2026 Restaurant
Industry Trends
A 360° view of the modern diner across the full customer journey — from discovery and booking to delivery, dine-in and loyalty.
Chaptered insights
- 01AI is the next wave of discovery and booking
- 02Your menu is your conversion tool
- 03Delivery and dine-in are merging
- 04Guests crave a personal touch
Performance-based partnership
Introduction
To win today’s diners, you need more visibility into the customer journey
Today’s diners don’t think in channels — they move seamlessly from delivery to pickup to dine-in, often with the same restaurant. This report reveals the restaurant industry trends driving discovery, conversion and repeat business across the entire customer journey.
Trend One
AI is the next wave of discovery and booking
From search to reservations, diners are turning to AI to find restaurants and secure tables, creating new opportunities to capture high-intent demand.
of consumers now use AI to discover restaurants, searching for something new or nearby.
of AI recommendations come from listing platforms, followed by restaurant websites.
of diners still call to book a reservation — and 40% of those calls go unanswered.
of diners are open to AI handling reservations, creating a clear opportunity to capture more demand.
Trend Two
Your menu is your most powerful conversion tool
The menu is no longer a list — it is the storefront that decides whether a guest books, orders, or scrolls past.
of diners say the menu influences where they book through reservation apps.
of consumers have chosen what to eat on a delivery app after seeing an appealing photo or video.
average sales lift when menu photo coverage reaches at least 50% on delivery marketplaces.
Trend Three
The lines between delivery and dine-in are disappearing
Connected experiences and channels are becoming essential to driving more loyalty, revenue and growth.
of consumers would prefer one app for managing delivery, pickup and reservations.
of operators believe connecting ordering, delivery, reservations and guest data lifts profitability.
operators can't identify the same customer across on- and off-premise interactions.
Trend Four
Guests crave a personal touch
Turning first-time customers into repeat fans starts with acknowledging them one to one. The more a guest feels known, the more often they return.
Diners say a restaurant remembering their preferences changes how often they visit.
Recommendations and post-visit prompts bring diners back sooner.
Repeat diners spend more per visit than first-time diners, on average.
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