BY THE NUMBERS:

The state of the restaurant market…and what operators plan to do about it.

84%

Of operators say the restaurant market is the toughest it’s been since the pandemic.

89%

Have to compete harder for every guest this year.

63%

Are concerned their restaurant (or a location) won’t survive another year if market conditions don’t improve.

Restaurants reported net declines in customer traffic for 18 months.

Popmenu, restaurant operators reporting of customer traffic versus same month in previous year.

Popmenu, restaurant operators reporting of customer traffic versus same month in previous year.

Source: National Restaurant Association, Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey.

Labor costs continue to rise

2023-2024

2022-2023

How are operators preparing for a potential recession or economic hardship in 2025?

63%

Consolidating costs

63%

Increasing marketing activity

How do operators plan to bring in more guests online and on-premise?

78%

Increase frequency of social media outreach

54%

Increase frequency of guest emails or texts

52%

Optimize their website to rank higher on Google

52%

Increase photos of dishes on online menus

49%

Offer more discounts or specials

46%

Gather and promote more reviews on their own website

Source: Popmenu’s nationwide study of 365 U.S. restaurant owners and operators in September 2024.

Check out The Restaurant Growth Playbook for marketing tips and examples.

Popmenu's restaurant growth playbook, book mockup image.

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