Axial Shift in American Dining Habits: 75% Prefer Delivery & Take-Out

If your dining room feels a little less crowded than it did last year at this time, you're not alone. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2025 State of the Industry Report, 75% of diners in the US now prefer takeout and delivery over in-person dining. Not a passing trend, these numbers point to an axial shift in American dining habits.

Delivery, the New Way to Dine

In 2025, delivery is no longer a backup plan reserved for hectic school nights and special occasions. For a growing share of Americans (especially Gen Z and Millennials), it’s considered a lifetsyle, not a luxury.

Stats to Consider

• 60% of Gen Z and Millennial diners are ordering more takeout and delivery in 2025 than they did in 2024.

• A majority say delivery is an essential part of their everyday lives

• 37% of U.S. adults order delivery at least once a week.

And while the restaurant industry is expected to reach $1.5 trillion in sales this year, most consumers say they'd order even more if their budgets permitted. 

Fast is the New Fancy

Your salads could be the freshest, your burgers the juiciest, and your tacos the tastiest, but no matter how incredible your food might be, if an order doesn't arrive quickly, it’s a dud. If orders are consistently late, you may not only lose a customer, but you could find yourself in poor review territory. In today’s delivery-driven economy, speed is currency gold.

In fact, according to the NRA study, 95% of consumers say fast delivery is critical to the dining experience, with as many as 90% ranking speed above cost and quality. As such, optimizing prep time and streamlining operations are essential to any modern restaurant's success story.

Consumers Voting With Their Wallets

In addition to quality and speed, what separates a good restaurant from a great one in 2025 comes down to the customer experience, with guests assigning higher value to loyalty programs, smart deals, and rewarding experiences than to price and product.

More Stats to Consider

• 80% of consumers are attracted to “Buy One, Get One” offers. 

• 60% of delivery customers point to loyalty programs as being influential when deciding on a restaurant.

  Read more: Reaping Rewards: Loyalty Programs for Restaurants

Sharpened Tech Tools

What used to be considered bells and whistles are now just part of doing business. In today’s digital-first landscape, tech-savvy touches aren't a perk—they’re the baseline. Restaurants looking to compete (and thrive) need to embrace the shift.

AI-powered ordering systems, dynamic smart menus, and responsive chatbots are rewriting what “good service” means. It’s not just about speed—it’s about smart speed. These tools learn from your customers’ habits, streamline their choices, and serve up personalized suggestions that can boost average basket sizes without feeling like an upsell.

Mobile-first ordering is also leading the charge, especially among Millennial and Gen Z diners, who expect frictionless browsing, tapping, and checkout. By reducing wait times and customizing the experience, these sharpened tech tools don’t just improve efficiency—they deepen loyalty.

What This All Means for Restaurants

This dramatic uptick in off-premise dining represents a cultural reset where speed, convenience, and tech savviness are priorities.

Ask yourself:

1. How easy is it for customers to place an order from your online menu?  

2. Are you prioritizing speed and convenience?

3. Are you offering deals, loyalty rewards, or value bundles that speak to both cost-conscious and value-driven customers?

Take Away

In 2025, delivery can no longer be an afterthought. It needs to challenge---and outshine--- your in-person experience. With a few smart, delivery-focused strategies and a willingness to evolve, you’re not just filling orders—you’re reshaping customer behavior. The result? An axial shift in perspective that enhances loyalty, boosts repeat business, and strengthens your bottom line.

By Eileen Strauss