Consumer Trends

  • A promotional image for Hut Rewards
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    Courtesy of Pizza Hut
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    Pizza Hut shifts loyalty program toward experience and exclusivity

    The pizza giant is adding merchandise drops, digital games and experiential rewards to boost consumer engagement.

    By • April 21, 2026
  • A woman grins at her phone while eating a Subway sandwich in a promotion image for the chain's MVP Rewards.
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Diners are becoming less loyal: Tillster

    Leading brands in the restaurant sector could face greater competition from c-stores and grocery chains.

    By • April 20, 2026
  • An image of a waitress serving three people at a table. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Top 5 stories from Restaurant Dive

    Check out a selection of articles about some of the biggest trends and news — from Chili’s traffic success to Yum’s appointment of a new CEO  — shaping the restaurant industry in 2025.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A photograph of two arms holding up a plate of prawns above a wooden table full of food.
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    Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Who’s Hungry? What GroundTruth’s first-party data says about today’s restaurant visitors.

    Most diners eat at places within 10 miles of their homes, so operators should target customers closest to their restaurants before expanding outward, GroundTruth’s Hayden Erwin says.

    By Hayden Erwin • April 17, 2026
  • A Starbucks store stands in Manhattan on January 30, 2024 in New York City.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Starbucks lets customers discover drinks, start orders in ChatGPT

    The app, in beta, takes the prompt-driven inspiration of ChatGPT and pushes customers into the Starbucks ecosystem to complete their orders.

    By Bryan Wassel • April 15, 2026
  • Six versions of Chili's Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich
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    Courtesy of Chili's
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    Chili’s serves up new Big Crispy chicken sandwich platform

    The chain is balancing the 3 for Me value offering with more premium versions of its Big Crispy sandwich to preserve its margins and sales mix.

    By • April 15, 2026
  • A promotional image for Chipotles "rewards on repeat" loyalty launch.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle overhauls rewards system

    More free items, greater redemption flexibility and an in-store campaign to boost enrollment could help the fast casual giant grow its rewards base.

    By • April 13, 2026
  • A woman holds up her smart phone to a tablet that is asking what percentage of a tip should be added.
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    Getty Images
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    Popmenu: 35% of diners are cutting back on restaurant tips

    Tipping fatigue and consumer price sensitivity driven by inflation may be lowering both the frequency and size of tips given to workers.

    By • April 10, 2026
  • A man holds a starbucks drink next to a phone with a Bank of America card onscreen.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Why points-based loyalty programs aren’t cutting it anymore

    Segment leaders like Starbucks are instead using AI-targeted messaging, aspirational experiences and gamification to nudge consumers from one-time visitors to lifetime fans, Paytronix says.

    By • April 8, 2026
  • Three Starbucks mango strawberry refreshers on a table.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks launches highly-caffeinated refreshers

    With an extra 75 milligrams of caffeine compared to the regular versions of its refreshers, Starbucks’ new drinks widen the brand’s range of beverages.

    By • April 7, 2026
  • A photo of a person walking in front of a store holding a chicken sandwich.
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    Frozen drinks and fresh flavors emerge as c-store retailers prep for spring

    Pilot also added two new food programs, Stinker rolled out pizza rolls and Love’s debuted pesto-forward items as part of a rotating menu.

    By Jessica Loder • April 6, 2026
  • Foods with flavor bubbles toppings
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    Permission granted by The Culinary Institute of America
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    Sponsored by KIKKOMAN SALES USA, INC.

    The science of spherification: 3 key takeaways from the ‘Year of the Sphere’

    Discover how spherification is evolving into an essential tool for the modern kitchen.

    April 6, 2026
  • A Starbucks barista hands a customer a coffee
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks adds performance bonuses for frontline workers

    Baristas and shift supervisors could see $300 quarterly bonuses starting in July, while Starbucks is expanding tipping across ordering channels.

    By • Updated April 3, 2026
  • A spread of KFC items including sandwiches, snackers, nuggets, fries and drinks.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC mimics Taco Bell in latest value play

    The $7, $9 and $11 Value Feast Boxes can offer significant discounts — almost reaching 50% — according to a Restaurant Dive analysis.

    By • March 31, 2026
  • A fast food chicken sandwich with a breaded cutlet, soft potato bun, mayo, tomatoes and pickles.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s upgrades chicken sandwich lineup

    The brand said enhancements like new breading, buns and reformulated mayo makes the items juicier and better than the competition.

    By • March 30, 2026
  • Three toasted sandwiches and a small cup of Papa Johns garlic sauce on a white table in front of a green background.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Papa Johns launches toasted sandwich lineup

    Under pressure from Domino’s growing market share, Papa Johns launched a new menu category that could expand its reach across consumer cohorts.

    By • March 30, 2026
  • A close up of a white logo that says Wing Stop with a neon green glow.
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    Courtesy of Wingstop
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    Circana: Value and flavor propel Chili’s and Wingstop’s growth

    The two brands rose fastest in Circana’s 2026 Definitive U.S. Ranking as macroeconomic uncertainty pushed consumers towards holistic value.

    By • March 27, 2026
  • An image of three large platters in the forefront with various food items. I nthe bagkround there are three cups, chips and tortillas.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    How 10 major restaurant chains are overhauling their strategies

    From Wendy’s to Outback, heavyweight brands are investing in new menu items and operational improvements  — often accompanied by closures and renovations — to get back on track.

    By • March 26, 2026
  • A woman with shopping bags checks her cell phone in front of a store.
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    Getty Images
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    Why consumers love, and sometimes hate, tiered loyalty programs

    Tiers add flexibility and exclusivity, but when done wrong they can feel frustratingly slow or complex.

    By Bryan Wassel • March 26, 2026
  • An image of a small Starbucks storefront with brown paneling and green siren logo inside an airport. Several people are sitting in chairs with luggage.
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    Brycia James via Getty Images
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    Starbucks tests new ordering channels for licensed stores

    Kiosks and scheduled orders could be coming to Starbucks cafes in airports, as the chain looks to speed up operations at high-traffic licensed stores.

    By • March 25, 2026
  • A picture of an Olive Garden restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    How snow derailed Olive Garden’s traffic growth

    Darden will run an extra week of value promotions for Olive Garden this quarter after bad weather stunted transactions.

    By • March 19, 2026
  • A close up of a gas pump that shows unleaded, plus and premium fuel with prices over $4 and $5 a gallon.
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    Getty Images
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    Gas price spikes don’t impact restaurant traffic: BTIG

    By analyzing 20 years of data, the firm found little correlation between gas prices hikes and restaurant traffic drops.

    By • March 18, 2026
  • An image of various burritos and other items from Taco Bell.
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell
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    Q4 2025’s restaurant winners and loses

    Casual dining? Good, not great. Fast casual? Bad, not terrible. Taco Bell? Living Más. Wendy's? Living Menos.

    By • March 16, 2026
  • Three brightly colored drinks from Sonic.
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    Courtesy of Sonic
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    Sonic launches caffeinated refreshers as QSR drinks boom

    The drinks boast 45 milligrams of caffeine alongside fruit inclusions, giving the brand a premium product for snacking occasions and the afternoon daypart.

    By • March 16, 2026
  • Burger King ad campaign
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    Retrieved from Burger King on March 13, 2026
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    Burger King’s CMO on firing its mascot as brand evolves in new campaign

    “There’s A New King And It’s You” is the next step in a turnaround effort that puts the fast food chain’s customers at the forefront.

    By Chris Kelly • March 16, 2026
  • Freshly roasted coffee beans are seen in a barrel
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Coffee, cold brew sales slip as lattes, energy drinks surge

    Drip coffee and cold brew orders fell in 2025 as energy drinks exploded and premium, handcrafted coffees saw a modest rise.

    By • March 11, 2026