The reservation is already in the system. The table is the same one they always request. The bartender knows the order before the guest sits down. For a regular, this is the whole point.
But new data from Toast and Resy suggests many restaurants may be falling short.
The Regulars Report 2026, a joint study drawing on Toast platform data, Resy reservation metrics, and a survey of 1,500 U.S. adults, puts numbers to something operators may already feel: A small group of guests could be driving a disproportionate share of the business. Toast data from Q1 2026 suggests that just 7% of a restaurant’s guest base—the multi-visit, know-your-name regulars—can drive up to 50% of total order volume.¹
Key findings from the Regulars Report 2026 include:
- Toast data from Q1 2026 suggests that up to 50% of total order volume can come from just 7% of guests. A small group of multi-visit diners could drive up to half of a restaurant’s total order volume.¹
- Resy Regulars dine out at their regular spots 52% more often. According to Resy, Regulars average 8.30 reservations at an average of 1.45 restaurants over three years, while Non-Regulars average 5.45 visits at an average of 2.4 restaurants.⁴
- Loyalty can increase return likelihood by nearly 4x. According to Toast Loyalty data from Q1 2026, moving a guest into a loyalty program shifts their return rate from a 7% baseline to nearly 30%.²
- While 48% of surveyed guests say being remembered is what makes them feel most valued, 30% say they always receive that level of recognition.³
What regulars actually want
Data from the report suggests that what keeps that group coming back isn’t a coupon. When asked what makes them feel most valued at a restaurant, 48% of surveyed guests pointed to being remembered by staff—a name, a usual order, a preference. That’s more than double the 22% who said they prioritize a points-based reward.³
The data also reveals a gap between what guests say they want and what they report experiencing. Only 30% of surveyed diners say they always receive that level of recognition at the places they visit most.³
What operators may be leaving on the table
According to the Regulars Report 2026, regulars tip more generously: 77% of surveyed guests say they leave a larger gratuity at restaurants where they feel recognized, with 37% reporting they add an extra 10% to 15% above their standard rate.³
The report also suggests regulars tend to spend more per check: 34% say they order more freely when they feel comfortable, and they report being 80% more likely to try a new menu item when they trust the kitchen.³
What the reservation data says
Resy data from 2023 through 2025 shows that 83% of Regular visits are booked in advance — a pattern that can support more predictable labor planning and prep.⁵ Regulars are also nearly three times as likely as Non-Regulars to bypass digital channels and contact the restaurant directly, treating the host stand as a personal connection rather than a booking portal.⁶
Why regulars stop visiting
When regulars stop coming back, the Regulars Report findings suggest it rarely happens all at once. According to the report, 43% of diners who stopped visiting a favorite spot cited gradual regression as the reason, such as a decline in food quality (31%), rising prices (22%), or a drop in service warmth (15%).³
The report suggests that the guests most valuable to a restaurant may also be the most attuned to subtle changes in experience. Staying attentive to that group, visit after visit, is likely where the relationship is either maintained or slowly lost.
The relationship is the retention strategy
According to the Regulars Report 2026, the most durable guest relationships are built through consistent, human recognition. The guests most likely to return, spend more, and tip generously are also the ones who most want to be remembered. The Recognition Gap—the distance between what regulars want and what they actually experience—remains wide across the industry. For operators whose revenue depends on that 7%, closing it is the work.
Methodology
¹ Toast Platform Data: Sourced from aggregated, anonymized transactions across all Toast POS locations in Q1 2026, analyzing order frequency, channel performance, and retention rates. All restaurant types were included in this analysis.
² Toast Loyalty Impact Analysis: An internal platform study analyzing guest spend, visit frequency, ROI, and retention rates across specific restaurant categories, comparing loyalty vs. non-loyalty performance over a 90-day window, Jan. 13–Apr. 13, 2026.
³ Consumer Sentiment: Gathered via a Pollfish survey fielded on April 2, 2026, surveying 1,500 U.S. adults who dine out or order in at least twice a month. The survey data is stratified to ensure a representative sample of modern dining behaviors across varying demographics.
Resy Data: A "Regular" is defined as a user with 3 or more visits to the same venue between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2025. A "Non-Regular" is defined as a user with 2 or fewer visits to the same venue in that period. This data set includes only completed reservations in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Miami. All information is from Resy proprietary data.
⁴ Based on the average number of completed reservations for "Regular" vs. "Non-Regular" users at restaurants where the user is considered a "Regular" or "Non-Regular," according to Resy proprietary data.
⁵ Based on the percentage of completed reservations where reservation source was booked in advance, when comparing "Regular" vs. "Non-Regular" users, according to Resy proprietary data.
⁶ Based on the percentage of completed reservations where reservation source equals "Resy OS (iPad)," when comparing "Regular" vs. "Non-Regular" users, according to Resy proprietary data.
