2023 State of the Restaurant Industry

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.

Key report 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.

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.