Consumer Trends

  • An image of a building with Cracker Barrel branding
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Cracker Barrel
    Image attribution tooltip

    Cracker Barrel debuts rewards program to drive sales, traffic

    The chain hopes that the platform, which launched nationwide Wednesday, can improve performance after retail and restaurant sales missed Q4 expectations. 

    By • Sept. 21, 2023
  • Half of the image is a orange background with the other half depicting a person on bike, sipping a coffee.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Peet's Coffee
    Image attribution tooltip

    Peet’s Coffee brews large integrated campaign with Mischief

    Hold the foam: Consumers’ love of simple, quality coffee sits at the center of what the brand says is its largest campaign to date.

    By Sara Karlovitch • Sept. 18, 2023
  • A Pilot foodservice employee.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Pilot Travel Centers
    Image attribution tooltip

    Diners are happy with c-store food — but retailers have work to do, report says

    Operators need to guard against complacency, as the number of customers “extremely satisfied” with c-store foodservice has fallen from 2022, Intouch Insight said.

    By Jessica Loder • Sept. 11, 2023
  • A stock image of a consumer examining a receipt.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Patpitchaya via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Restaurants should expect a modest negative impact on sales with student loan repayments

    Starbucks, Chipotle and Shake Shack could see same-store sales growth slow as high-income consumers may cut spending, said BTIG.

    By • Sept. 11, 2023
  • A double-decker plant-based burger with lettuce and tomato, American cheese, pickles and other toppings sitting on a white wood-grain surface with white wood paneling in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Beyond Meat
    Image attribution tooltip

    Plant-based sales in foodservice surge, rebuffing broader slowdown in category

    Following pandemic-induced declines, the space is seeing more promise in the foodservice sector. 

    By Elizabeth Flood • Sept. 7, 2023
  • An image of a Veggie Grill restaurant with tables and umbrellas outside.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Veggie Grill
    Image attribution tooltip
    Q&A

    Veggie Grill closed nearly half its stores to protect its future, CEO says

    Shifting demographics in a post-pandemic world made some of the plant-chain’s restaurants unprofitable, CEO T.K. Pillan said.

    By • Sept. 5, 2023
  • A pair of ghostly hands surround a new Burger King Whopper that features black sauce underneath orange text reading, "Home of the Ghosts Whopper."
    Image attribution tooltip
    Retrieved from CNW Group/Burger King Canada on October 11, 2022
    Image attribution tooltip

    Burger King must face class action suit over Whopper size

    A federal judge denied the chain's efforts to scrap a complaint over the size of Whoppers in advertisements, which consumers claim made the burgers look 35% larger.

    By • Updated Aug. 30, 2023
  • A fast food employee hands a brown bag to a waiting customer in a car.
    Image attribution tooltip
    kmatija via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How 5 fast food chains are seeing late-night traffic grow

    Wendy's, Jack in the Box, McDonald's, Burger King and Taco Bell saw visits rise from Q1 to Q2, Placer.ai data finds.

    By , • Aug. 25, 2023
  • Three sizes of plastic cups with the green Starbucks logo and plastic lids.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks and Turn Systems’ reusable cup pilot aims for waste reduction

    This is the coffee giant’s largest reusables test program so far, and findings could pave the way for a fully scaled, permanent program.

    By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 23, 2023
  • Dunkin's Pumpkin spice lineup has debuted earlier and earlier in recent years.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Dunkin
    Image attribution tooltip

    You’re not imagining it — pumpkin spice drinks are rolling out earlier

    August is the new autumn in the coffee category, as giants like Starbucks and smaller players like Tim Horton’s push the fall flavor profile in their cold beverage categories. 

    By • Updated Aug. 23, 2023
  • Cornell University clock tower and campus
    Image attribution tooltip
    Retrieved from Flickr user Clarice Oliveira on January 11, 2021
    Image attribution tooltip

    Cornell will not renew Starbucks contract amid student pressure

    The university’s agreement with the coffee giant ends in June 2025, and some students are counting Cornell’s decision to source a new vendor as win for organized labor. 

    By • Aug. 18, 2023
  • A photo of people dining outside.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Byron Smith/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    NYC mayor signs permanent outdoor dining program into law

    Dining Out NYC addresses residents’ concerns about outdoor dining structures’ impact on sanitation and quality of life, and streamlines the process for restaurants to offer sidewalk and streetside service. 

    By • Aug. 16, 2023
  • Wendy's is adding English muffin sandwiches to its breakfast menu on Aug. 22.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Wendy's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Wendy’s adds English muffin sandwiches to breakfast menu

    The chain’s new offerings are designed to encourage diners to visit during the morning daypart, which it believes can grow sales without added labor costs.

    By • Aug. 14, 2023
  • Beyond Meat's The Beyond Burgers in their packaging.
    Image attribution tooltip
    (Drew Angerer/Staff) via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Troubled Beyond Meat reduces 2023 outlook as revenues plummet by almost a third

    The plant-based meat company reported disappointing second quarter results as the brand struggles to educate consumers on the benefits of its products.

    By Elizabeth Flood • Aug. 10, 2023
  • Taco Bell is testing a new design for its Go Mobile stores, pictured here.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Taco Bell
    Image attribution tooltip

    Taco Bell tests new Go Mobile design focused on digital, delivery

    The model features a walk-up window for digital and delivery orders in a bid to ease late-night operational challenges and trim development costs.

    By • Aug. 9, 2023
  • Wing Zone delivery
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by WIng Zone
    Image attribution tooltip

    Wing Zone unveils spinoff Hot Chicken concept in Las Vegas

    Wing Zone Hot Chicken and Wings Restaurant, which has one unit so far, is designed to capture consumer interest in the Nashville-inspired food.

    By • Aug. 8, 2023
  • Ordering takeout and delivery convenience food from an online Asian restaurant delivery meal from a smart phone.
    Image attribution tooltip
    YinYang via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Foodservice customers want delivery with a side of loyalty, survey says

    Over 70% of respondents to a Tillster report expect to earn or use rewards when ordering at an in-store kiosk, and more than half want to use them when ordering online.

    By Jessica Loder • Aug. 8, 2023
  • A photo of the exterior of a 7-Eleven.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
    Image attribution tooltip

    7-Eleven adds limited-time wings flavor

    This marks the latest in a recent series of c-store food and beverage LTOs, with retailers like Rutter’s and Stewart’s also debuting seasonal or short-term items.

    By Jessica Loder • July 20, 2023
  • Customers at Dacha Beer Garden
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Dacha Beer Garden
    Image attribution tooltip

    Is America ready for franchised beer gardens? Dacha thinks so.

    A 10-year-old beer garden in Washington, D.C., wants to plants its flag in new East Coast markets over the next five years.

    By • July 19, 2023
  • A woman sits at a coffee table looking at a tablet.
    Image attribution tooltip
    andresr via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Readers Respond: Menu price hikes aren’t scaring off diners

    Respondents to a Restaurant Dive survey raised prices to keep pace with higher costs, but operators have employed strategies to minimize the impact on their menus.

    By • July 16, 2023
  • A stock image of a consumer examining a receipt.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Patpitchaya via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Friday Feedback: How are you approaching menu pricing?

    This new series seeks reader input on pressing topics in the restaurant industry.

    By • July 7, 2023
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Can opt-in rules help restaurants, diners stick to sustainable packaging?

    Consumer interest in biodegradable and reusable restaurant packaging is still growing, and a push to ditch single-use cutlery and condiments may spark bigger behavior changes.

    By Kristine Sherred • July 6, 2023
  • An image of a woman preparing bags for takeout in a restaurant
    Image attribution tooltip
    Dejan_Dundjerski via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    NRA: Only 24% of adult diners added alcohol to their off-premise orders in last 6 months

    A gap between diner interest in off-premise alcohol and actual ordering behavior suggests to-go alcohol sales could further expand, according to a report by the National Restaurant Association. 

    By • June 29, 2023
  • Atosa Catering Equipment's prototype fry machine at the National Restaurant Association show on May 22, 2023.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    Deloitte: Customer acceptance of restaurant automation on the rise

    Diners are becoming more comfortable with smart kitchen and dining room solutions, which could help operators deploy such tech without hurting sales.

    By • June 27, 2023
  • Stinker
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Stinker Stores
    Image attribution tooltip

    How Stinker Stores is remodeling its stores to compete with QSRs

    Nearly two years after debuting its fresh food program, the Idaho-based retailer is revamping many of its locations — and building new ones — to position the meal stop front and center.

    By Brett Dworski • June 23, 2023