News – 2026-06-11
Catering and hotel kitchens around the world are under enormous pressure. Staff shortages, rising costs, sustainability requirements and digitalisation deficits are making everyday life more challenging, yet guests still expect the highest standards of quality. The RATIONAL Kitchen Barometer 2026, developed in cooperation with the statistics portal Statista, provides the world market leader in thermal food preparation with a comprehensive analysis of how kitchens are meeting these challenges. The results are based on assessments from 250 kitchen operators in Germany, Japan, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.
"The catering industry is at a turning point. Decisions can no longer be based on gut feeling – they require reliable data. With the Kitchen Barometer 2026, we provide the industry with exactly that: clear facts, sound insights, and strategies for future-proofing kitchens," explains Tyler Schwarz, Managing Director at RATIONAL Canada
The key study results at a glance:
Guest expectations are rising, and kitchens are responding. 62% are experiencing increased demand for greater sustainability, and 67% now consider this issue to be central or at least important. This increased relevance is triggering clear changes in business practices: measures such as reducing food waste, using regional and seasonal produce, and cleaning in a resource-efficient manner are being widely implemented. The challenge now is to create transparency, measure progress, and communicate it convincingly to guests.
One way to overcome the current challenges and bottlenecks is with intelligent cooking systems such as the iCombi Pro and iVario Pro from RATIONAL. These systems significantly reduce energy and water consumption, offer numerous digital functions such as appliance monitoring and consumption data management via the ConnectedCooking app, and simplify work processes through features like intelligent cooking paths. This ensures reliable food quality at all times, even with limited, frequently changing or inexperienced staff.
The full study can be downloaded for free at https://www.rational-online.com/en_ca/cmp/kitchen-barometer/. Interested parties can also find concept proposals tailored to their business there.