The way of “eating out” is changing even faster than innovation, making new formats and technologies increasingly essential to the success of a business.

This is revealed in a preview of the international research on out-of-home habits Eating Out. A Global Survey on Attitudes and Behaviors, conducted by CSA Research and promoted by Fiera Milano and HostMilano. The preview was revealed during the recent Dubai stop of Road to Host, the roadmap to Host 2025 that includes networking meetings with prospect exhibitors, visitors, institutions and other local stakeholders in some of the most important metropolises around the world.

Such a location provided an opportunity to compare two very different but each emblematic markets, such as Italy and the Gulf States (GCC). It is interesting to note, for example, that when choosing a venue, Italians are guided more by the menu (27.7 percent) and the taste of the ingredients (27.3 percent), while attention to service stands out in the UAE (18.8 percent) and, above all, in Saudi Arabia (22 percent).

A shared priority is the preference for local and seasonal products, emphasized by 73.6 percent of Italians, 73.2 percent of Emiratis, and 69.3 percent of Saudis. On the other hand, innovative preparation techniques, such as molecular cooking and low-temperature or vacuum cooking, carry much more weight in the GCC countries: they are judged important for 57.6 percent in the UAE and 61.7 percent in Saudi Arabia, while in Italy, reflecting the strong influence of tradition, they are important for only 24.5 percent.

At a broader international level, results gathered so far outline booming experientiality driven by the development of new customer-centric formats around a consumer seeking an increasingly immersive experience, but also greater reassurance. Operators are responding with hyper-localization (e.g., with zero-mile ingredients), format scalability, immersive layouts, and innovative technologies.

The survey represents an ongoing project until Host 2025, at fieramilano - Rho from 17 to 21 October 2025, thus accompanying with data and insights the supply chain players to optimally seize the opportunities of the exhibition. Once completed, the research will have involved a total sample of 8,000 respondents from Italy, the Middle East, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

These valuable insights that can be further developed at Host 2025, particularly in the rich schedule of events.