The Americas
Rush for fast food operators’ Halloween buckets
As the spooky season approaches, America’s foodservice operators have launched their own version of the Halloween bucket. McDonald’s was first to launch its Boo Bucket in 1986 and it quickly became a seasonal staple for the collection of sweets for trick or treaters on Halloween. Other operators have since followed and this year Burger King offers a Halloween bucket as parts of its Monster Menu while Dunkin’ has a Munchkins Bucket – they come in different colors and points of differentiation. “Halloween buckets are popping up everywhere like ghosts in the night– and hey, imitation is the most BOO-tiful form of flattery,” McDonald’s said in a statement.
Antigua, Guatemala to host Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants
On 2 December, the Unesco World Heritage Site in Central America will welcome the great and the good from the world of gastronomy across the continent. It is the first time that Guatemala hosts the annual celebration of the best restaurants and the ceremony will be preceded by a day of talks and discussions involving the key voices in Latin American gastronomy for the thought leadership forum 50BestTalks. Alongside a new winner for the honor of Latin America’s Best Restaurant, individual awards will include Best Female Chef, the Icon Award and the peer-voted Chef’s Choice Award.
Asia Pacific
Japan and Thailand lead in the 2025 Michelin Keys awards
In the second year of the new distinction awarded by the famous guide’s equivalent of the Michelin star for restaurants, there were plenty of new additions and some upgrades too. In total there were 143 three-key, 572 two-keys and 1,742 one key hotels taking in every corner of the world. Leading the pack in Asia is Japan with 128 awarded properties and Thailand with 62 hotels selected. Meanwhile Mainland Cina, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, the Maldives, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam gained their very first Keys, including some three-key hotels.
Marriott International predicts Asia Pacific’s culinary future
The hotel group’s Future of Food 2026 report outlines how comfort-driven luxury and local culinary identity are reshaping Asia Pacific’s dining scene. Fine dining is giving way to fine-casual experiences, combining refinement with familiarity, while immersive, multisensory concepts will transform dining experiences. Chefs are championing indigenous ingredients, storytelling, and personal expression to create deeper cultural connections. The report also points to the growing role of AI in personalizing menus and improving operations, and spotlights emerging culinary hotspots from Indonesia to Vietnam. A new generation of Asian chefs is blending tradition and innovation, bringing regional cuisines to global prominence.
Europe, Africa, Middle East
Pizza Hut to close 68 UK restaurants
The collapse of DC London Pie, the company that owns the franchise of the well-known pizza will lead to the closure of 68 stores in the UK. The remainder of the stores owned by DC London Pie will be taken over by Yum! Brands, which already owns the global Pizza Hut operations. While the closures mean 1210 job losses, this rescue does protect 64 additional sites and the jobs of 1,277 workers. Pizza Hut opened its first restaurant in the UK in 1973 and grew to more than 700 locations by 2006. While it survived the Covid lockdowns, new competitors and financial headwinds have proved too much to cope with for the brand.
Fiera Milano teams up with NAFEM
Two of the world’s most significant foodservice trade shows have announced a new partnership. As HostMilano 2025 draws to a close, organizers Fiera Milano shared the news that it will collaborate with The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) starting with the NAFEM Show in Orlando in 2027 and followed by HostMilano in October of the same year. The aim of the agreement is to explore global opportunities for the foodservice industry. “Working in unison, we will create highly innovative opportunities for exhibitors to showcase their latest innovations to customers,” said Francesco Conci, CEO of Fiera Milano S.p.A.
Tina Nielsen
