Diners Prefer Restaurants to Eating
at Home
The atmosphere and being able to socialize were the top reasons Americans prefer going out to eat.
By Alexandra Zendrian
Fifty-five percent of Americans prefer to eat at a restaurant compared to takeout or delivery, according to U.S. Foods’ The Diner Dispatch: 2024 American Dining Habits. This was a 12 percent increase over the previous year. The biggest reasons for this preference were the ambiance of the restaurant and the time afforded to socialize. This was one of several key pieces of data to come from the U.S. Foods report. Here are several other pieces of data that will prove valuable to restaurant owners and staff: ·The average American spent $191 a month at restaurants, up from $166 the previous year. That could be in part be due to inflation. ·Women spent 33 percent more than men this year on dining, compared to 2023 when men’s spending outpaced women’s by 19 percent. ·Sixty-nine percent of diners prefer casual dining, which was up from 63 percent the prior year. ·Diners are willing to wait up to 26 minutes for a table at a restaurant without a reservation. Their patience increased from 2023 when the average diner only wanted to wait 20 minutes. ·Ninety percent of people across all ages prefer print menus when compared to QR codes. That’s up 16 percent from the prior year.
·The average diner goes out 4.6 times a month and orders takeout or delivery three times a month. ·Americans’ tipping habits remain unchanged from 2023 to 2024. The average tip was 18 percent. ·When it comes to delivery versus takeout, 65 percent of diners prefer takeout while 35 percent like delivery.
HOSPITALITY NEWS NOV | Page 43
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