Households earning $100,000 or more accounted for 60% of U.S. restaurant spending in 2025 despite representing 45% of households, according to a recent National Restaurant Association analysis of Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
At the same time, a second NRA report found rising affordability pressure across restaurant formats. More consumers are relying on discounts, choosing less expensive restaurants, and cutting add-ons.
Together, the reports suggest a more divided consumer market. Higher-income households are spending disproportionately, while value-sensitive guests are becoming more selective.
For operators, the takeaway is not to automatically move upmarket. It is to understand which of these behaviors are showing up among their own guests before changing pricing, promotions, or marketing.
Higher-income households account for most restaurant spending
There were 61.3 million U.S. households earning at least $100,000 in 2025, up 7.4 million from 2022 on an inflation-adjusted basis, according to the NRA.
Households earning $200,000 or more accounted for 27% of food-away-from-home spending, while those earning $100,000 to $199,999 accounted for another 33%.
Recent engagement data points in the same direction. In the third quarter, 92% of households earning $100,000 or more reported some restaurant engagement during the previous week, compared with 81% of households earning $50,000 to $99,999 and 71% of households under $50,000.
Higher earners also spend a smaller share of their income on restaurants. Households earning $200,000 or more spent 2.6% of pretax income on restaurant food and beverages in 2024, while the $100,000-to-$199,999 group spent less than 4%.
That may help explain why engagement remains stronger among higher-income households, although the research does not directly measure price sensitivity.
Value pressure is rising at the same time
The affordability picture is much less comfortable for many consumers.
Forty-three percent said dining at restaurants had become somewhat or very difficult to afford over the previous six months. Forty-five percent reported spending less at full-service restaurants, while 42% cut spending at fast-food restaurants, sandwich shops, cafés, or on takeout and delivery.
Consumers are also adjusting how they order. Forty percent said they rely more heavily on discounts and value promotions, 36% shifted toward less expensive restaurants, and 34% reported ordering fewer add-ons such as desserts and beverages.
That puts pressure on both traffic and check average. Rather than defaulting to broad discounts, operators may be better served by a targeted restaurant pricing strategy that preserves margin while giving price-sensitive guests a clear value option.
What this means for restaurant operators
National income data is a useful market signal, but it does not reveal the customer mix of any individual restaurant.
Operators should start with their own data.
POS, loyalty, and restaurant CRM systems can help identify differences in average check, visit frequency, order history, and promotion usage.
Those patterns can guide different tests:
- Higher-spending guests may respond to premium bundles, upgraded ingredients, or limited-time experiences.
- More promotion-sensitive guests may respond better to targeted value meals or loyalty offers.
- Guests cutting add-ons may signal an opportunity to rethink bundles, upselling, or menu placement.
Before launching a premium offer, operators should also confirm that the economics work. Calculate food cost percentage and consider whether the item adds prep time, labor, or service complexity.
The same principle applies to value offers: a promotion is only useful if it generates enough traffic, repeat visits, or incremental spend to justify the margin tradeoff.
Last bite
The clearest takeaway from the NRA data is that restaurant consumers are not moving in one direction. Higher-income households continue to account for a large share of spending, while many consumers are becoming more price-conscious.
That makes segmentation more useful than a one-size-fits-all response.
Operators should review check averages, promotion redemption, visit frequency, and purchasing patterns, then test offers with a limited audience before scaling them. National data shows where the market may be moving. A restaurant's own guest behavior should determine what it does next.
