MRM Research Roundup: Midyear Report Card, Cowboy Carter Boost, and the Evolving Pumpkin Craze

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features rewriting the rules of seasonal marketing, snack wrap traffic driver, GLP-1 use impact on F&B, and restaurant marketing challenges.

The 2025 Numbers, So Far

Restaurant leaders representing more than 5,000 locations shared 2025's top challenges and opportunities alongside their priorities for the rest of the year, including increased marketing and sales to drive revenue, training to improve guest experience and customer loyalty, and balancing cost controls with menu price increases in Restaurant365's biannual industry survey.

Participants reported continued food and labor cost increases, with 89 percent experiencing rising staff expenses, well exceeding the 79 percent of last year's survey who predicted labor cost increases. 82 percent of those experiencing labor increases saw a 1 percent to 5 percent increase, while 15 percent experienced a six to 14 percent jump. Food cost increases also surpassed expectations, with 91 percent of respondents reporting a rise, up from the 82 percent who had expected increases at the start of the year. More than half of those coping with food cost inflation this year are seeing a 1 percent to 5 percent increase.

In response to rising food costs, 56 percent of respondents said they planned to increase menu prices, down from 61 percent earlier in the year, and 18 percent said they doubled down on inventory and waste tracking, up two percentage points. The vast majority, 65 percent, of those businesses experiencing rising labor and recruiting cost challenges said their primary response has been operating below full capacity, while 19 percent said they limited operating hours to manage the shortage and increased cost.

With increased sales as the top priority, more than 40 percent of operators plan to increase their budgets for promotions and marketing, particularly for off-premise dining, which remains one of the most significant shifts in consumer preferences post-pandemic.

Restaurant leaders anticipate continued challenges this year, particularly with the looming threat of tariffs hanging over the global economy. 78 percent of respondents said they expected to be impacted by tariffs, with 64 percent expecting a one percent to 10 percent increase in food cost prices due to global trade barriers.

At the same time, operators remain focused on the basics, with food costs, labor costs, and sales volume as the top three concerns for restaurants for the remainder of the year. Notably, 52 percent of respondents cite sales as their primary concern. 

With increased sales as the top priority, more than 40 percent of operators plan to increase their budgets for promotions and marketing, particularly for off-premise dining, which remains one of the most significant shifts in consumer preferences post-pandemic. An additional 35 percent of respondents reported seeing more takeout and delivery orders than in previous years, which correlates with 33 percent of participants reporting a decrease in dine-in visits.

Operators are also preparing to boost employee training to drive both retention and the overall guest experience, with 30 percent of survey participants reporting they already increased pay. Another 30 percent said they spent more on enhanced training so far this year. For the remainder of 2025, improved training appears to be the focus, with 40 percent of participants pegging it as their top priority, followed by 27 percent working to offer employees better work-life balance, and 19 percent setting aside resources to increase pay.

Finally, improvements in staff training, which directly leads to improved guest experiences, will be critical this year. More than half, 58 percent, of respondents said they don't plan to open any additional locations this year, meaning that all additional revenue must come from existing locations. Of those looking to expand, 19 percent of participants said they're planning one additional location, and 20 percent said they're working on opening two to five more locations before the end of the year ends.

Pumpkin with a Purpose

New data from SpotOn reveals that independent restaurants are rewriting the rules of seasonal marketing with bold, early, and innovative pumpkin-themed menu rollouts. By comparing menu data from January 1 to July 21 in both 2024 and 2025, SpotOn uncovered a significant year-over-year shift—not just in timing, but in strategy, creativity, and regional dynamics.

Earlier Than Ever And More Strategic

Pumpkin items are showing up sooner and in smaller, more strategic quantities.

In 2025, independent restaurants launched over 1,000 pumpkin items between January and March, flipping the script on traditional fall timelines. Unlike 2024, when most pumpkin offerings didn’t appear until late spring or summer, this year’s early rollouts were no accident. But the change wasn’t just about timing. It was about strategy.

SpotOn’s data shows a nearly 40 percent decrease in total pumpkin-themed items compared to the same period last year. That drop doesn’t signal declining interest, but rather signals smarter planning. Operators are shifting from quantity to quality, choosing leaner menus with high-performing, low-lift seasonal items like pumpkin beers that deliver stronger ROI. 

Pumpkin offerings and LTOs are being deployed not just to satisfy seasonal cravings, but to:

• Beat national chains to market and capture early guest excitement

• Smooth out operational transitions post-holiday and pre-fall

• Drive repeat visits by leveraging nostalgia in new formats

Pumpkin Menu Trends

Operators are leaning into comfort staples while exploring new applications across the menu. 

The decline suggests that some operators may be reducing LTO frequency amid cost pressures, labor shortages, or ingredient availability. But while restaurants may be pulling back on the sheer volume of pumpkin offerings, they’re churning out tighter, more strategic offerings. Baked Goods and N/A Beverages saw growth in 2025. Beverage numbers held steady, reinforcing the staying power of pumpkin coffee, lattes, and cocktails. When it comes to flavor profiles, sweet menu items were up 5 percent in 2025, while savory grew by 1 percent with more items like pasta and soups hitting menus.

Most Popular Pumpkin Items: Classics are Holding Strong

• Pumpkin Pie remains the #1 pumpkin dessert item in 2025, with Pumpkin Cheesecake close behind, underscoring continued demand for comfort-first desserts with nostalgic value. 

• Pumpkin beverages continue to diversify, with hot lattes, iced cold brews, ales, crushes, and creative cocktails.

  • So far, variations on the ‘pumpkin martini’ are the most popular this year, knocking Pumpkin White Russians out of last years #1 spot.  

  • 2024 saw more alcohol-forward diversity with scotch ales, espresso-tinis, while 2025 has less cocktails, and more beers, possibly driven by labor costs or prep complexity. N/A Beverages grew by 4 percent as well.

  • Notably, Restaurants are adding Sloop’s No Pumpkin to the menu, a seasonal IPA that promises fall flavors without the use of pumpkin or spices.

Emerging Favorites and Unique Offerings

In 2024, operators experimented within familiar categories, like an Outrageous Pumpkin Dessert Dip. In 2025, offerings broadened to new categories: 

• Pumpkin Pastas like Pumpkin Ravioli, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, and Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta signaled a growing appetite for savory, cross-category innovation.

• Pumpkin Bread, Rolls, and Muffins introduced a homestyle, cozy feel, bridging nostalgia with menu versatility.

Regional Flavor: Where Pumpkin Popularity is Rising and Declining

Pumpkin trends vary widely by region, reflecting local tastes and operational pressures.

In 2024, pumpkin menus skewed more Mid-Atlantic and Southern. In 2025, the trend shifted west and northeast, with Missouri (150 items), Pennsylvania (88), California (76), Connecticut (73) rising in the rankings, possibly due to stronger early-year promotions or multi-location group testing. 

• California continues to be a standout in 2025, ranking among the top five states with the most pumpkin menu items added. From raviolis to martinis, operators here are embracing bold, unexpected fall flavors. 

• The Midwest, specifically Missouri, held strong with early releases of familiar favorites like pumpkin cheesecake and white russians—proving comfort sells year-round.

• Northeast cities like Pennnsylvania, New York and Connecticut favored elevated indulgence. Independent restaurants curated menus with pumpkin martinis and dessert dips striking a balance between nostalgia and sophistication. Notably, SpotOn found a 43 percent decrease in menu items added in New York in 2025. 

• Southern states, including Florida and Texas, continue to adapt pumpkin flavor for warm weather, with chilled lattes, iced pumpkin cocktails, and lighter desserts designed to feel seasonal without being heavy.

What It All Means for Operators

The pumpkin craze isn’t fading – it’s evolving. 

• Less is more: Operators are scaling back quantity and focusing on quality, margin, and operational efficiency.

• Savory is growing: Pumpkin is moving beyond lattes and pie, with savory applications the only category to increase year-over-year (+21 percent).

• Drinks stay dominant: Beverages remain a low-lift, high-return way to feature seasonal flavors.

• Pumpkin isn’t going anywhere: But independent operators are getting smarter, more versatile, and better timed to meet both business needs and guest expectations.

The Snack Wrap Excitement

Fresh data from Placer.ai (see below) shows that McDonald's foot traffic spiked significantly on Snack Wrap relaunch day (July 10) and the following days. Visits were up 15 percent on Thursday, July 10, compared to the year-to-date daily average, up 22.3 percent on July 11, and 16.1 percent on July 12.

R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai, had this to say about the foot traffic data:

“Consumers responded favorably to the return of McDonald’s Snack Wrap, with Placer.ai visitation data indicating a meaningful lift in daily visits during the first three days of the relaunch compared to year-to-date averages," R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai, said about the data. "This trend is even more impressive considering the launch is lapping last year’s popular $5 Meal Deal promotion. The snack wrap's successful comeback is the latest example of a revived product finding success, reinforcing the power of nostalgia in today’s QSR limited-time offers.”

The Effect of Economic Volatility

Square unveiled new data on the restaurant industry in 2025, which is finding its footing amid economic uncertainty.

As consumer confidence dips, so does tipping

In Q1 2025, Square found that the average tip on food and beverage transactions was 15.17 percent, and this continued to fall into Q2 with the average tip coming in at 14.99 percent, aligned to dropping consumer confidence in the economy.

Bars regularly receive the highest tips; in Q1 their average tip was 17.36 percent on each transaction, though this too fell to 16.96 percent in Q2. Cafés and quick-service restaurants received 14.72 percent and 14.64 percent in Q1, respectively, and dropped to 14.57 percent and 14.2 percent in Q2. Tips at full-service restaurants also declined from 14.76 percent in Q1 to 14.64 percent in Q2.

“As previous Square research has underlined, tips make up a major part of workers’ wages – the average restaurant employee earned nearly 23 percent of their income in tips in 2024,” said Ming-Tai Huh, Head of Food and Beverage at Square. “As consumer confidence in the economy shifts and tips fall, workers are taking home less which could lead to a return to labor uncertainties for the industry – adding to the crunch local restaurants are continuing to feel.”

As price of oat milk falls, it’s a top choice for coffee orders in coastal states – but dairy still wins in middle America and the South

Oat milk has had a meteoric rise as a choice for coffee drinkers, and previous Square research showed that it was the top milk alternative in 2024, comprising 33 percent of orders in the United States and Canada.

Now, in 2025, nearly half of coffee orders in some states like New Mexico, Maine, and Oregon include the vegan alternative:

• The top states that prefer oat milk with their coffee are New Mexico (48.6 percent), Maine (47.41 percent), Oregon (45.94 percent), and Vermont (45.59 percent).

• The states where people stick most with dairy and order oat milk the least are Wyoming (18.83 percent), Mississippi (21.99 percent), Louisiana (23.17 percent), and West Virginia (25.36 percent).

And while the dairy alternative can be a pricier add-on, the cost has fallen steadily since the beginning of the year – in January 2025, selecting oat milk for a coffee drink cost an additional 67 cents, but in June 2025, this upcharge fell to an average of 65 cents.

Quick-service restaurants rule when it comes to profitability, with fine dining leaning into experiences

Square and Paperchase have partnered to combine Square's transaction data and Paperchase's restaurant accounting and financial services data to evaluate how hospitality profitability is faring against the backdrop of 2025's economic volatility. The data weighs the differences between quick-service and fast casual restaurants versus fine dining restaurants across sales, margins, growth, and cost efficiency.

Overall, QSRs and fast casual concepts consistently outperform fine dining in consistency, efficiency, and scalability, with consumers continuing to seek value for their buck amid economic uncertainty:

• In terms of sales growth, fast casual restaurants peaked at 9.3 percent in Q4 2024, with a moderation down to .9 percent in 2025. QSRs peaked at 15.8 percent in Q4 2024 with continued strength into 2025 between 8.7 percent and 9.1 percent.

• As Square research has previously shown, labor margins are steadily trending downward for both fast casual and quick-service concepts, indicating improved labor efficiency or cost reduction, likely enabled by investment in technology like self-serve kiosks. Fast casual restaurants using Paperchase see a lean and consistent margin between 17.4 percent and 21.2 percent amid 2024 and early 2025, while QSRs trended down from 21.1 percent in 2024 to 18.8 percent in 2025.

• EBITDA margins are strong and steady for both QSRs and fast casual businesses, at 18.9 percent and 23.6 percent in Q1 2025, respectively. Both kinds of businesses show resiliency, scalability, and adaptability, underscoring the advantages of operating standardized and leaner restaurant business models amid economic uncertainty.

On the other hand, fine dining excels in experience-driven differentiation, albeit with cost and margin trade-offs:

• Sales at fine dining restaurants declined by 13 percent in early 2024 compared to late 2023, likely due to reduced discretionary spending, but recovered to between 2.1 percent and 3.1 percent growth by early 2025, signaling renewed interest in premium dining experiences.

• Labor margins ranged from 19 percent to 26 percent amid 2024 and early 2025, and they peaked during holiday periods, reflecting the intensive and variable staffing needs of fine dining.

• EBITDA margins for higher-end restaurants are highly volatile – rising from 1 percent in early 2024 to a peak of 19 percent in Q2 2024 before falling to 12.2 percent in early 2025 – demonstrating the sector’s sensitivity to external factors.

In the past few years, omnichannel ordering has become essential for running a restaurant, whether that’s through first-party online ordering or through third-party delivery platforms. According to Square’s 2025 Future of Commerce report, 78 percent of restaurant owners said online ordering is the channel that drives the most orders to their business – so ensuring this ordering option is streamlined is key to a successful business.

The margins on this can be tricky – Square found that while online order revenue continues to increase both via first-party ordering and via third-party delivery partners, delivery rates are also rising. Overall, leaning into first-party ordering is more profitable for sellers, with the profit margins being 64 percent higher than third-party delivery.

Menu Innovaton and Value Perception

Menu innovation and operational improvements are helping full-service restaurant chains overcome value perception challenges, Chatmeter’s 2025 Full-Service Reputation Ranking Report found. 

“Multi-location full-service restaurants have struggled to compete with fast food restaurants on value, but we’re starting to see them adapt to customer feedback and drive positive business momentum,” said John Mazur, CEO of Chatmeter. “Customers are no longer just seeking a good deal–they are rewarding brands that are delivering menu creativity and operational excellence. By leveraging AI to analyze reviews at scale, restaurants can turn insights like these into actions that keep customers coming back.”

Chatmeter used its Pulse Ai: Signals to analyze more than one million reviews across 10 of the largest casual dining chains from June 16, 2023 through June 15, 2025, and found that:

• Menu innovation is driving positive sentiment: Brands that launched significant menu updates, like TGI Fridays, Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory, saw notable engagement and positive feedback. Reviews increasingly mentioned healthier options, reflecting an uptick in demand, but some brands faced criticism for lacking such options. 

• Value remains a battleground, but less of a top priority for consumers: Mentions of value dropped by 18 percent over the past year, indicating that consumers are prioritizing other aspects of the dining experience. Deals like Chili’s “3 for Me” and Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Bowl sustained positive value perceptions, but discussion of portion sizes directly impacted customers’ perceptions of value across all restaurants. 

• Operational improvements and technology upgrades improved customer experience at some restaurants:Investments in digital ordering, loyalty programs and tabletop technology drove higher satisfaction for brands like Outback Steakhouse, Chili’s and Applebee’s. However, sentiment around service declined at many chains, with wait time and order accuracy as common pain points.

• Customer review volume dropped across the sector: Full-service dining restaurants experienced a nearly 6 percent drop in online reviews over the past year, potentially due to location closures, decreased traffic or a lack of customer engagement. Only Red Robin (+18 percent) and Cracker Barrel (+10 percent) saw significant increases in reviews. 

Based on review volume and sentiment, Chatmeter ranked 10 of the largest casual dining chains on Customer Experience, Menu and Value. 

Customer Experience Reputation Rankings

1. Outback Steakhouse

2. Red Robin

3. TGI Fridays

4. Applebee’s

5. Olive Garden

6. Texas Roadhouse

7. Chili’s

8. Cracker Barrel

9. The Cheesecake Factory

10. Buffalo Wild Wings

Menu Reputation Rankings

1. The Cheesecake Factory

2. Olive Garden

3. Red Robin

4. Chili’s 

5. Outback Steakhouse

6. TGI Friday’s

7. Texas Roadhouse

8. Applebee’s

9. Cracker Barrel

10. Buffalo Wild Wings

Value Reputation Rankings

1. Chili’s

2. Applebee’s

3. Texas Roadhouse

4. Olive Garden

5. Cracker Barrel

6. Red Robin

7. Outback Steakhouse

8. TGI Fridays

9. The Cheesecake Factory

10. Buffalo Wild Wings

The Beyonce Boost

Beyoncé's "COWBOY CARTER" tour didn't just bring music to Atlanta. New data from restaurant technology platform Toast reveals that the tour also served up a significant economic boost to the local restaurants in the vicinity of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Highlights from the four-night tour stop in Atlanta include:

↗️  The "COWBOY CARTER" Cash Injection

 Restaurants saw a 14 percent average increase in sales, with the average check size also rising by 3 percent.

🌜 A Late-Night Renaissance

 The concert's energy spilled over into the early morning, driving a 26 percent sales jump at 1 a.m. and a massive 40 percent surge at 4 a.m.

🍳 The Beyhive's Brunch Boost

 Morning-after cravings led to a 26 percent sales increase for both burritos and breakfast platters.

🥂 Fans Raised a Glass to Queen B

 The celebratory mood drove a 35 percent  surge in hard seltzer sales and an 18 percent increase in gin sales.

Menu Pricing Trends

Toast also released its latest Menu Price Monitor, which offers a real-time, transactional look at price changes and what they mean for consumer behavior. \

Among the findings: 

☕️ Coffee Prices Hold Steady but premium cups get pricer

• In June 2025, the median price of a regular coffee was $3.50, unchanged from May 2025, but saw a 3.6 percent YoY increase.

• While the median stayed flat, the 75th percentile price rose to $4.50—a 1.1 percent increase month-over-month and a 9.5 percent jump year-over-year.

🥶Cold Brew Creeps Up

• In June 2025, the median price of a cold brew was $5.42, up 0.4 percent compared to May 2025.

• Year-over-year price increases for cold brew remain around 4 percent, consistent with recent months.

🍻Beer Prices Bubble Up

• In June 2025, the median price of a beer was $6.46, up 0.3 percent compared to May 2025.

• Year-over-year price increases have remained under 3 percent since February 2024.

🌯Burrito Prices Flatten 

• In June 2025, the median price of a burrito was $13.37, down 0.1 percent compared to May 2025.

• Year-over-year price increases have remained below 4 percent since February 2024.

🍗 Wing Prices Take a Tiny Dip

• In June 2025, the median price of an order of wings was $13.75, down 0.1 percent compared to May 2025.

• Year-over-year price increases have continued to stay below 3 percent since February 2024.

🍔 Burger Costs Still Stacking Up

• In June 2025, the median price of a burger was $14.39, up 0.1 percent compared to May 2025.

• Year-over-year price increases continue to hover around 3 percent.

GLP-1’s Impact on F&B

A new report by OC&C Strategy Consultants reveals how the rapid growth in use of GLP-1 medications is impacting the Food and Beverage industry, driving reductions in consumption habits across key demographics and disproportionately impacting specific product 

GLP-1 medications are poised for sustained growth, driven by a large addressable market linked to rising obesity and wellness trends. Accessibility is improving through product innovation with new delivery formats and broader insurance coverage, which is reducing the financial burden on the consumer.

OC&C reveals that while there are early signs that adoption rates may slow, high churn and restart cycles are expected to fuel ongoing disruption. As a result, investors and F&B businesses must prepare for continued volatility and long-term shifts in consumer consumption patterns.

Key Themes for 2025

• Structural shift in consumer behavior
• Three dimensions of disruption
•  Cycling & reengagement volatility
• Strategic implications for brands & investors

Key insights and facts from the four trends

Structural Shift in Consumer Behavior
GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are altering how people eat by reducing appetite, meal frequency, and cravings, leading to material reductions in F&B consumption, particularly among high-fat, high-sugar, and impulse-driven categories.

Three Dimensions of Disruption

• Category-Level Impact

The most significant consumption declines among GLP-1 users are occurring in categories like salty snacks, baked goods, and cookies. While there’s little evidence of a corresponding rise in healthier category spending, protein-rich and functional foods are showing notable resilience in the shifting landscape.

• Occasion-Based Changes

GLP-1 medications are impacting eating habits by reducing meal frequency, portion sizes, and overall food intake. Non-essential eating occasions, like late-night snacking and social dinners, have seen notable declines. Away-from-home (AFH) dining has been especially affected, with early research indicating a 6 percent drop in spending during the first six months of use.

• Demographic Skew

GLP-1 usage is currently concentrated among higher-income, middle-aged adults (35+), who very seldomly represent "super users" – high-frequency and high-value consumers – in key F&B categories. As a result,  a number of food & beverage categories are somewhat insulated from the impact of changing behaviors of GLP-1 users.

Cycling & Reengagement Volatility
60 percent of users discontinue within six months, but often regain weight and express interest in restarting, meaning it's difficult to predict volume and demand.

Strategic Implications for Brands & Investors
GLP-1s are not a temporary fad, but a structural headwind for the F&B industry. However, they are navigable with smart, adaptive strategy. As usage becomes more widespread, regulatory and labelling shifts are also likely to reshape how products are marketed and sold.

Marketing Challenges

 A new restaurant industry survey from Imaginuity reveals that restaurant marketers are facing significant challenges with multi-system data integration, customer insight visibility, and measuring return on marketing investment. 

Only 20 percent of the restaurant marketing professionals surveyed said their metrics were fully automated across platforms like POS, loyalty, and paid media systems, while 38 percent reported inconsistent metrics and definitions as the top barrier to delivering useful marketing insights. The survey gathered responses from more than 200 restaurant marketing professionals across the U.S., representing a wide range of titles, organizational sizes, and advertising budgets. 

When asked what would make investing in a data integration tool a “no-brainer,” the top response (35 percent) was a significant reduction in manual hours spent compiling reports. A third of respondents (31 percent) cited the lack of a unified customer view as their biggest data blind spot, while 43 percent reported that it is moderately challenging to measure the ROI of their media and advertising efforts. 

Sauces Are a Real Draw

In 2025, sauces aren’t just supporting the meal, they are the meal. Operators are leaning into bold, customizable and snackable sauces as a fast track to loyalty, LTO buzz and social shareability. From KFC’s new Saucy spinoff concept to TikTok’s sauce-dipping craze, especially among Gen Z, sauces are becoming the canvas global flavors, low-commitment trials and standout value in a competitive market. 

Fries, the beloved and endlessly customizable side, are proving to be the perfect vehicle for flights, build-your-own pairings and snackable moments that fit happy hour or off-peak dayparts. 

Lamb Weston partnered with influencers to conduct a poll on social media of 300 users and found that almost half of the respondents would eat fries anytime, anywhere. This positions fries not just as a side, but as a shareable, snackable platform for sauce experimentation and regional flavor storytelling. Rubix Foods is closely following this sauce-first momentum. Their NEXT Flavor Report, based on 45,000+ Gen Z responses via influencer-led polls, highlights the obsession:

• 91 percent would visit a restaurant just to try a sauce they liked
• One in Five specifically want pickle-flavored sauces
• 56 percent say Dr Pepper should be a sauce flavor

For operators, sauces deliver big impact with minimal lift, from driving LTO traffic and retail spinoffs to fueling scroll-stopping social content.

Popular Pops

More Americans consider purchasing Coca-Cola (35 percent) than any other soft drink or beverage, according to a new YouGov report. 

Based on surveys from more than 24,000 Americans, YouGov’s US soft drink rankings 2025 highlights the most considered brands across still & sparkling water, energy & hydration brands, and carbonated soft drinks. 

Coca-Cola beats longtime competitor Pepsi (27 percent) in the carbonated soft drink category, but also tops the category leaders for still & sparkling water (Aquafina) and energy & hydration (Gatorade).

The report also identifies leaders for each category across generation and category. 

52 percent of Americans drink bottled water weekly, and 15 percent drink sparkling water weekly. The report finds that among still & sparkling water brands: 

• Aquafina (21 percent), Smartwater (19 percent), and VitaminWater (16 percent) are most considered with the US general population 

• Smartwater is the most considered water brand by women (21 percent), whereas men (16 percent) rank them second 

• 31 percent of Gen Z Americans consider drinking Aquafina, the highest of any generation for any water brand 

• Millennials are 27 percent more likely than other generations to consider drinking LaCroix 

• Pure Life (+1.0), Aquafina (+0.9), and Vita Coco (+0.9) grew most in consideration since 2024 

Thirty-six percent of Americans drink regular carbonated drinks weekly, and 28 percent drink diet carbonated drinks weekly. The report finds that among carbonated soft drink brands: 

• Coca-Cola (35 percent), Pepsi (27 percent), and Sprite (25 percent) are most considered with the US general population. 

• Coca-Cola's dominance is driven by high consideration among men (40 percent) and Gen Z (51 percent), though the soda also ranks first with women (31 percent), Millennials (45 percent), Gen X (34 percent), and Baby Boomers+ (25 percent) 

• Coca-Cola also improved the most year-over-year, increasing purchase consideration by 2.7 percentage-points since 2024. Pepsi followed closely behind, improving 2.3 percentage-points. 

• Pepsi ranks second with men (30 percent), whereas Sprite ranks second with women (25 percent) 

• Canada Dry ranks second with Baby Boomers+ (23 percent), but lower with Gen Z (#9), Millennials (#8), and Gen X (#5) 

The report finds that among energy & hydration brands: 

• Gatorade (31 percent), Powerade (18 percent), and Red Bull (13 percent) are most considered with the US general population. 

• Gatorade leads with all generations, but Red Bull supplants Powerade as #2 among both Gen Z and Millennials. 

• Red Bull is much more considered among US men than women (19 percent vs 9 percent), a trend mirrored by Monster (16 percent vs 9 percent) 

• Red Bull (+3.2), Celsius (+1.4), and Liquid IV. (+1.4) improved most year-over-year with the US general population. 

In total, the report mentions 45+ soft drinks and beverages that are leading their categories. 

Beer Insights

BeerBoard released its Q2 2025 On-Premise Insights Report.

All comparisons are same locations for the Q2 2025 (April 1 – June 30, 2025) vs Q2 2024 (April 1 – June 30, 2024).

BeerBoard’s proprietary data uncovers powerful trends and shifts in consumer behavior, giving key stakeholders — from brewers and distillers to chain operators — a real-time pulse on what’s happening at the tap and beyond.

Highlights from the Report

• Draft Beer Volume: -5.7 percent 

• Packaged Beer Volume: -9.3 percent

• Beyond Beer (RTDs, Seltzers, NA Beer): +10 percent

• Spirits Volume: -7 percent

• Wine Volume: Flat

Q2 2025 Trends

• Lager and Light Lager styles (imported and domestic) led sales across both draft and packaged. IPAs on draft were the third most popular style poured.

• While still a small share compared to beer, Hard Seltzers and RTD cocktails are growing in share of on-premise packaged.

• Whisky is still the most popular subcategory of Spirits, with Agave / Tequila not too far behind. 

• White wine led the Wine category in volume share.

Draft Beer

Draft Beer saw a -5.7 percent volume decline YoY in Q2.

Top Draft Brands

1. Michelob Ultra

2. Miller Lite

3. Coors Light

4. Modelo Especial

5. Bud Light

Top Draft Styles

1. Light Lager

2. Lager

3. IPA

4. Euro Ales

5. Amber Ale

Packaged Beer

After a strong Q1, Packed Beer slipped in Q2, declining -9.3 percent

Top Packaged Beer

1. Corona Extra

2. Michelob Ultra

3. Modelo Especial

4. Miller Lite

5. Coors Light

Beyond Beer (RTDs, Seltzers)

Beyond Beer increased overall volume share of the packaged category by +10 percent but decreased in units sold by -0.5 percent in Q2 2025 vs. Q2 2024.

Top RTDs

1. High Noon Sun Sips Pineapple

2. Surfside Iced Tea and Lemonade + Vodka

3. Nutrl Vodka Seltzer Watermelon

4. Sun Cruiser Iced Tea & Vodka

5. High Noon Sun Sips Peach

Top Hard Seltzers

1. White Claw Hard Seltzer Black Cherry

2. White Claw Hard Seltzer Mango

3. Truly Hard Seltzer Wild Berry

4. Topo Chico Strawberry Guava

5. Happy Dad Fruit Punch

Wine & Spirits

Wine was flat in Q2. Performance was as follows:

• White: 54.4 percent volume share (-1.2 percent YoY)

• Red: 29.8 percent volume share (-0.8 percent YoY)

• Sparkling: 7.7 percent volume share (+0.3 percent YoY)

• Sangria: 4.8 percent volume share (+2.3 percent YoY)

• Rose: 3.3 percent volume share (-0.6 percent YoY)

Spirits decreased in overall volume with a -7 percent decline in volume. Top categories by share:

• Whisky: 28 percent share (+1.4 percent YoY)

• Tequila: 27 percent share (+0.3 percent YoY)

• Vodka: 19 percent share (-0.4 percent YoY)

Top Spirits Brands

1. Tito’s Vodka

2. Lunazul Blanco Tequila

3. Sauza Gold Tequila

4. Jameson Irish Whiskey

5. Jack Daniel’s

Top Cocktail

• Margarita (tequila-based): Dominant on-premise choice

Top Waste States

A recent study by Escoffier revealed the top ten states that produce the most food waste in the U.S. The study analyzed food waste across all 50 states by looking at household, restaurant, and grocery store waste – along with mitigation efforts like composting and food banks. The data was combined into a relative wastefulness score that reveals which states are doing the worst job managing food waste.

Arizona is the most wasteful state in the country, with a top score of 100.00. The average person wastes 1,025 pounds of food every year, and the typical household throws away 8 cups of food each week. Restaurants add another 115 pounds per person in waste, and grocery stores contribute 70 pounds. Arizona has no composting facilities and just seven food banks to serve over 7 million residents.

Maryland comes next with a score of 87.89. It has the highest grocery store waste in the country, more than double Arizona’s. Households also waste nearly 10 cups of food a week, among the top in the U.S.

Arkansas comes in at 81.06, with households wasting over 10 cups of food weekly, the most in the country. Grocery store waste is 91 pounds per person, and the state manages it all with just one composting facility and four food banks.

Kentucky takes the fourth spot with a score of 79.14. The average household here throws out over 8 cups of food each week. Restaurant waste is around 132 pounds, and grocery waste is over 102 pounds per person.

Illinois earns a score of 78.60 and has some of the highest retail-level food waste in the nation, with 146 pounds from restaurants and 120 pounds from grocery stores per person. It stands out for having better infrastructure than its peers, with 21 composting centers.

Alabama ranks sixth with a score of 74.41. Residents waste 8.1 cups weekly, with 132.2 pounds from restaurants and 97.4 pounds from grocery stores per person. The state has no composting facilities and four food banks, mirroring Arizona’s lack of infrastructure.

Tennessee ranks seventh with a score of 73.92. A typical household wastes nearly 9 cups of food weekly. Restaurant waste is high at 137 pounds per person, and grocery waste exceeds 100 pounds. Tennessee has only two composting facilities and six food banks for over 7 million people.

Mississippi takes eighth place and scores 71.39, with restaurant waste at 139 pounds per person, higher than in Arkansas and Alabama. Grocery store waste adds another 107 pounds, but the state only has three composting centers and two food banks to respond.

Georgia ranks ninth with a score of 68.56. The average household wastes more than 8 cups of food weekly. Restaurants waste 144 pounds per person, and grocery stores waste about 148 pounds, among the highest in the country. Georgia operates just one composting facility and has eight food banks.

Nevada rounds out the top ten with a score of 67.40. The state has the highest restaurant waste in the group at nearly 148 pounds per person. Households waste just over 8 cups weekly, and grocery stores add 96 pounds per person. Nevada has no composting sites and only two food banks to manage these levels.

Water, Water

Culligan’s new data shows how little diners really know about what they’re drinking. And the numbers tell a surprising story. 

Here are a few quick takeaways: 

• Four in five people drink tap water at restaurants, but half don’t know if it’s filtered. 

• 86 percent of Americans drank tap water the last time they dined out. But at home, only 16 percent drink tap water regularly, while 57 percent say they rarely or never do. 

• Midwesterners are the most likely to go with tap, at 92 percent. The West (86 percent), South (84 percent), and Northeast (80 percent) follow closely behind. 

• Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are more likely to request bottled or filtered water at restaurants over tap than older generations. 

• Gen X and Baby Boomers tend to trust tap water more (88 percent) than Millennials and Gen Z (82 percent). 

• Half of those who order tap water at restaurants do so out of habit, without any knowledge of the quality or safety of what they’re drinking. 

• 58 percent of restaurant-goers assume tap water at restaurants is safe to drink, but the Environmental Working Group’s tap water report confirms significant water contamination issues across the U.S., such as lead and forever chemicals. 

Restroom Expectations

Only one in five public restrooms meet hygiene, cleanliness expectations,  a new Tork survey finds.

Fifty-two percent of people take action after a poor restroom experience, impacting business revenue and reputation 

Public restrooms are failing hygiene expectations globally – and it’s costing businesses 

The research, which surveyed 11,500 people across 11 countries, shows there are high expectations for hygiene and cleanliness in the public restroom. 74 percent expect moderate or high levels of hygiene. Yet, only 20 percent of restrooms deliver on those expectations 1. 40 percent of the general population is “very concerned” with hygiene and cleanliness of public spaces and that number jumps to 60 percent for people with conditions like germaphobia.

A poor restroom experience can trigger powerful emotions and measurable business consequences. When expectations for cleanliness are not met, users feel disgusted (27 percent), uncomfortable (26 percent) and frustrated (22 percent). And 52 percent of people take action after a poor restroom experience, including: 

• 28 percent have spent less time at a venue because of the state of the restroom 

• 23 percent have limited how much they eat or drink, in order to avoid needing the restroom – showing a direct impact on business revenue 

• 11 percent have told their friends to avoid the location and 7 percent have left a poor online review

• one in four people spent less time at their workplace due to poor restrooms, and 15 percent worked from home more than they otherwise would – affecting employee satisfaction and productivity 

Additionally, in the U.S., younger generations are holding venues to higher standards. 21 percent of 18–34-year-olds said they would not return to a venue because of the restrooms, compared to 14 percent of the general population and 16 percent of 35– 44-year-olds. That number goes down as people get older:

• 12 percent of 45 – 54-year-olds said they wouldn’t return to a venue because of the restroom

• 10 percent of 55 – 65-year-olds said they wouldn’t return

• 8 percent – 9 percent of 66 – 70+ year olds said they wouldn’t return

Beyond the visible: the real hygiene barriers in public restrooms

Although public facilities provide accommodations for some prevalent physical circumstances and conditions, such as people who use wheelchairs, the research reveals that many needs remain unrecognized in restroom maintenance and design. 

Across the 11 countries surveyed, 54 percent of venue visitors contend with some form of physical or cognitive challenge that can impact their public restroom experience. That number increases to 59 percent in Canada and 60 percent in the U.S.

Physical conditions include:

• Skin sensitivities

• Incontinence

• Chronic pain

• Mobility issues

Cognitive conditions include:

• General anxiety

• Discomfort in shared/crowded spaces

• Visual and/or hearing impairment

• Neurodivergence

Where public restrooms fall short

Survey respondents across countries cite that they avoid restrooms because they are “unhygienic” (#1 reason), have unpleasant smells or odors (#2 reason), soap and toilet paper are unavailable (#3 reason) or the restroom provides insufficient privacy (#4 reason).

The survey also asked respondents to identify the types of public locations that most often fail to meet their restroom expectations. Respondents in the United States identified the following venues as the most likely to fall short of restroom expectations:

• Convenience stores – 30 percent say these rarely or never meet expectations

• Train and bus stations – 25 percent

• Shopping malls – 25 percent

• Sports stadiums and arenas – 24 percent

• Fast food restaurants – 19 percent

The reality of cleaner burnout

The research also explored the challenges that cleaners face when working within the restroom setting, including:3 

• 80 percent reported mental health issues as a result of their jobs;46 percent of those individuals say they feel stressed. 

• 70 percent cite inadequate employer support. 

• 38 percent have left a cleaning job as a result of not feeling recognized or due to burnout (unrelated to pay/compensation). 

Reduced employee wellbeing and employee turnover can directly impact facility cleanliness, the restroom user experience, and result in costly hiring and onboarding. Meeting the needs of cleaning staff – for example, providing easy to refill high-capacity dispensers – can support inclusive hygiene and boost the bottom line of businesses.