MKTG (TOPPIN): Restaurant Industry

Consumers remain price-sensitive but indicate a willingness to pay more for value, e.g., speed of service, healthy food options, and/or portion sizes. In 2021, the estimated total sales of the industry was US$811.9 billion.

This dossier presents a range of statistics and facts on eating out behavior in the United States. It includes information on eating out, delivery and takeout, plant-based dining opinions, and the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The restaurant industry in the United States has seen healthy growth over the past few decades, despite challenges caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As a leading contributor to the global restaurant market, the U.S. quick service restaurant (QSR) industry's output has increased by over 50 percent since 2007, reaching an all-time high of approximately 283 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. The output of the U.S. full service restaurant industry experienced similar growth in recent years and reached a total of over 80 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. For many in the U.S., restaurants have become an essential part of everyday personal and professional life. Millions depend on the hospitality sector for employment, however, the number of employees in the U.S. restaurant industry declined significantly in 2020 amidst the series of nationwide restaurant restrictions and closures caused by the health crisis.