# Gourmet-to-Go Restaurants Wrap Up Fine Dining Treats for On-the-Go Foodies By Jessica Marcel | Published 2009-09-12 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gourmet-to-go-restaurants References: [blog.discoversd](http://blog.discoversd.com/san-diego-restaurant-blog/food-movement-gourmet-to-go-in-san-diego-and-beyond.html) & [waterscatering](http://www.waterscatering.com/) Gourmet to-go restaurants are the answer for smaller budgets and refined taste buds. While fine dining restaurants have seen a notable decline in business, [upscale fast food joints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chipotle-buildyourown)--like Rubio’s and Chipotle--haven’t been affected nearly as much. People still want to go out, and they still want to enjoy tasty food, they just don’t want to pay fine dining prices. Gourmet to-go is all about great food at lower prices. If you want an easy meal that doesn’t make you feel gross, you can pick up a [gourmet dinner on the way home](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/delice-to-go). Restaurants in New York and San Francisco were the first on the bandwagon, and now other cities are seeing more of this trend. [Waters Fine Catering](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bored-thirsty) in San Diego and Gourmet to Go Vegetarian in Philadelphia are just two recent examples of the future of fine dining. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.4/10 - Popularity: 53% | Activity: 70% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Gourmet-to-go:** The trend of gourmet-to-go is disrupting the fine dining industry by offering high-quality food at lower prices. - **Upscale Fast Food:** Upscale fast food joints like Rubio's and Chipotle are thriving amidst the decline of traditional fine dining restaurants, providing an opportunity for innovation in the fast food industry. - **Regional Expansion:** The gourmet-to-go trend, initially popular in New York and San Francisco, is now spreading to other cities, presenting an opportunity for regional expansion in the food industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fine Dining:** The fine dining industry can embrace the gourmet-to-go trend by adapting their menus and pricing strategies to cater to budget-conscious customers. - **Fast Food:** Traditional fast food chains can tap into the upscale fast food concept and elevate their offerings to attract customers seeking a higher-quality dining experience on-the-go. - **Catering:** Catering companies like Waters Fine Catering can capitalize on the gourmet-to-go trend by expanding their services to offer high-quality, ready-to-eat meals for individuals and events. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Elevated At-Home Dining Subscriptions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gousto-premium-range.md) - [Affordable Chef-Made Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chefmade-meals.md) - [Healthy Take-Out Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/on-the-go-bundle.md) - [Fine Dining Meal Deliveries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/entre-meal-kit-delivery-service.md) - [Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Tacos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tacodeli-grab-go.md) - [Clean Microwavable Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/microwavable-meal-cups.md) - [Luxe Fast Food Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-truffle-table.md) - [Globally-Inspired Ready-to-Eat Foods](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asda-foodtogo-range.md) - [Grab-and-Go Fine Dining Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/olive-finch-collective.md)