Survey: Three-quarters of restaurant meals consumed off-premises
Consumers are increasingly opting for takeout and drive-thru meals instead of sitting down at restaurants.
That’s according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2024 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report, which found that nearly 75% of all restaurant traffic now happens off-premises. Gen Z and millennials are leading the way, with two-thirds saying that takeout is “essential” to their lifestyle. Nearly six-in-10 use takeout or drive-thru at least weekly, and more than 60% say they're ordering off-premises more often than a year ago.
The report found that mobile ordering is mainstream, used by 57% of adults recently including 74% of millennials and 65% of Gen Z adults. Older adults still prefer in-person ordering, but takeout is the most frequent off-premises method, followed by drive-thru and delivery.
[READ MORE: Survey: Food quality, value leading change in restaurant preferences]
Sixty-five percent of limited-service restaurant operators now offer delivery, with many expecting curbside and dedicated takeout areas to be even more common in 2025. Fewer full-service restaurants currently offer off-premises services. However, 43% expect curbside pickup to grow, 31% anticipate more dedicated takeout counters, and 12% foresee more drive-thru lanes in the future.
Most urban consumers say takeout and drive-thru meals are essential, while two-thirds (67%) of rural consumers wish they had more options for takeout.
"Off-premises dining has become a key revenue driver and an essential way to engage consumers," said Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist at the National Restaurant Association. "It now accounts for a larger share of sales for 58% of limited-service and 41% of full-service operators compared with 2019 – providing a critical path to restaurant resilience and growth despite ongoing economic pressures."
When it comes to off-site dining, 94% of all consumers say speed is critical, and three-quarters of delivery customers value tech-enabled ordering and payments.
Value is key as well. Over 80% of consumers utilize deals like "Buy One, Get One" offers, combo meals, or real-time specials. Two-thirds (65%) of drive-thru users and over 60% of takeout and delivery users say loyalty membership discounts affect where they order.
Additional findings from the report include the following:
- Packaging: 90% say they'd order a greater variety of items if the food maintained on-premises quality during delivery. Over half would pay more for premium packaging that supported quality during transport.
- Real-time deals: Nearly nine-in-10 would use limited-time app-only offers.
- New formats: 67% are interested in bundled meals, 70% in meal kits, and 62% in subscriptions.
- New tech: Half of Gen Z adults (50%) and millennials (52%) say they'd consider ordering from an AI-generated video assistant.
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is a leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 15.7 million employees.
