What do consumers want in 2026?

How do we build a better convenience store?

In this episode of The Mess Hall, Mike and Maeve dig into the freshest data from their 2026 Consumer Needs Mid-Year Update Survey. They share the findings that surprised them most: why younger consumers say 2026 has gone better than expected and what that streak of American optimism means for food innovation, plus they unpack consumer confusion around ultra-processed foods. Then they sit down with convenience store expert Frank Beard to ask what America can actually learn from the Japanese konbini. Frank makes the case that great food doesn't have to mean "bougie" food, that the real opportunity isn't out-competing fast food but filling America's missing street food gap, and that pride is what separates a truly successful store from one that's just offering gas station food 2.0. Plus, Beard offers his take on the trends people are only pretending to like.

Can we measure food craveability?

In this episode of The Mess Hall, Mike and Maeve check in on their 100 Recipe Challenge, a year-long project to cook 100 new recipes from cookbooks they've collected. They compare progress, debate the merits of following recipes to the letter versus trusting your gut, share their favorite and least favorite dishes so far, and go down a rabbit hole on the quest for the perfect pancake. Then they sit down with Beth Kimmerle, founder and CEO of Attribute Analytics, to explore the science of sensory evaluation and how her trained taste panels help food companies translate aroma, texture, taste, and emotion into actionable data. Beth digs into why texture has emerged as the new strategic focus in food innovation, why consumers can tell when their favorite products have quietly changed, and how the explosion of data and AI is reshaping -- and sometimes paralyzing -- product development. The conversation ranges from the National Restaurant Association Show floor to the future of underleveraged senses like sound and smell, the rise of ASMR-driven food discovery, and whether we'll eventually evolve a sixth sense (or grow an antenna) to keep up with a world where almost everything else can be faked.

How can we design a better restaurant?

In this episode of The Mess Hall, we talk about the importance of play and creativity in our adult lives, which includes in cooking and eating experiences. And we talk with Rebecca Kilbreath, editor in chief of Restaurant Development + Design magazine. She talks about current design trends in restaurants, what the nostalgia trend actually looks like, moving away from same-ification in restaurant design, and how to tell a story in the design of a restaurant. Plus, in our five questions, she talks about the Western novel that had her by the throat.

Does the food industry have a language problem?

On this episode of The Mess Hall, Mike and Maeve discuss what they learned from recent hospitality experiences in New Orleans and Denver. What can the food industry learn from a bar packed with orthopedic surgeons, a tableside bananas foster, and a prix fixe menu personalized to your likes and dislikes? Then, Mike and Maeve dig into a hot topic: should the food industry stop using the word "consumer"? They trace the surprising political history of the term, debate what to replace it with, and explore how language across the industry, from "ethnic" cuisine to emoji-laden brand messaging to loyalty programs that inspire no actual loyalty, shapes the way real people feel seen, respected, and valued.

Who decides what your food tastes like?

On this episode of The Mess Hall, we talk to Chef Anna Cheely, a flavor science expert and the senior culinary innovation manager at Kalsec, a natural flavors and colors company based in Michigan. How have flavor preferences have changed over the years? What does flavor look like at a time when ultra-processed foods are in the headlines? And how do you even capture the flavor of tom yum soup in a bottle? Plus, we start the episode discussing the joy of cooking and what it means for the food industry. And in our five questions, Chef Cheely tells us her food industry pet peeve.