Back when V8 engines ruled the road, movie theaters had ashtrays, and terms like "Google" and "Twitter" meant nothing, there was one Asian cuisine that found a place on the plates of American consumers – Chinese food.

As America ramps up its fight against bulging waist lines, restaurant chains are providing ammunition in the form of appetizing menu items with 550 or fewer calories, says foodservice researcher Technomic.

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. Foodservice trends researcher Technomic Inc., Chicago, says a love affair with ice cream is perhaps just as American as apple pie.

Mexican restaurant foods are more popular than ever, says foodservice industry researcher Technomic Inc., Chicago.

The question of the moment for restaurant operators: Are the winds of healthy change truly blowing, or is it only so much hot air?

It is no secret that the foodservice industry has suffered through a bleak economy, but the silver lining of the cloud could actually turn out to be icing.

Consumers are sourcing their food across an increasingly broad range of retail and foodservice outlets, according to a new report by Technomic.

Convenience stores score solid marks for providing a variety of tasty, high-quality items, but there is room for improvement in the area of healthy foods, say consumers.

Though the recession took a toll on most restaurant sectors in 2009, fast-casual chains benefited from consumers trading down from full-service restaurants to lower-priced ones.

Diners want more variety in sandwiches, with expectations highest in those aged 18 to 24.