Stand out with beer and global food pairings

The rise of global flavor cravings

Now that global-influenced foods have become mainstream, and culinary companies like McCain® Foods are delivering menu items with diverse flavor profiles, diners are enjoying them more often — particularly when accompanied by a complementary alcoholic beverage like craft beer.

Consumers are showing a growing appetite for bolder, globally inspired flavor experiences. Recent research shows that 75% of consumers express strong interest in globally inspired, fusion‑flavored snacks and meals,¹ and this demand is even stronger among younger guests. In fact, 68% of consumers under 40 say they want more adventurous, globally influenced options when dining out.² Together, these insights signal a major opportunity for operators to introduce creative, cross‑cultural flavors that excite guests and drive menu differentiation.

Pairing beers with global flavors

As global flavor influence grows, beer is becoming an even more powerful companion to these bold dishes. Guests increasingly want complete experiences, not just individual menu items, and beer plays a central role in that decision making.

In fact, 76% of consumers say they would participate in a restaurant‑hosted beer‑pairing dinner,³ and 74% would order a beer specifically selected to pair with their food.³ This strong interest shows that operators can elevate both flavor and profitability by pairing globally inspired dishes with complementary craft beers, creating memorable moments that keep guests engaged and coming back.

Advanced cultural pairings

Yet to really tap into the trend and grow sales, experts say operators must offer both traditional pairings — matching global foods with beers from the same regions — and also more advanced combinations.

According to insights from Toast’s 2025 Beer Trends, consumers are showing renewed interest in beer styles that celebrate regional heritage and traditional brewing methods. Guests are looking for beverages with a strong sense of place, gravitating toward classics like Czech pilsners, Belgian lambics and other styles rooted in authentic brewing culture. This shift is especially driven by beer aficionados who value craftsmanship, history and the stories behind what they drink. Small and independent brewers are responding by reviving traditional techniques and honoring local brewing traditions.⁴

With consumers increasingly seeking products that feel meaningful and connected to heritage, this trend toward authenticity is expected to grow rather than fade.

Exploring flavor profiles

 And speaking of trends, global flavors ranked among the top five culinary trends, with Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian and Latin American cuisines leading the way.⁵ When it comes to beer, craft breweries are continuing to push boundaries, expanding what beer can be by experimenting with ingredients such as exotic fruits, spices, herbs and even coffee or chocolate.

Styles like sour ales, barrel‑aged stouts and IPAs with unconventional hop profiles are becoming increasingly common on beer menus, offering adventurous drinkers bold new flavor experiences.⁴

A shareable like Takoyaki Fries using our McCain^® SureCrisp Max™ Regular Fries is an instant conversation starter. Finished with furikake, takoyaki BBQ sauce, Kewpie mayo and bonito flakes, these fries deliver a bold, share‑worthy flavor experience that gets guests talking.

An app to make pairing easier

Pairing beer with globally influenced dishes doesn’t have to feel complicated. Although this area is still emerging, operators now have far more support and inspiration available than in years past. With approachable starting points — like pairing crispy, spicy appetizers such as Anchor^® Crafted Beer Battered Jalapeño Bottle Caps with complementary beers — operators can experiment confidently and build pairing skills over time.

Here are a few simple guidelines to help you get started:

• Like with like. Pull common flavors or ingredients from the appetizer and match with a beer that has similar flavors. For example, serve Japanese small bites, such as sushi or orange chicken skewers, with beers that have a citrusy profile; or pair Brew City^® Beer Battered Thick Onion Rings with an Italian IPA.

• Hop to it. Pair hoppy or other bitter-forward beers with fatty, fried or rich appetizers. Hops — a bittering, flavoring and stability agent in beer — has a way of counterbalancing fat and heat without overwhelming. Try an IPA, for example, with Fiesta Bold Poppers Breaded Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños.

• Lighten up. Lighter, crisp beers, such as Kölsch or wheat ales, are a refreshing complement for spicy starters, such as the Anchor^® Crafted Beer Battered Spicy Pickle Spears.

Promoting the perfect pairing

Once you find the right pairings for your menu, you’ll need to convince guests you’ve nailed it.

Here are a few tactics:

• Train servers to suggest appropriate beers based on a customer’s food order; many operators say this is the best approach to selling more beer with food.

• Other operators are finding that printing recommended beer pairings directly on the menu helps guide diners in the moment and builds their confidence in trying something new. It also serves as an easy education tool that pays off over time, since 84% of adults 21 and older who drink wine, beer or cocktails say restaurants are a good place to learn about alcoholic beverages they haven’t tried before.3 This makes on‑menu suggestions an effortless way to influence choices and enhance the guest experience.

• Special beer pairing events are another approach employed by savvy operators looking to grow sales of beer and food pairings as well as to increase overall interest in the beverage category and in their establishments.

By pairing the right beer with your global-inspired offerings — especially high-profit margin appetizers — operators can reap even more benefits. This is the moment to explore, experiment and delight guests with pairings that push flavor forward and set your menu apart.

SOURCES
¹FlavourTrends; Review of February 2025 Flavour Trends.
²Mintel; 2023 U.S. Flavor Trends.
³National Restaurant Association; On the Menu: Trends in On- and Off-Premises Beverage Alcohol.
⁴Toast; 2025 Top 15 Beer Trends: Beer Stats and Trends.
⁵National Restaurant Association; 2024 Culinary Forecast.