There will always be a time and place when travelers on the go won’t have time for a sit-down meal. International merchandising and food service equipment company Hubert U.S. validates this in its 2022 study and infographic showing sales of grab-and-go fare spiking by 72 percent. One can intuit that grab-and-go staples like turkey sandwiches, Caesar salads, portable fruit-and-cheese plates and yogurt parfaits remain mainstays in refrigerated grab-and-go counters at limited-service hotels, well-appointed business hotels and luxury resorts with Michelin-star restaurants, Instagram-able lounges and elaborate buffets.
Customers of all hotel categories have evolved, however, and crave a broader and more customizable selection in the refrigerator case. There is a consensus among representatives from hotels we spoke with that demand is on the rise for plant-based options, selections for restricted diets, locally sourced items and globally influenced flavors. The takeaway? Hospitality decision-makers and culinary teams who listen to guests and take the initiative to offer more diversified, healthier and better-labeled products are benefiting.
A Team Effort
“Just as a more chef-driven approach has taken hold in hotel restaurants across categories and the country,” said Heather Turner, veteran chef and a certified “SCORE” Mentor who helps restaurant and hospitality clients with addressing food cost issues, training issues for kitchen and dining room flow, food and wine pairing, and others relevant topics. “When a hotel's signature restaurant puts its name on a grab-and-go item—even something as simple as a house-made energy bite—it creates brand continuity that guests notice and remember. That connection between the restaurant kitchen and the retail shelf is where the most interesting food decisions are happening right now.”
This holds true at luxury properties in outdoorsy destinations like Hawai’i, Puerto Rico and Mexico where guests spend a significant time off-property but still want to take the benefits of its wellness programs and signature flavors with them on their off-property adventures.
During the past year, the grab-and-go strategy at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico evolved through Market Coffee Shop and pizza/sandwich concept Molido Coffee & Slices. “Across both, we have embraced chef-driven offerings, globally influenced comfort flavors, and more sustainable packaging,” said senior chef Jesus Padilla.” The focus has been on handcrafted, recognizable foods prepared with consistency and cultural relevance, offered in formats that support speed and convenience for hotel guests.”
Pan Dulce at Rosewood Mayakoba, an ultra-luxury property in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, is noted for its modern spin on Mexican baking within El Pueblito, an open-air village-inspired courtyard that multitasks as a sit-down coffee bar and a grab-and-go point of sale. Heritage staples like conchas, house-made panqués, and coconut meringues are sold alongside contemporary pastries and bespoke confections and espresso service bringing local flavor to guests on and off property.
Kona Village guests, seek out the property for its luxurious, holistic healthful living program, and managing director Daniel Scott said its new baked goods made exclusively for the resort’s Kahuwai Market tap into that draw. Created in collaboration with Los Angeles-based Sweet Laurel bakery, they are paleo, gluten free, vegan and pay homage to the Island of Hawai’i through seasonal/tropical ingredients, including coconut and macadamia nuts.
“In the past year, Kona Village saw an incredible shift towards holistic healthful living, with guests looking to indulge and enjoy without sacrificing health and wellness,” said Scott. “Kona Village has embraced this holistic view of health through Kahuwai Market’s (the resort’s grab-and-go concept bakery case) offering the new baked goods reflecting Kona Village’s barefoot luxury and wholesome culinary outlook. Hawaiian seasonality was central to the development of the new baked goods, and our culinary team, helmed by pastry chef Michael Brock, partnered directly with Sweet Laurel founders Laurel Gallucci and Claire Thomas, who traveled to the property to help refresh the bakery case at Kahuwai Market. The resulting items incorporate distinctly Hawaiian ingredients, including coconut and macadamia nut. They are healthful, grab-and-go offerings that feel connected to the Island of Hawai'i rather as opposed generic pastry staples.”
Hilton New Orleans Riverside food and beverage director Blake Brennan said that grab-and-go items at its newest restaurant, Junction Café & Provisions, fall in line with the way its other on-property restaurants have fully embraced this year’s wellness-centric food trends by “prioritizing protein-rich, fiber-forward and real food options” across its kitchen and retail offerings. The menu also reflects strong ties to the local business community through partnerships with regional and local purveyors.
“Our grab-and-go selections highlight expertly curated options that allow our guests to make thoughtful choices while still maintaining classic grab-and-go options that they know and love,” said Brennan. “We’ve incorporated elements into the menu that are specific to New Orleans such as muffuletta, beignets and gumbo, offering guests a taste of the Big Easy with flavors they know and love. (To achieve this), we procure all of our produce locally, working with local farmers and purveyors, including Capital Produce and Creole Country Sausage Factory, well-known for their Creole sausages.”
Brennan detailed that the grab-and-go program was developed through close collaboration between StiR Creative Collective, Hilton’s in-house global food and beverage consultancy arm and hotel-level F&B leadership. Bringing together brand vision, culinary creativity and on property expertise together was the principal goal alongside introducing a dining concept that delivers an elevated yet convenient, all day on-site experience. Its coffee program, crafted by La Colombe Coffee Roasters, further adds to the appeal.
Poindexter, the lobby coffee shop inside The Graduate in Nashville, features a curated a grab-and-go product that feels considered rather than assembled, according to food and beverage director Eric Conte-Gordon. Like the offerings at Hilton New Orleans Riverside, every item sold at The Graduate’s point of sale has gone through a “culinary lens rather than a vendor catalog, “thanks to its local partnerships with farms like Greener Roots and producers like Cocorico, who supply its pastries and breads.
“The relationship to the source is what elevates grab-and-go from a convenience play into something genuinely worth seeking out,” said Conte-Gordon. “When a guest picks up a pastry at Poindexter, there's a real story behind it that a shrink-wrapped alternative simply can't offer. When you're sourcing from local farms, the menu responds to what's actually growing and available, which keeps the program fresh, gives guests something new to discover on return visits, and keeps us honest about quality. We think guests taste and feel that difference, even if they can't always articulate why.”
The grab-and-go program at the Westin Denver International Airport, meanwhile, was reimagined by Executive Chef Alexis Martinez in tandem with the hotel’s culinary teams to ensure grab-and-go items have the same flavor profiles featured at signature restaurant Grill & Vine. While this hotel also has a strong, profitable partnership with Starbucks as a globally recognized brand among international clientele, Martinez said the hotel’s active relationships with local vendors and artisanal producers alongside it helps deepen its community connection and expands its offerings of Colorado-sourced items, local bakers and things that reflect the management’s values of supporting local business.
“A guest who eats at the restaurant and then grabs something the next morning should feel like it came from the same kitchen, because it did,” she said. “We're increasingly reflecting seasonality and intentionality in our grab-and-go menus, prioritizing regional suppliers and seasonal ingredients, like what guests see in the Grill & Vine menus, offering fresh, flavorful options, support local growers, and translate across all food and beverage offerings.”
Feel Good Fare Awaits
Across the board, healthier options have been heartily by management and guests alike across the country. Conte-Gordon, however, stressed that “healthy” needs to taste good and provide a sense of place whenever possible. The intersection of local pride and convenience is a space he and his team will continue to tap into. The approach has helped The Graduate Nashville remain grounded in local identity. Conte-Gordon cites its popular hot chicken caesar wrap as an example, taking one of the city’s most iconic foods and making it grab-and-go ready without losing what makes it distinctly “Nashville.”
“We leaned into is the demand for nutrient-dense, functional eating, food that does something for you,” Conte-Gordon said. “Smoothies have become a cornerstone of the Poindexter grab-and-go program, and what's made them resonate is the ability to customize with add-ons like collagen and protein. Guests aren't just grabbing something because it's fast—they're making an intentional choice about how they want to fuel their day. That shift in mindset is real, and our program now reflects it. The best version of our grab-and-go program isn't a generic hotel cafe; it's something you could only find here.”
Likewise, Kimberly Mahl, director of Food & Beverage at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista neighboring Disney World, said the team intentionally phased out some pre-packaged items at its Mainstreet Market and replaced them with fresher, chef-prepared options to offer higher-quality and more satisfying meals while reducing reliance on items that didn’t reflect the elevated culinary direction the property’s restaurants. She affirmed that bringing the expertise of the hotel restaurant chefs into Mainstreet Market improved the overall food experiences of the guests. Naturally, guest feedback also played a direct role in the changes that were ultimately implemented.
“We heard consistently that guests were looking for quicker, more efficient options, especially when heading to the parks or on their way to meetings and events,” she said. “In response, we introduced mobile ordering paired with a dedicated takeout window, allowing guests to place their order in advance and pick it up without waiting in line. For those grabbing a quick snack or beverage, we also implemented self-checkout stations to streamline the process even further. These enhancements ensure guests can move at their own pace while still enjoying high-quality offerings.”
Adrienne Lee, Director of F&B at Rosen Centre on Orlando, FL, said that while the hotel has a partnership with Starbucks, there is also a strong reliance on local purveyors. “As a locally owned company, we value the importance of providing our guests with options from the area that they may not be able to get outside of the area. That said, among most of our guests, increased protein options have been on trend as of late, leading us to offer higher protein grab-and-go options for our customers, such as protein snack boxes and Greek yogurt parfaits.”
“We’re able to deliver both familiarity and a more distinctive dining experience by taking a more thoughtful approach to sourcing and menu development,” she said. “By incorporating products from regional partners, we help reduce transportation impact while supporting local producers. In addition, we’ve enhanced our offerings with house-made items to include family-style fresh pasta and pizzas prepared on property that guests can conveniently take and bake in their in-suite kitchens. This chef-driven extension adds a more personalized, elevated dining option while maintaining convenience (and being) more environmentally responsible.”
Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando in Florida has embraced several key trends to elevate its grab-and-go experience through its partnership with “Fresh & Ready,” which has helped expand the selection of high-nutrition and functional food options, including protein-forward snacks, fresh salads and better-for-you beverages that cater to wellness-focused travelers, according to Farrah Strickland, Director of Operations. While there is a Starbucks on site, she said that the coffee and specialty beverages remain the focus there while the Fresh & Ready and in-house culinary program collaboration puts elevated, chef-influenced food options front and center.
The Whole Package
What’s on the inside of a to-go meal or snack counts. But more often than not, hotel guests are also looking at what’s on the outside. Better packaging may mean a price increase or a cut in profits on the hotel side. As the prices of compostable containers are 30 to 80 percent higher than that of the traditional plastic containers, Joaquin Rodriguez, co-owner and sales/marketing director for Stay in Costa Rica, recommended any necessary price increases should be highlighted with messaging on a receipt or display card noting the name of the composting partner and the reason why the change was made to allow guests to feel good about the slight price increase.
In the services she provides to hoteliers, Turner said that hotels are replacing generic national brand snacks with locally sourced, regionally specific options that are also better for the carbon footprint. In Austin, for example, she observed hotel gift shops swap out cookie-cutter packaged goods for local Texas pecan products, breakfast tacos wrapped to-go, and cold brew from neighborhood roasters ... all of them items that actually remind guests about where they are.
She has also seen a significant uptick in properties/businesses making an effort to source affordable eco-friendly packaging while acknowledging guests’ concerns about hazardous materials such as black microplastics. Many of her clients have switched to aluminum with a cardboard laminated top or to cardboard containers, she reminds some of them that semi-waterproof ones are still not very eco-friendly or very stackable and stable.
“What's getting phased out faster than anything is the over-packaged, single-use plastic everything,” she said. “Grab-and-go coolers in mid-range hotels in her area are using compostable containers that a year ago one would only find at a boutique property charging $600 a night.”
At Grove Resort & Water Park Orlando, Strickland stresses that eco-conscious packaging has also been an important focus. “Sustainability is a key focus in how we’ve evolved our grab-and-go program. On the packaging side, we’ve prioritized more eco-friendly solutions, including recyclable and compostable materials where feasible, helping reduce overall waste without compromising convenience.”
Brennan, meanwhile, pointed out the Hilton New Orleans Riverside’s grab-and-go items are packaged in eco-friendly containers, with disposable items such as cups, napkins and utensils thoughtfully selected for their environmental impact. The coffee shop features dedicated recycling stations that allow guests to sort paper, plastic, glass and waste, while all coffee grounds are collected for composting—all supporting the hotel’s broader commitment to being a responsible partner to the community and the planet.
“Customer feedback directly informs both item additions and phase-outs,” he summed up. “We regularly review guest comments, sales trends and direct conversations to identify preferences. Popular, frequently requested items are expanded, while underperforming products are phased out to keep the experience aligned with guest expectations and evolving preferences, ultimately supporting stronger overall performance for the venue.”
“Grab and Go” by the Numbers
From the supply and display side, Hubert U.S. offers additional insights into the ascent and evolution of grab-and-go offerings on premise:
- Food items are 51 percent more likely to get purchased when marked with a “ready to eat” label
- Grab-and-go meal sales trend higher as the day progresses:
- 57 percent prefer breakfast to go
- 76 percent prefer lunch
- 81 percent prefer dinner to go
- Griffin cited a telling statistic from The Future of Snacking (April 2023) by consumer behavior consultancy Circana: “Seventy-one percent of consumers don’t plan when they will eat a snack; they just grab one as they need it.”
This article was originally published in the June/July edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.