Report: Restaurant Prices Are a Challenge, Guests Say

If you’ve been out to eat in New Orleans, Louisiana over the past couple of years, you know that the menus have gotten pricier while the portions and food quality has either stayed the same or gotten worse.

A new report from Givex, a cloud-based customer and business insights platform, offering a detailed look into evolving consumer behaviors as food prices at restaurants across the nation continue to push upward.

More Restaurant Guests Say Eating Out a Challenge

The Givex 2024 Restaurant and Dining Trends Survey draws from responses of over 1,000 Americans, examining the impact of inflation on American dining preferences and habits.

Some key findings:

A notable 78% of Americans agree that higher menu prices have made dining out more challenging over the past year.
According to the survey, 86% of Americans cite promotions as a major incentive to dine out, closely followed by coupons and discounts at 81%.
Additionally, 65% of respondents find value in loyalty programs, and nearly half (47%) are attracted to Happy Hour deals.

So what does all this mean for the modern restaurant consumer? It means that 41% of respondents are dining out less frequently, while 45% have reduced their food delivery orders compared to last year. Meanwhile, 60% report cooking more at home.

How To Save Money When You Eat Out

Here’s how you can save some money when eating out at a restaurant:

Use Coupons

If you receive mailers to your house or apartment with coupons in them, use them. Many restaurants offer BOGO deals or Kids Eat Free deals in coupons sent to your place of residence.

Join Loyalty Programs

Sign up and save by joining a restaurant loyalty program. Nearly half of all Americans prioritize grocery loyalty programs, with 49% rating them as most important, according to the survey. Overall, 87% of Americans participate in at least one loyalty program.

Opt for Leftovers

Many times at a restaurant, you’ll be served portion sizes that are way more food than you actually need or want. Why not treat the surplus as an additional meal that you can have later on? Creating leftovers from your restaurant meal is a great way to get more value out of dining out.