MRM Research Roundup: To-Go Trends, State of the Plate, and Black Market Reservations

This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features trends in off-premise, coffee wars, the AI lifeline, the return of lunch, and how teens spend their dollars. Off-Premises Dining Is EssentialNearly 75 percent of all restaurant traffic now happens off-premises—meaning that almost three out of four restaurant orders are taken to go. New data from the National Restaurant Association’s2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report highlights how off-premises dining has become both a consumer preference and business essential, with the convenience and availability of takeout, delivery, and drive-thru now deeply embedded in everyday life.

“Off-premises dining has become a key revenue driver and an essential way to engage consumers,” said Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist at the National Restaurant Association. “It now accounts for a larger share of sales for 58 percent of limited-service and 41 percent of full-service operators compared…