Despite significant cost pressures and traffic challenges impacting the foodservice industry, lamb is holding steady on restaurant menus - with a menu presence at 15.5% of restaurants overall and showing slight menu growth in QSR, fast casual and fine dining from Q1 to Q2 in 2026 according to Datassential, a global food and beverage intelligence company.
Notable chains with new menu items or LTOs with lamb thus far in 2026 include Ruth’s Chris, Jimmy John’s, Carrabbas and Cava, showing a versatile range from fine dining to sandwich, casual dining Italian to fast casual. This continues a long-term trend for lamb moving beyond the rack and its traditional fine-dining home and spreading into more casual formats with a range of cuts, from ground to shanks, legs and processed forms.
That’s the key! While there will always be a place for racks and chops in an upscale concept, guests have shown they’re increasingly ready for lamb in accessible, everyday applications. Lean into lamb’s versatility and ability to add differentiation and premium appeal by tucking it into a cost-effective menu concept. Think pastas, flatbreads, grain bowls and burgers.
“Lamb on our menu has become a staple,” says Chef Saba Wahid-Duffy of Boston’s Kush Modern Mediterranean. “We’ve had a ton of success pairing merguez-style lamb crumble and koftas with everything from our famous mac and cheese to a grain bowl. Our date-tamarind lamb ribs are a star on the appetizer menu, too!”
The strength of foodservice lies in offering foods that guests aren’t likely to make at home. Lamb on the menu instantly elevates everyday menu items into something worth dining out for, or ordering in. That’s the new definition of value, and guests have shown they’re willing to pay for it.
What’s your way in with lamb?