U.S. Restaurant Trends and Diner Expectations
New data explores how changing U.S. consumer dining expectations are impacting restaurant business growth in the age of AI and automation.
Restaurants are the third place people crave
As consumer behavior has shifted due to changing economic conditions and a return to the office, people are looking for third places outside of home and work to connect and unwind. And the restaurants adapting to these shifting expectations are winning more business. Take a look at some of the top hospitality trends, and download the full U.S. report for even more insights.
What matters most to diners today
U.S. consumers across generations and cities care most about convenience, personalization and value when dining out. They’re particularly loyal to brands they trust and willing to pay more for elevated experiences.
Younger consumers are fueling the restaurant revival
Despite inflation concerns, more than half of U.S. consumers are dining out at least 3X per month. And younger generations have made restaurants part of their weekly routines.
Consumers are forking over their dough for elevated, theatrical dining experiences
While most Americans are willing to spend up to $63 per person for a meal out, some consumers are splurging on upgraded experiences.
Dining upgrades consumers are willing to spend above market price on by city
The weekend now extends to Monday
Mondays are one of the most popular days for restaurant reservations, and searches for “restaurants open on Monday near me” are up 31% year over year.
Two-thirds of diners book reservations on the fly
Diners have figured out that same-day reservations are a good option if they haven’t booked far in advance.
How far in advance do guests typically book reservations?
Diners have a strong intent to dine with their favorite brands
If guests can’t get a reservation, they make an effort to stick with their preferred brands. If guests can’t get a reservation, here’s what they do:
Look for a sister restaurant
Check other sites for the same restaurant
Look for a different date and time
Set an alert
Decide not to dine out
The strategies making restaurant profits rise
Restaurants across the U.S. are seeing growth — with a 21% year-over-year increase in reservations comparing Q1’23 to Q1’24. This year, restaurants are focused on two goals: opening new locations and adopting new tech. Here’s what’s helping restaurants grow in 2024.
Operators are dropping a pin where it’s hot
Diners in emerging “foodie cities”, like Charlotte and Dallas, dine out more often than your average American — surpassing even cities like New York.
Loyalty is the best policy, but it’s not one-size-fits-all
In the U.S., age plays a large role in what consumers look for from loyalty programs. With 75% of restaurants already offering a loyalty program, operators should curate benefits accordingly to stay competitive.
Experiential dining that sells best
Consumers are looking for new experiences, and are particularly interested in themed events and upgraded dining options.
Top SevenRooms upgrades by revenue
SevenRooms operators cashed in on upgrades in 2023
What’s simmering in restaurant marketing
The biggest themes in restaurant marketing from our research are related to authenticity, community connection and timely, targeted messaging using a multichannel approach. In 2024, restaurants are investing heavily in social media and exploring AI and automation.
Social media is the amuse-bouche of restaurant discovery
79% of operators spend most of their marketing budget on social media with a focus on organic social media and paid ads, but less on influencers.
To win at restaurant email marketing, the more targeted, the better
There’s value in building email relationships with customers. From February to May 2024, SevenRooms’ U.S. customers generated $12M in revenue with Email Marketing.
More than half of consumers try restaurants because of social media
Here are the top influences by generation.
Gen Z
Millennials
Gen X + Boomers
Restaurant text marketing is blowing up
By 2025, U.S. SMS marketing is predicted to be worth over $12B, and early text marketing results from restaurant operators are promising.
of Gen Zers prefer to receive restaurant promotions via text.
Amount that Fabio Viviani Hospitality brought in from text marketing in just 4 months.
How restaurants are powering up with AI and automation
The majority of U.S. hospitality operators are already using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in their business and plan to expand usage this year. They’re filling reservations, working more efficiently and delivering top-notch service.
Restaurants are working smarter to improve guest experiences
Every industry today is using AI to help staff work more efficiently – and the same is true for restaurants. They're primarily looking to AI as a way to process reservations, manage inventory and synthesize data.
7 in 10 restaurant operators are already using AI in some way to run their business.
Restaurateurs want to bring automation to operations
Restaurants with limited staff and resources are using automation and smart restaurant tech to cut manual tasks and amp up customer communication.
