Expanding the Definition of Value

More than eight in ten restaurant operators expect 2025 sales to meet or exceed 2024 levels, but rising competition will require differentiation through experience, service, and innovation, according to The National Restaurant Association’s 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report. Despite the positive outlook, many operators say, "new year, similar concerns." In 2025, restaurants will continue to grapple with many of the same challenges they faced in 2024. Rising labor and food costs, along with the ongoing struggle to recruit and retain employees, remain among the top concerns for both fullservice and limited-service operators. 

"The fundamentals of the restaurant industry are strong, and operators are optimistic about the year ahead," said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association. "Industry sales are expected grow more than four percent this year, and employment should reach nearly 16 million jobs. That growth will come from restaurant operators finding the balance of value and experience for consumers, and innovating breakthrough efficiency in their operations." 

Among the key findings:

Consumers crave interactive dining: 70 percent are interested in tasting events, 52 percent in private dinners with a chef, and 50 percent in cooking classes at restaurants.  

Consumers and operators crave more in-person dining: 81 percent of consumers say they’d eat at tableservice restaurants more often if finances allowed. 90 percent of fine dining operators say in-person dining is key to their 2025 success.  

In 2025, the meaning of "value" to the dining consumer will extend beyond price to include a mix of experience, hospitality and affordability. Research highlights that welcoming environments and socialization are key motivators for consumers. To address this demand, restaurant operators must strike a balance between offering value-based pricing while ensuring cleanliness alongside a friendly, approachable staff. 

The emphasis on experience also extends beyond customer service to the unique ways restaurants engage diners. Seventy percent of consumers expressed interest in tasting events, 52 percent in private dinner events with a chef, and 50 percent in cooking classes at a restaurant. These preferences illustrate the growing importance of innovative, hospitality-driven dining, where restaurants are not just places to eat, but spaces for entertainment, education, and community-building. 

Consumers have pent-up demand for restaurant meals. Consumers report they would use restaurants more frequently if they had the money, and this sentiment cuts across all segments: on-premises dining at tableservice restaurants (81 percent) to visiting quickservice restaurants, snack places, delis or coffee shops (76 percent) to having food delivered at home (82 percent).  

Loyalty programs and promotions drive traffic – 70 percent of operators say loyalty programs increased customer visits in 2024. Nearly half plan to introduce new deals in 2025, balancing affordability with exclusive offerings. Loyalty programs are also providing value for both the operator and the consumer. For consumers, being a member of a loyalty program is a growing factor when choosing a restaurant. Sixty-one percent of delivery customers, 54 percent of quickservice patrons, and 41 percent of tableservice diners indicate that being part of a rewards program influences their dining choices. 

Restaurants aim to attract more in-person diners. The majority of operators say increasing traffic on-site and getting diners back in their seats will be more important to their restaurant's success in 2025. This is especially important to 90 percent of fine dining operators and 87 percent of casual dining operators.  

Despite a craving for increased in-person and interactive experiences, off-premises dining remains integral, especially for younger demographics as 51 percent of consumers, including 67 percent of Gen Z and 64 percent of millennials, consider takeout an essential part of their lifestyle. Additionally, 41 percent say the same about delivery, with Gen Z and millennials leading demand. 

Delivery is driven by convenience, technology and promotions, with 82 percent of consumers, including 89 percent of millennials, expressing a strong interest in ordering delivery more often if their finances allow. At the same time, takeout is favored for its speed and flexibility, with over half of consumers, including 67 percent of Gen Z and 64 percent of millennials, considering it essential. Half of all restaurant operators report that off-premises sales now account for a larger proportion of their revenue compared with 2019.