The Hidden Profit Behind a 9.65 Percent Rise in Comfort Cravings

As temperatures drop, full-service restaurants look for ways to deliver warmth and comfort while staying efficient behind the line. Soups check every box—low waste, simple prep, and universal appeal. According to Tastewise, social conversations about soup have increased by 9.65 percent year-over-year, signaling that comfort-driven dining is only gaining momentum. With pasta as an inclusion, they also offer operators new opportunities to elevate texture, enhance flavor, and improve value perception.

Few understand the appeal of soup season better than Chef Phil Demaiolo, corporate chef for Sodexo H & H, and Chef Frank Turchan, executive chef at the University of Michigan.

“Guests find soups comforting; on the operator’s side they are cost effective. Everyone wins,” says Demaiolo. Turchan agrees: “Here in the Midwest, it’s a tradition—leaves are changing, weather is colder—it’s almost like a seasonal ingredient.”

Nearly 31 percent of U.S. restaurants now feature soups on their menus, according to Tastewise. This classic comfort food remains a key traffic and revenue driver, but as comfort remains king during the fall season, modern diners still want freshness, creativity, and the use of on-trend ingredients.

“It’s all about comfort,” says Turchan. “Chicken noodle, chicken rice, cream of broccoli—those are flavors guests grew up with. But you can modernize them by integrating global flavors or making these vegan.”

According to Tastewise, the top consumer need driving soup consumption today is comfort, followed closely by a desire for health-conscious adaptations. Vegan soup is now the most dominant dietary variation in the category, reflecting diners’ growing interest in plant-forward comfort food.

Fall produce gives operators room to innovate without overcomplicating prep. “Pumpkin and hearty versions of squash lend themselves to many applications, including soups,” Demaiolo says. “A bisque of pumpkin with roasted apple works great as a soup—but pair it with Barilla Al BronzoⓇ Mezzi Rigatoni, some fried sage, and Locatelli Romano, and you have an entrée.”

Adding pasta to soups brings depth, color, and heartiness—qualities guests associate with comfort and nourishment. “I like pasta in soup for color contrast, texture, and flavor,” says Turchan. “Pasta absorbs and carries flavor really nicely and can trap other ingredients and veggies in every spoonful.”

Pasta also transforms a side dish into an entrée-level opportunity. “Pastas instantly make a soup heartier and more of a satisfying entrée, which can command a higher price point with a great margin,” Demaiolo says. “Or you can use a soup as a base sauce for a pasta dish, with very little added labor.”

Both chefs emphasize the importance of pasta shape. “I love the small soup cuts that fit perfectly on the spoon—Ditalini, Acini di Pepe, Orzo,” Turchan says. Stelline, or fideo are also strong options, with Barilla’s Al Bronzo Orecchiette lending itself to more broth-style soups, and Classic Fideo in an old-fashioned chicken noodle.

Even the best soup can falter without proper preparation and timing, so mise en place and process discipline as key to consistency.

“Make sure your mise is ready before you start,” Turchan says. “Taste it throughout, from broth to finished dish. Season at the end, as some ingredients can add salt and sodium that you don’t realize. Most importantly, add the pasta when you serve it—don’t cook it in the soup or let it sit there for hours. Pre-cook it, chill it, then keep it hot and ready for service.”

These practices ensure quality while maintaining speed and efficiency during service, and soups are an easy way to reduce waste and stretch existing ingredients. “Create hearty soup specials from the ingredients you already purchase and might be going to waste,” Demaiolo says. “For instance, beef trim can be prepared as a hearty goulash-style soup entrée with fusilloni.”

With soup mentions climbing nearly 10 percent across social media and more than one in three restaurants already featuring the category (according to Tastewise), operators have an opportunity to stand out by pairing seasonal produce with pasta that delivers on comfort, consistency and, most importantly, efficiency. Soups remain one of the most operator-friendly items to execute, particularly in labor-strapped kitchens.

“Soups can easily be produced in larger quantities and served as a banquet item—it doesn’t take much more labor to turn a gallon of soup into 100 gallons,” Demaiolo says. “They’re cost effective in ingredient phases and reduce the manual labor that other products need.”

Soups’ simplicity helps staff deliver consistent results, and for operators, that means higher output, less waste, and dependable execution across shifts. “One good broth base can go a lot of different places and doesn’t require high skill,” Turchan says. “It can also be forgiving—you could overcook the chicken and it will still be moist and flavorful in a soup.”

Both chefs point to soups that capture the best of fall through balance and texture.

Turchan highlights his vegan fall soup made with Barilla Ditalini. “It’s all about showcasing the fall-season product coming from our campus farm— honey nut or butternut squash, kale. There’s a great blend of sweetness, savoriness, and texture. The Ditalini is just the right size, adds texture, and captures those bits of veggies.”

Demaiolo’s take is rooted in nostalgia. “My father used to make soups with greens and beans and add Ditalini,” he says. “When I opened my restaurant, I made my own version, and it’s always a hit when the weather turns a little colder. Customers would come for lunch and dinner just to have a bowl.”

From classic comfort to plant-forward innovation, soups with Barilla Pasta allow operators to tell a story with every spoonful—one that combines flavor, efficiency, and the timeless appeal of comfort.

For more recipe inspiration and product details, visit Barilla’s website.

By Drew Filipski