Popmenu launched findings from its 2026 nationwide research, which included responses from 328 U.S. restaurant leaders and 1,000 U.S. shoppers. Customers’ common weekly spend on eating places in February 2026 was about $90, down from $115 in June 2025. The information exhibits that 68% of shoppers are lowering restaurant eating this 12 months, prioritizing affordability and comfort amid ongoing inflation and financial uncertainty.
Seventy-one % of restaurant operators plan to lift menu costs this 12 months, up from 57% final 12 months, as they face larger meals and labor prices. Thirty-five % of operators count on so as to add extra inexpensive choices to their menus, and 31% are contemplating variable pricing primarily based on demand, time of day, day of week, or seasonality, up from 22% final 12 months.
Different menu methods embrace introducing extra limited-time menus (41%), wholesome dishes (33%), low-alcohol drinks and mocktails (33%), selfmade dishes (32%), and luxury meals (30%).
Sixty-three % of operators report feeling cautiously optimistic about their enterprise prospects this 12 months, whereas 25% are very optimistic. Twenty-eight % of operators plan so as to add a brand new location or increase an present one, a lower from 32% final 12 months.
Eighty-five % of shoppers use Google and different search engines like google and yahoo to search out eating places, whereas 20% use AI instruments comparable to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. In response, 81% of operators are rising advertising exercise throughout digital channels, and 78% are making their web sites extra accessible to look instruments, together with AI.
Forty-four % of operators have already adopted AI for meals preparation and enterprise operations, and 25% plan to take action this 12 months. Fifty-five % of operators use AI to put in writing advertising content material.
Forty-eight % of shoppers need to hear from their favourite eating places at the least as soon as per week, and 16% each different week. 87% of operators use know-how to personalize messages primarily based on visitor preferences, they usually add greater than 100 new visitor contacts to their electronic mail lists every month on common.
Fifty-three % of shoppers usually or all the time redeem loyalty rewards, and 72% of operators plan to ship extra particular affords and rewards this 12 months. Thirty-nine % of shoppers search a eating expertise past only a meal, and 61% of operators plan to supply experiences comparable to themed nights, interactive dinners, nostalgia pop-ups, and digital actuality.
The patron survey was carried out from February 4 to February 5, 2026, and the operator survey from January 8 to January 31, 2026.
Learn the full report.
