Want to know what’s ahead? Take a look at the 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry Report

​In February, 2025, the National Restaurant Association released its 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report. The 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report is the authoritative source for industry sales projections and trends. It is based on analysis and forecasts by National Restaurant Association economists and surveys of restaurant operators and consumers conducted throughout the year. The report examines key factors impacting the industry including the current state of the economy, operations, workforce, and food and menu trends to forecast sales and market trends for the year ahead.
 
According to the report, opportunity and cautious optimism will drive restaurant industry growth in 2025. Consumers plan to continue spending in their local restaurants, pushing industry sales nationwide to a projected $1.5T, while restaurant operators will continue to fuel economic growth in their communities by adding a projected 200K jobs, bringing total industry employment to 15.9M. Meeting customers’ wants and needs and creating an experience that keeps them coming back will be paramount to growth. Expanding the definition of value to include a dynamic mix of experience, innovation and affordability will create opportunity for higher traffic and greater loyalty. And a renewed focus on word-of-mouth recruitment tactics will help reinforce the drawing power and opportunity of industry careers.

Key findings:   

• Consumers prioritize restaurants: The foodservice industry is forecast to reach $1.5T in sales in 2025, and a strong majority of consumers say they would use restaurants more if they had the money.
• Employment opportunities for all: The industry workforce is projected to grow by 200K jobs, for total industry employment of 15.9M by the end of 2025.
• Experience over price: Many restaurant customers—including 64% of fullservice customers and 47% of limited-service customers—say their dining experience is more important than the price of the meal.
• Value remains top of mind: To drive customer traffic, 47% of operators plan to add new discounts, deals or value promotions.
• Boosting on-premises traffic is a priority: The majority of restaurant operators across all segments—including 90% of fine dining operators and 87% of casual dining operators—say building on-premises business is more important for their success than greater off-premises business.
• Consumers love restaurants: 9 in 10 adults say they enjoy going to restaurants. Restaurants allow them to enjoy a favorite meal that has flavor and taste sensations they can’t easily replicate at home..

 
The 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report is free to Wisconsin Restaurant Association restaurateur members ($349 for non-members). WRA members wishing to access the report, need to log into the National Restaurant Association Store before downloading the report. There’s a login link in the bar at the top. If you experience difficulties accessing the report for free, email [email protected] to request to be linked to your company's membership record.

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WRA Members Get the Report for Free

Non-members Can Buy the Report

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