Consumers Cutting Back on Restaurant Spending

ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Consumers in the United States are spending $100 per week at restaurants, up from $90 in February but still below the $115 they spent in June 2025. This spending pattern is part of a broader trend where consumers are finding ways to stretch their dollars, with many opting to reduce their restaurant bills by purchasing tap water instead of beverages, ordering fewer full meals, and using coupons or rewards points. Additionally, 40% of consumers are cutting back on tips, with restaurants that offer quick service, fast casual, or casual dining options being the most impacted.

These changes in dining habits are the result of a new report by Popmenu, a restaurant technology leader that serves over 12,000 restaurants globally. The report, which was conducted over six months and based on research with 3,000 U.S. consumers, aimed to uncover how dining habits are changing and what guests value most. Surveys were conducted in February, May, and July 2026.

According to the report, 60% of consumers are comfortable with restaurants using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their service, and 40% are cutting back on tips, with restaurants that offer quick service, fast casual, or casual dining being the most affected. The report also revealed that around 30% of monthly food budgets are now spent on restaurants, down from a high of 40% in 2022, indicating that consumers are spending more intentionally rather than reluctantly.

Consumers are finding various ways to reduce their restaurant bills. For instance, 52% are drinking water instead of purchasing a beverage, 50% are picking up orders more frequently than ordering delivery, and 48% are using coupons or rewards points. Additionally, 47% are choosing less expensive restaurants, 29% are ordering an appetizer instead of a meal, 28% are decreasing alcohol purchases, and 16% are ordering kids' meals for adults.

The report also found that consumers are looking for value and incentives to dine out. Three factors that make them choose one restaurant over another are visibility, affordability, and being easy to do business with. Eighty percent of consumers use Google and other search engines to find restaurants, and 27% use AI tools such as ChatGPT. Restaurants that rank high are chosen more often, and 80% of consumers are more likely to choose a menu with photos, videos, and reviews. Additionally, 94% of consumers prefer ordering from a restaurant's own website rather than ordering from a third-party platform where fees tend to be higher. Sixty percent of consumers are comfortable with restaurants using AI to provide better, faster service, from answering phones and taking orders to preparing and serving food.

The report also found that 40% of consumers are tipping less this year, with 78% of those consumers cutting back on tips for restaurants and bars. The following shows how much consumers tip, on average, by restaurant type: quick service restaurants receive an average tip of 12%, fast casual restaurants receive an average tip of 15%, and casual dining restaurants receive an average tip of 18%.

In summary, the new report by Popmenu reveals that consumers are finding creative ways to reduce their restaurant bills, with 60% comfortable with AI-enhanced service and 40% cutting back on tips. The report also highlights the importance of visibility, affordability, and ease of doing business when choosing a restaurant.