The foodservice industry spends a lot of time wondering about the state of the consumer, and with good reason. Simply put, consumers represent the entire industry’s shared customers. For most segments, they are the ones that ring the cash register, so it’s only right to pay attention to their outlooks, finances and more.
Sixty four percent of consumers felt 2025 was more unstable than the previous year, according to research from Datassential. As a result, consumers started to cut back on their use of various forms of foodservice. For example, 22% told Datassential they dined out less in 2025, 19% reduced their away-from-home coffee purchases and 18% said they dined out with friends less. Rounding out the top five ways consumers chose to cut back their foodservice purchases in 2025 were consumption of desserts/sweets, use of the drive-thru and ordering via delivery.
Heading into this year, consumers’ top four most pressing issues are inflation/cost of living, healthcare costs, political instability and the idea of a potential recession, per Datassential. As a result, 72% of consumers say they became more selective about where they spend their money on food in 2025.
And 2026 started off with some mixed news on the consumer front. For example, consumer sentiment improved slightly in January as The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment came in at 54.0, which is 2.1% greater than the previous month. And this represents the highest consumer sentiment has been since September. Unfortunately, consumer sentiment is also down 24.7% compared to January of 2024.
Despite such a cloudy consumer outlook, there remain opportunities for operators to be successful in 2026 if they know where to look and how to approach the markets and demographics they serve. For example, consumers still value experiences, particularly those that they cannot provide at home. As a result, experience-focused venues, from food halls with live music to pickleball courts with multiple cafes continue to serve sizzle along with sustenance (page 18). This approach, however, expands well beyond commercial venues. Providing proper experiences, ones that resonate with the current population, has become essential for foodservice success at senior living communities, hospitals and even corporate dining operations.
Beverages (page 36) represent another example of ways operators can provide experiences that consumers may find difficult to replicate at home and yet provide a much needed break from the stresses of the day. According to Datassential, some of the top ways operators can achieve this is by providing dessert-inspired beverages, fun toppings or garnishes, foams and cold foams, globally inspired offerings and over-the-top dessert beverages and functional or mood boosting beverages.
Success in the foodservice industry comes down to providing value on the customers’ terms. While price is always a factor in determining value it may not always be the main factor. When describing what value means to them, 64% of consumers told Datassential they want a good deal but not at the expense of food quality or experience. And 21% of consumers said they want a great meal and dining experience even if it means paying more for it. Only 15% of consumers perceive value as getting the cheapest possible option.
In other words, embrace your customers’ demographics, for they are your destiny.
