Consumer Trends

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    Drew Angerer / Staff via Getty Images

    Survey: 66% of franchisees feel optimistic about business

    Changing consumer preferences may push franchisees to invest in store remodels and digital ordering and delivery systems, TD Bank found in a survey.

    By • March 21, 2023
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    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    The Future of Restaurants report: Square’s 2023 edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report will help you understand the top trends, the changing landscape and expectations, and the tools and strategies that define the next era of the restaurant industry.

    March 20, 2023
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    sam edwards via Getty Images
    Trendline

    Restaurant Dive Outlook for 2023

    Restaurants across categories are hungry for growth this year, with many embracing franchising. However, confidence in the ghost kitchen model is waning.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • An image of a Chick-fil-A customer scanning her rewards program at the drive-thru
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    Retrieved from Chick-fil-A on March 17, 2023

    Chick-fil-A to roll out updates to rewards program in April

    Chick-fil-A One, which has over 50 million members, will offer new items and increased points for redemption on some items starting April 4.

    By • March 17, 2023
  • An image of a bowl of salad being served right next to a plate of tacos.
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    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    The Future of Restaurants report: Square’s 2023 edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report will help you understand the top trends, the changing landscape and expectations, and the tools and strategies that define the next era of the restaurant industry.

    March 13, 2023
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    Courtesy of Kroger

    NRA: One-third of operators predict ghost kitchens will decline

    Consumers prefer to order from brick-and-mortar establishments, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the Industry Report.

    By • March 1, 2023
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    Robots in restaurants? What restaurateurs need to know about this growing trend

    What will it look like for restaurant owners to collaborate with robots?

    By Samantha Stone • Feb. 27, 2023
  • The image shows a row of drinks, including coffee and soda, available through Panera's Unlimited Sip Club
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    Courtesy of Panera

    Panera adds annual membership, $0 delivery to drinks subscription

    The plan offers customers a roughly 17% discount on the Unlimited Sip Club, whose members account for about 25% of the chain’s traffic. 

    By • Feb. 23, 2023
  • A restaurant worker serving someone at the counter on a Square mobile payment platform.
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    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    Robots in restaurants? What restaurateurs need to know about this growing trend

    What will it look like for restaurant owners to collaborate with robots?

    By Samantha Stone • Feb. 21, 2023
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    vgajic via Getty Images

    Grocery inflation continues to decline in January, but still outpaces menu prices

    Food-at-home prices rose in January at an 11.3% annual rate, the lowest rate increase since April 2022, while menu prices increased 8.2%, the third consecutive month of deceleration. 

    By Sam Silverstein , • Feb. 15, 2023
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    Prostock-Studio via Getty Images

    63% of consumers plan to order from a restaurant on Valentine’s Day

    Forty-nine percent of consumers celebrating the holiday said they will dine out, while 25% plan to order takeout or delivery, according to a Popmenu study. 

    By • Feb. 13, 2023
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    Permission granted by Chick-fil-A

    Chick-fil-A pilots first chicken-free sandwich

    The cauliflower sandwich, which is marinated, breaded and pressure cooked simiarly to its chicken sandwich, will be available in Denver; Charleston, South Carolina; and in the Greensboro-Triad region in North Carolina.

    By • Feb. 9, 2023
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    Courtesy of Uber

    Uber One subscription is boosting delivery spend, frequency and user loyalty for Uber Eats

    Delivery made up 34% of Uber’s revenue, and ongoing investment in non-restaurant categories, like grocery, c-store and alcohol, may help growth.

    By • Feb. 9, 2023
  • Eggs on shelves at a grocery store.
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    Catherine Douglas Moran/Restaurant Dive

    Egg prices to remain high for as long as bird flu continues, experts say

    After prices more than doubled over the past year, producers are grappling with the impact of the virus while politicians and activists call for investigations into potential price gouging.

    By Chris Casey • Feb. 2, 2023
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    Deep Dive

    Ghost kitchens need to go omnichannel if they want to survive, experts say

    After a year of dashed expansion plans, closures and high-profile regulatory infractions, segment players may need brand awareness and expanded access points to thrive.

    By • Jan. 31, 2023
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    Hispanolistic via Getty Images

    Study: 55% of diners aren’t restaurant loyalty members

    Over one-third of customers have cut spending on restaurants year-to-year, a William Blair survey finds, forcing operators to look for ways to retain diners.

    By • Jan. 24, 2023
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell

    Report: QSR traffic down 4.2% in Q4

    Net sales were up 6.1% during the quarter due to an uptick in average check, according to a report from Revenue Management Solutions.

    By • Jan. 23, 2023
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images

    Survey: 10% of small businesses that use TikTok go viral

    TikTok may help small and mid-sized brands compete with major companies on the strength of authentic brand engagement, a Capterra survey shows.

    By • Jan. 9, 2023
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    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    6 ways restaurateurs can fight “Lunchflation” as costs rise

    With consumers changing their spending habits, what are some ways restaurateurs can fight inflation?

    By Deborah Findling and Kaitlin Keefer • Jan. 9, 2023
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    Ridofranz via Getty Images
    Deep Dive

    5 trends that will shape the restaurant industry in 2023

    Restaurants will experiment with dynamic menu pricing, cater to diners who are trading down and move away from ghost kitchens as inflation pressures the bottom line, experts predict.

    By , , • Jan. 5, 2023
  • Papa John's Papadia sandwich
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    Retrieved from Papa John's/Business Wire on February 26, 2021

    BTIG: Papa Johns’ value menu attracting new base of customers

    The Papa Pairings platform, which offers guests $6.99 menu items, is attracting customers earning $60,000 or less annually, according to a BTIG report.

    By • Dec. 22, 2022
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    Retrieved from Wawa website.

    Consumers are spending more on c-store foodservice as 2022 comes to a close

    In the three months ending in November, foodservice sales rose 8% and the number of trips where customers bought food and drinks rose 2%, according to The NPD Group.

    By Jessica Loder • Dec. 22, 2022
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    Nadia Bormotova via Getty Images

    How can c-stores challenge fast food restaurants in 2023?

    Offering more discounts on meals and creating a relaxing in-store environment can go a long way, one expert says.

    By Brett Dworski • Dec. 15, 2022
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    Retrieved from Old Spice on February 24, 2022
    Deep Dive

    9 campaigns that boosted the mood in 2022

    Amid economic woes, an ongoing war and a series of controversies, efforts by McDonald’s, Domino’s and Chipotle found a way to cut through the noise. 

    By Peter Adams , Jessica Deyo , Sara Karlovitch • Dec. 14, 2022
  • Uber Eats online ordering feature that launched July 2020
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    Permission granted by Uber Eats

    Survey: 79% of diners expect option to use technology to order from casual restaurants

    Online ordering is used most frequently by consumers under 30, followed by phone and the restaurant's app, according to a HungerRush report.

    By • Dec. 13, 2022
  • An image of six people at a table in a restaurant wearing Santa hats
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    SolStock via Getty Images

    NRA: 77% of consumers plan to order from restaurants during the holidays

    A National Restaurant Association survey found strong consumer sentiment for dining out, but data from OpenTable suggests visits still lag behind 2019 levels.

    By • Dec. 8, 2022