7 ways restaurant customers are trimming their bills — from skipping drinks to opting for takeout

U.S. restaurant customers are spending an average of $100 a week on dining out, up from earlier this year but still $15 below June 2025, as budget-minded consumers use a range of tactics to keep their checks in check, according to new research from Popmenu.

The restaurant technology company said its report, based on nationwide surveys of 3,000 U.S. consumers conducted over several months, found that 67% of diners are spending less on eating out than they did a year ago. Instead of cutting restaurant visits altogether, many are choosing quick-service, fast-casual and casual restaurants while changing what they order to make their money go further.

How diners are saving at the table

The study identified several common ways consumers are lowering meal costs:

• Drinking water instead of paid beverages: 52%
• Choosing pickup instead of delivery: 50%
• Using coupons or loyalty rewards: 48%
• Picking lower-priced restaurants: 47%
• Ordering appetizers instead of entrees: 29%
• Cutting back on alcohol: 28%
• Ordering adult portions from children's menus: 16%

Dinner has seen the steepest drop in visits, with 46% of respondents saying they have cut back, followed by lunch at 37%, breakfast at 28% and late-night visits at 24%.

"Around 30% of monthly food budgets go to restaurants now, down from a high of 40% in 2022," Brendan Sweeney, CEO and co-founder of Popmenu, said in a company press release. "What that tells us is consumers are spending intentionally, not reluctantly. Restaurants have pushed menu prices about as far as they can go. Consumers are looking for value and incentives to come back."

Tip amounts are also falling

Tighter budgets are affecting restaurant workers as well. The report found that 40% of consumers are tipping less this year, and 78% of those respondents said they are reducing tips specifically at restaurants and bars.

At fast-casual restaurants, 19% of diners said they tip less than 10%, while 14% tip 10%, 11% tip 15%, 6% tip 20% and 2% tip 25% or more.

What it means for fast-casual operators

The report says visibility online and easy ordering are key for attracting cost-conscious customers:

• Search engine visibility: 80% of consumers use search tools such as Google to find restaurants, while 27% turn to AI tools like ChatGPT.
• Direct digital ordering: 94% prefer ordering through a restaurant's own website rather than a third-party platform to avoid extra fees.
• Menu visuals and value offers: 80% are more likely to choose menus with photos, videos and reviews, while 62% prefer concepts that clearly promote value and deals.
• AI adoption: 60% approve of restaurants using AI to help streamline operations, including answering phone calls, taking orders and preparing food.

Popmenu said its findings were drawn from three anonymous national surveys of 1,000 U.S. adults each.

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