic cocktails and frozen drinks: Start with the slush machine guide, then scale with commercial slush machines
Why Trends Matter More in 2026
Menu innovation is being pulled in two directions:
Diners want novelty and "experience," including better beverages and shareable items. Operators need value engineering and labour efficiency to protect margin.
Equipment is what turns a trend into a repeatable programme. For Canada-specific industry context, Restaurants Canada publishes annual research and forecasts through its reports and research tools.
The Top 7 Restaurant Menu Trends for 2026 in Canada
1. Smash Burgers and Burger Builds
What's trending: Thin patties, hard sear, fast build, consistent cook.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
Two-sided grills (Taylor clamshell style) to remove flipping and standardize cook time across staff.
Why this pairing wins:
Faster ticket times during rush
Consistent sear and doneness
Less skill required on the line
Do I need a two-sided grill for smash burgers?
Not required, but it's a significant consistency upgrade when you scale beyond a single cook.
What should I optimize first?
Cook time consistency, then holding, then build station flow.
2. Fried Chicken Sandwiches and "Crispy Chicken" Everything
What's trending: Chicken sandwiches, crispy bites, spicy variants, value bundles.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
Henny Penny pressure fryers for speed and consistent, high-volume frying.
Why this pairing wins:
Throughput and repeatability
Better consistency across locations and shifts
If you are running big volumes, also evaluate the larger capacity line: High-volume pressure fryers.
Pressure fryer or open fryer for sandwiches?
Pressure fryers are often chosen when you need fast cook times and consistent results at volume.
What kills margin on chicken?
Oil management, waste, and labour minutes per order.
3. Plant-Based Proteins and Plant-Forward Comfort Food
What's trending: Plant-based mains, plant-forward bowls, veggie-forward sides, healthier comfort foods.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
Commercial air fryers for crisp textures without oil.
Why this pairing wins:
Cleaner workflow for plant-forward items
Lower oil handling complexity
Great for crispy vegetables and sides
Is oil-free frying actually viable commercially?
It can be, if your menu and throughput match the unit's capacity and workflow.
What is the best menu fit?
Crispy sides, plant-forward bowls, and items where "less greasy" is part of the value proposition.
4. Cold Brew, Nitro-Style Beverages, and Premium Coffee Expansion
What's trending: Better coffee as a profit centre, more variety, faster service with less labour. Canada's 2026 dining trends also highlight experience and beverage moments.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
Franke coffee machines for bean-to-cup consistency with automation that reduces training time.
To browse model ranges: Franke A Series.
Why this pairing wins:
Standardized drinks across staff and shifts
Faster service and less barista dependency
Why do coffee programmes win in 2026?
Beverages tend to be high-margin, and consumers continue to treat coffee as an "affordable upgrade."
What should I measure?
Drinks per hour, waste, and staff time per drink.
5. Soft Serve, Sundae Bars, and "Dessert as an Experience"
What's trending: Build-your-own sundaes, seasonal flavours, premium toppings, dessert bundles.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
Commercial soft serve machines as the anchor.
For the business case, see: Think Soft Serve. TFI notes soft serve programmes can deliver 70 to 80% gross profit when managed well.
What's the easiest way to launch a sundae bar?
Start with 1 to 2 base flavours, then rotate toppings seasonally.
What is the biggest operational risk?
Uptime and cleaning discipline.
6. Non-Alcoholic Cocktails and "Adult" Beverage Moments (Zero-Proof)
What's trending: Zero-proof cocktails, functional flavours, mocktail menus, premium presentation.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
For frozen mocktails and high-velocity summer drinks, build around frozen beverage execution with the slush machine guide.
Then scale equipment selection through commercial slush machines.
Why this pairing wins:
Frozen beverage menus can be standardized and upsold easily
Visual drinks generate social content
Are frozen mocktails worth it in Canada?
They are seasonal winners in high-traffic locations, especially when paired with limited-time flavours.
What matters most: recipe or machine?
Both, but the machine determines speed, consistency, and product quality at scale.
7. Value-Engineered "Combo Culture" and Speed-First Menus
What's trending: Simplified menus, fast builds, bundles, and formats that protect margin during cost pressure.
Best equipment pairing for ROI:
Automation-heavy cooking equipment that reduces labour minutes and training burden.
For burgers and chicken, the pairing often becomes two-sided grills plus pressure fryers, then layer in beverage automation.
How do I pick "speed-first" equipment?
Track the slowest station first, then buy equipment that removes the manual step.
What is the fastest ROI lever?
Labour time saved per order during peak.
How Menu Innovation Drives Equipment Investments
If you want a menu trend to generate reliable revenue, it has to be operationally repeatable, not just exciting on paper. Use this checklist before you invest in new equipment:
Does the trend increase average check size? Look for items that naturally create add-ons, like pairing smash burgers with premium fries, or adding a dessert or beverage attachment to popular mains.
Does the equipment reduce labour minutes per item? Prioritize automation that removes manual steps—examples include two-sided grills that eliminate flipping, high-efficiency fryers that cut cook times, and bean-to-cup coffee systems that replace barista-heavy workflows.
Does it improve consistency enough to support premium pricing? If equipment can standardize portioning, cook times, and drink recipes, you can charge more with less waste and fewer remakes.
Can you service and maintain it locally? High-ROI equipment only pays back if it stays online, so confirm there is local installation, maintenance, and repair support before you commit.
Ready to Build a 2026 Menu That Actually Pays Back?
If you tell TFI your concept, province, daily volume, and which of these trends you want to execute, we can recommend the fastest ROI equipment stack:
Burgers: Two-sided grills
Chicken: Henny Penny pressure fryers
Coffee: Franke coffee machines
Frozen beverages: Slush machine guide
Contact TFI to discuss your equipment stack and ROI plan for 2026.
Nicole Camposeo-Cheung is the Director of Marketing, People & Culture at TFI Food Equipment Solutions, Canada’s leading provider of premium commercial foodservice equipment. She combines her expertise in business management and fashion arts to foster a dynamic, innovative, and people-centric corporate culture. Passionate about empowering teams, building strong client relationships, and driving growth through creativity and collaboration, Nicole plays a key role in shaping TFI’s brand and workplace culture. She also shares her industry expertise and insights through the TFI blog, helping foodservice professionals stay informed about the latest trends, best practices, and innovations in commercial food equipment.
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