Consumer Trends

  • Pedestrians walk by a Chipotle restaurant in San Francisco, California
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    How Chipotle boosted traffic 8%

    Limited-time offers and increased labor deployment grew Chipotle’s transactions and throughput in Q2, driving same-store sales up by 11%.

    By • July 25, 2024
  • An image of a cheeseburger, chicken sandwhich, chicken nuggest, fries and a drink on a blank background. The image includes "$5 Meal Deal" wording.
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    How chains are competing in the 2024 value wars

    From McDonald’s and Burger King’s $5 meals to Del Taco’s $2 menu, fast food chains ramped up their value meals this year to attract price-sensitive guests.

    By • July 22, 2024
  • An image of a waitress serving three people at a table. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Hispanolistic via 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 — from personalized loyalty programs to a growing catering boom — shaping the restaurant industry during the first half of 2024.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • Man in kitchen
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    Permission granted by Tattle
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    Sponsored by Tattle

    The true cost of not having enough guest insights for your restaurants

    Restaurants are bleeding revenue because they overlook these crucial operational insights.

    July 22, 2024
  • Tender Greens and Tocaya merged in 2021 to become One Table Restaurant Group.
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    Permission granted by One Table Restaurant Group
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    One Table Restaurant Brands files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections

    Fees on third-party orders and rising debt costs meant a partial recovery from 2020 was not enough to allow the parent company of Tender Greens and Tacaya to repay its creditors.

    By • July 18, 2024
  • A hand pours sauce on a cut of fish.
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    Courtesy of Hilton
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    Hotel restaurants use storytelling, immersive experiences to draw repeat guests

    Successful concepts center narratives, offer signature experiences and are well-attuned to changing customer tastes, experts say.

    By Brian Martucci • July 17, 2024
  • Three fast food beverages stand in line.
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    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
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    The forces shaping Gen Z’s snack and beverage consumption

    Gen Z has a sweet tooth and loves childhood flavors, but they increasingly demand healthy ingredients, major restaurants and suppliers say.

    By • July 17, 2024
  • A person in a coat rides a bicycle holding a red DoorDash bag.
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    Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    NYC delivery worker earnings up 22%

    Decreases in consumer tips and total employment were more than offset by sharp rises in base pay, according to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.

    By • July 15, 2024
  • A waiter serves a table at a nice restaurant
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    Rawpixel via Getty Images
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    Restaurant customer satisfaction grows despite rising prices, ACSI finds

    Consumers want premium experiences to help make the meal feel worth the cost, according to ACSI’s Forrest Morgeson.

    By Bryan Wassel • July 8, 2024
  • Several fast food items that are a part of Sonic's $1.99 value menu.
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    Courtesy of Sonic
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    Sonic launches $1.99 value menu

    The chain confirmed its value menu is permanent, in contrast to the temporary discounts offered by McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King this summer.

    By • July 1, 2024
  • The content of a Taco Bell $7 Luxe Cravings box spread out on a table.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell beefs up value with $7 Luxe Cravings box

    Six months after it launched its 10-item Cravings menu, the chain added a five-item meal that it says is 55% cheaper than buying the items separately.

    By • June 27, 2024
  • Two Starbucks Iced Energy drinks nearby shattered ice cubes.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks adds caffeinated, sparkling iced teas to core menu

    The launch also includes two new food items, a Caramel Swirl Iced Coffee and new customizations for drinks, as the chain continues is multi-pronged effort to drives traffic by menu changes.

    By • June 26, 2024
  • A White Castle at night. The sky is dark. The store is not.
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    Courtesy of White Castle
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    White Castle bolsters late-night staff to help drive and satisfy increased sales

    Orders placed between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. are an increased percentage of sales at the fast food chain, and it hopes to capitalize on growing demand. 

    By • June 26, 2024
  • A row of six sugary drinks served by Sonic.
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    Courtesy of Sonic
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    Sonic adds 6 beverages to permanent menu

    With photogenic twists on classic flavors like cola and lemonade, the chain appears to be aiming for Gen Z consumers.

    By • June 24, 2024
  • A jet pilot crashes into a restaurant as part of a Carl's Jr campaign
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    Courtesy of Carl's Jr
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    How Carl’s Jr. is driving in-store visits with AI-fueled CTV advertising

    The QSR paired contextual targeting data with IRIS.TV’s private marketplace to engage young men with shared interests like anime and gaming.

    By Aaron Baar • June 21, 2024
  • An image of a cheeseburger, chicken sandwhich, chicken nuggest, fries and a drink on a blank background. The image includes "$5 Meal Deal" wording.
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s to launch $5 Meal Deal next week

    The QSR giant will enter the summer value wars on June 25 with its national offer of a McDouble or McChicken, small fry, four-piece McNuggets and a drink.

    By • June 20, 2024
  • Guests play arcade games at Dave & Buster's.
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    Mark Davis via Getty Images
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    Dave & Buster’s sees customer satisfaction growth despite higher game prices

    Guest satisfaction scores are at historical highs, and CEO Chris Morris believes there is room to increase game prices without taking a hit.

    By Bryan Wassel • June 18, 2024
  • A leather bag with a Marriott Bonvoy tag beside a Starbucks cup and a smartphone.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks, Marriott Bonvoy link loyalty programs

    The deal is the latest in Starbucks’ large, corporate rewards partnerships, which include link ups with Bank of America and Delta SkyMiles.

    By • June 18, 2024
  • A sign is posted in front of a McDonald's restaurant on April 28, 2022 in San Leandro, California.
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    Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
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    Traffic at QSR chains in California declines following minimum wage increase

    Price increases meant to offset the cost of the sector’s $20 minimum wage in the state have significantly dented customer visits, data from Placer.ai shows. 

    By • June 13, 2024
  • A couple look at cupcakes displayed in a case. A man is pointing at one of the cupcakes.
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    doble-d via Getty Images
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    Restaurant openings up 6%, but momentum slowing

    Sweets and snack concepts had the most openings with new dessert stores up 52%, followed by shaved ice outlets up 22%, according to a Yelp report. 

    By • June 5, 2024
  • A customer pays using a Clover device
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    Permission granted by Fiserv
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    ‘They feel like they got tricked’: How tipping requests can hurt customer relationships

    Consumers are being asked to tip more often and for more services than they were in the past. It’s leaving them with a bad taste in their mouths.

    By Lisa Scherzer • June 3, 2024
  • Blaze Pizza's new signature pizzas.
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    Courtesy of Blaze Pizza
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    Blaze Pizza remakes its menu with 5 new signature pizzas

    Diners can expect eventual changes to all of the menu, including salads, desserts, folded pizza, toppings and drizzles, CMO Christian Kuhn said. 

    By • May 31, 2024
  • An image of several food items on a table from Jack in the Box's Munchies Under $4
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    Courtesy of Jack in the Box
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    Jack in the Box joins value battle with Munchies Under $4

    The fast food chain hopes its snack-focused menu will act as a hook for customers after same-store sales fell last quarter.

    By • May 30, 2024
  • McDonald's Q1 Earnings Up On Higher Menu Prices, Overseas Growth
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Fast food is too expensive, says a majority of Americans

    Sixty-two percent of U.S. consumers surveyed by LendingTree said they are eating fast food less due to rising prices. 

    By • May 28, 2024
  • People work at a restaurant at Chelsea Market in Manhattan on February 02, 2024 in New York City.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    4 restaurant industry forecasts from the NRA Show

    Gen Z’s demand for photogenic beverages and frustration over financing struggles loomed large over the event as operators strategized how to solve consumer pullback.

    By • May 23, 2024
  • Three fast food beverages stand in line.
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    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
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    Inside CosMc’s: Slow drive-thru service may undercut customization’s perks

    McDonald’s spinoff brand, which targets Gen Z with highly caffeinated drinks and snacks, is a “learning lab” that needs work to compete with legacy QSRs.

    By • May 22, 2024