Consumer Trends: Page 7

  • Chipotle
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    Chipotle builds 2025 around ‘total guest experience,’ CEO says

    The company will continue to roll out kitchen equipment and mobile order-focused Chipotlanes to keep order throughput high.

    By Bryan Wassel • Feb. 6, 2025
  • A night image of people sitting at tables at a patio in a restaurant
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    NRA: Traditional restaurant sales will surpass $1.1 trillion in 2025

    The entire foodservice industry will reach $1.5 trillion in annual sales despite labor and food cost challenges thanks to pent-up diner demand, the National Restaurant Association predicts.

    By • Feb. 6, 2025
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    Trendline

    Loyalty & Rewards Strategy

    Capturing — and keeping — loyal customers is more crucial than ever as diner price sensitivity puts pressure on restaurants.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A mocktail, made with cranberry juice, red grapefruit juice and sweetened with some simple syrup with a salted glass
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    Opinion

    How nonalcoholic beverages are driving the next wave of profits

    Expanded zero-proof menus are attractive to Gen Z, who drink 20% less than millennials, and yield better margins than traditional cocktail offerings, writes Sidework CEO Rishabh Kewalramani.

    By Rishabh Kewalramani • Feb. 5, 2025
  • An evening image of Marco's Pizza
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    Permission granted by Marco's Pizza
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    How 3 rising pizza chains are plotting 2025 expansion

    Marco’s Pizza, Mr Gatti’s and Donato’s are poised for growth this year as segment leaders face sluggish performance.

    By • Feb. 3, 2025
  • Overly busy restaurant
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    What’s the restaurant outlook for 2025?

    Price-sensitive diners and rising food and labor costs are pushing chains to refine their value propositions, setting the stage for cutthroat competition.

    By • Jan. 31, 2025
  • A thumb hovers over a smart phone with a photo of a cheeseburger and the words food delivery on top.
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    Most customers prefer ordering delivery directly from restaurants

    Convenience, ease of customization and the ability to earn rewards were top reasons customers preferred first-party channels, per an NCR Voyix report.

    By • Jan. 30, 2025
  • Chipotle opens its first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen in Ohio in December 2021.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    2025 could be fast casual’s year, again

    Long-term trends in consumer preference have put fast casual chains in a position to leverage price sensitivity, digital touchpoints and an appetite for human connection.

    By • Jan. 27, 2025
  • An image of the inside of a Yogurtland with frozen yogurt stands in the back and white and purple chairs toward the front
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    Permission granted by Yogurtland
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    How Yogurtland’s shift to digital powered 3 years of growth

    After adding online ordering and remaking its loyalty program and app, the chain has had double-digit same-store sales growth and strong new unit expansion.

    By • Jan. 23, 2025
  • An image of a box with 10 burgers and sides next to a pitcher of pink liquid and a large salad. The box has "The Habit Burger" on it.
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    Permission granted by The Habit Burger
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    Back to the Basics: Building catering programs

    A growing number of restaurants are launching catering programs to keep pace with changing consumer behavior. It takes diverse menus, reliable service and the right infrastructure to stand out. 

    By Danielle McLean • Jan. 22, 2025
  • An image of two men standing at a counter ordering food.
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    Restaurant spending to increase slightly in 2025: Fitch

    Investment in tech like artificial intelligence will also define the year, supporting restaurant operations as inflation and labor market challenges persist.

    By • Jan. 21, 2025
  • An image of serveral food items from Taco Bell's Craving's Value Menu
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Why quality may trump price in 2025’s restaurant value battle

    The mixed success of recently launched value menus highlights the importance of focusing on more than just affordability, experts said.

    By • Jan. 17, 2025
  • An arm reaches out of a gray car to collect a bag of food while an employee with blue gloves hands off the bag.
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    Getty Images
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    QSR traffic turns positive in Q4, report shows

    A push toward more restaurant value offerings appears to be paying off, with spikes in traffic seen in October and November, according to Revenue Management Solutions data.

    By • Jan. 16, 2025
  • People sit in a coffee shop.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    Starbucks reverses open-door policy as it pursues coffeehouse environment

    Under the new policy, customers will have to make a purchase if they want to hang out in Starbucks coffee shops or use its bathrooms.

    By Kristen Doerer • Jan. 14, 2025
  • The facade of a Baskin-Robins restaurant.
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    Getty Images
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    Baskin-Robbins’ new loyalty program aims to balance simplicity and variety

    Baskin-Robbins Rewards, which launched in December, aims to make it easy for customers to earn rewards while offering a variety of redemption options.

    By Bryan Wassel • Updated Jan. 15, 2025
  • An image of several people eating hamburgers and french fries from a generic fast food restaurant.
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    Deep Dive

    8 restaurant trends to watch in 2025

    Analysts forecast a slightly rosier year, predicting that consumer demand will rise, bankruptcies will slow and increased valuations will spark M&A.

    By , • Jan. 7, 2025
  • A barista hands off coffee at a cafe.
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    Consumers want deals, convenience from personalization, survey finds

    Simple acts of recognition, with or without a human touch, can build long-term customer relationships, Boston Consulting Group’s Mark Abraham said.

    By Bryan Wassel • Jan. 6, 2025
  • A Starbucks worker pours a beverage into a cup meant to represent a customer's personal drinkware.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks’ turnaround plan will be ‘no quick fix,’ analysts say

    The chain wants to improve customer experience by making its stores more welcoming and speeding up service. But will the changes come fast enough?

    By Michael Brady • Jan. 6, 2025
  • Three fast food drinks with blueberry dragonfruit poppers.
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    Courtesy of Del Taco
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    Del Taco adds new burritos and value bundles

    The chain’s same-store sales shrank considerably last quarter, though its value messaging may be starting to work, company leadership said.

    By • Jan. 3, 2025
  • Starbucks cup going into a recycling bin
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Inside Starbucks’ very long, very bad 2024

    Traffic declines and labor strife kept the chain mired in trouble despite a CEO switch up and product launches aimed at reviving its fortunes.

    By • Jan. 2, 2025
  • A Papa Johns' employee cuts pizza after preparing it.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Why Todd Penegor wants Papa Johns to make more pizzas

    Menu innovation may drive customer trial, but that doesn’t strengthen the brand’s core appeal, the chain’s CEO said during an investor event.

    By • Dec. 12, 2024
  • A man is holding a tablet that is asking for tipping options
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    Getty Images
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    Base pay has grown for restaurant workers: report

    A steady rise in base wages has shrunk tips as a proportion of compensation, but the median tipped worker still gets $14.48 an hour in tips, per ADP.

    By • Dec. 10, 2024
  • Church's Chicken restaurant exterior
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    Courtesy of Church's Chicken
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    Why Church’s launched a loyalty program for its value-seeking customers

    Church’s Texas Chicken is one of a growing number of companies that have launched or revamped loyalty programs with a focus on driving more value for members. 

    By Michael Brady • Dec. 6, 2024
  • An image of Red Loster sign on the outside of a restaurant
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    10 of the restaurant industry’s most impactful bankruptcies of 2024

    While dozens of brands and operators filed for bankruptcy this year, a sample of major filings show a range of problems from rising labor costs to low traffic.

    By • Dec. 5, 2024
  • An image of a restaurant with beige paint and a stone facade with "Red Lobster" signage
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Red Lobster adds happy hour as turnaround continues

    The seafood chain is looking to reverse its sales troubles of recent years, and discounts on drinks and apps could help it draw consumers.

    By • Dec. 2, 2024
  • A stock image of a bowl of bi bim bap.
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    Getty Images
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    NRA predicts a big year for Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino flavors

    The NRA also found that cold brew, sweet and spicy ingredients, and a focus on sustainability are trends to watch for 2025.

    By • Dec. 2, 2024