I feel like more restaurants have been going with cheap wheat-based ingredients and heavy batter deep frying.
The trend towards fried chicken sandwiches reduces the "meat" part of the sandwich only 50% meat. Happy hours consist of flatbreads, fries, sliders, artichoke dip (mostly oil, and chips to dip), egg rolls, bruschetta, wings with heavy breading, etc.
Basically even medium-tier restaurants are evolving into bar and diner food, and making it seem like a trendy thing.
The trend towards fried chicken sandwiches reduces the "meat" part of the sandwich only 50% meat. Happy hours consist of flatbreads, fries, sliders, artichoke dip (mostly oil, and chips to dip), egg rolls, bruschetta, wings with heavy breading, etc.
Basically even medium-tier restaurants are evolving into bar and diner food, and making it seem like a trendy thing.