The base behind the percentages
Marriott International has published The Rise of Place, its Future of Food Asia Pacific report for 2027. The data credits line names the base: F&B teams in 284 properties across 20 Asia Pacific markets, surveyed in July 2026. The report covers Asia Pacific excluding China, which it abbreviates as APEC.
TTG Asia reported the release on 15 October 2026. Its coverage summarises the same figures.
That base sets the reach of every number in this piece. A reading of 95 per cent across 284 properties describes Marriott's own estate in the region. It records what those teams report about their own markets.
Local signature dishes hold the top of the demand table
95 per cent of surveyed properties identify demand for local signature dishes as the biggest trend in their market this year. The report prints that figure in the executive summary and over a chapter chart.
The same chapter carries the components. 79 per cent of properties introduced new local ingredients into menus over the past year. 69 per cent name local signature dishes as the menu attribute with the most influence on guest decisions. 68 per cent report local ingredients appearing more frequently in beverage menus.
Demand growth splits by cuisine. 46 per cent of properties report the biggest increase in guest demand for local signatures, 14 per cent report regional Asian cuisine and 12 per cent report western cuisine. The report names beef rendang in Kuala Lumpur and ramen in Osaka as examples of the signature category.
The 99-minute menu
58 per cent of properties say their average fine-dining meal lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. The report calls the shorter format the 99-minute menu. Up to five courses sit inside that window.
Japan reports the longest meals, with 57 per cent of properties at 2 to 2.5 hours. Singapore holds 85 per cent of properties at an average of 1.5 hours.
Restaurants have changed format in response. 29 per cent introduced a set menu, 26 per cent added a lunchtime offer, 24 per cent added an a la carte menu, 11 per cent reduced the number of courses in the set menu, 8 per cent replaced the set menu with a la carte and 6 per cent reduced meal service time for diners.
Casual formats take covers
45 per cent of properties report a growing preference for casual spaces. Guests move between bars, counters and outdoor lounges.
Vietnam returns the strongest bar and lounge reading in the report. TTG Asia reads the Vietnam figure as 71 per cent of properties reporting growth in bar and lounge dining.
Singapore carries three readings worth a revenue desk's attention. 43 per cent of its bars report higher low-alcohol sales, 57 per cent report lower premium spirits and cocktail sales, and 86 per cent of hotels questioned report increased demand for value-for-money, the highest of any market in the report.
On cuisine, Singapore's largest demand increase is regional Asian cuisine at 43 per cent, with local signature dishes at 29 per cent.
The drinks line and the wellness line
42 per cent of restaurants and bars report higher sales of non-alcoholic beverages. 22 per cent report higher sales of low-alcohol drinks. 97 per cent of properties serve dishes featuring ingredients associated with wellness and longevity, with turmeric and ginger, black sesame, matcha and miso named on the page.
Thailand and Singapore report full AI use
100 per cent of the restaurants and bars questioned in Thailand and Singapore report using AI. The report names those two markets at that level. TTG Asia's coverage carries the Thailand figure alone.
The Plant-Forward Program lands in Q1 2027
Marriott will integrate its APEC Plant-Forward Program into dining standards across the region in the first quarter of 2027. A pilot across five properties in Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia produced a 10-dish vegan menu framework. The framework carries localised recipes, standard operating procedures and allergen guidelines.
The report states the result in its own words. The integration would make Marriott the first large hotel group to embed a plant-forward vegan menu into its core menu framework standards. That line is the issuer's claim about its own program.
What the report leaves open
The report carries no revenue figure, no check average and no outlet count by market. It measures reported demand and reported format across a named property base. A revenue team reading it gets the direction of guest preference and the size of the sample behind it. The report also carries no day-use, hourly or daytime inventory data, so its readings apply to restaurant and bar outlets.