Consumers are getting more comfortable doing everyday activities without leaving home. Visa calls this shift the “couch economy,” covering everything from shopping and streaming to ordering meals. Its latest research found that food delivery is increasingly becoming a mainstream spending habit rather than a service concentrated among higher-income early adopters.
For restaurants, that behavior is already well established. Nearly 75% of restaurant traffic now happens off-premises across takeout, drive-thru, and delivery, according to the National Restaurant Association. But convenience alone does not guarantee a good experience.
Among full-service restaurant customers, ACSI scores dine-in satisfaction at 83, compared with 79 for carryout and 74 for delivery. That gap gives operators a clear priority: make off-premises ordering as reliable as the convenience customers expect.
Off-premises dining is becoming routine
Visa reports that US payment volume occurring online or in-app increased from 48% in 2019 to 58% in 2026 across categories.
Restaurant-specific data points in the same direction. More than six in 10 younger adults say they use takeout, drive-thru, and delivery more often than they did a year ago, according to the NRA's 2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report. More than half of consumers overall consider takeout essential, with the percentage rising to 67% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials.
Off-premises sales also make up a larger share of revenue than they did in 2019 for 58% of limited-service operators and 41% of full-service operators.
For restaurants, that means takeout and delivery can no longer be treated as side channels. Problems with packaging, order accuracy or digital ordering increasingly affect the core customer experience.
Fix fulfillment before adding more promotions
Packaging and handoff remain two of the most visible weak points.
Customers expect food to arrive at the right temperature, without spills or signs of tampering. NRA research found that 90% of consumers would order a wider variety of menu items if off-premises food maintained the same quality as meals served on-site. More than half would also pay extra for packaging that preserves food quality.
ACSI data highlights similar trouble spots in food delivery. Food temperature scores 74, while order accuracy and quoted delivery-time accuracy both score 75. Ease of ordering performs better at 80.
Before spending more on promotions, operators should audit the basics:
- Compare promised pickup times with actual handoff times.
- Spot-check packaging for best-selling items.
- Track order accuracy during peak periods.
- Review refund and complaint reasons weekly.
- Remove menu items that consistently travel poorly.
For more ideas, see our guide to food delivery and takeout packaging.
Restaurant digital ordering needs closer attention
Demand for digital ordering remains strong. Fifty-seven percent of U.S. adults have recently used mobile ordering, including 74% of millennials and 65% of Gen Z adults, according to the National Restaurant Association.
But restaurant-owned digital experiences are showing signs of strain.
In ACSI's full-service restaurant data, website satisfaction fell 6% to 82, mobile app quality dropped 6% to 80, and mobile app reliability fell 8% to 78. The separate food-delivery category moved modestly in the other direction, with app satisfaction improving to 83 and website satisfaction to 82.
The two datasets are not a direct first-party-versus-third-party comparison, but they give restaurants a reason to test their own ordering systems more closely.
Check:
- Whether menu changes sync correctly across channels
- Order confirmation accuracy
- Payment failures
- Estimated pickup and delivery times
- Checkout abandonment
- Performance during peak service periods
Restaurants comparing technology options should also consider how their POS and ordering tools handle first-party orders and third-party integrations. Our Square for Restaurants review offers one example of how those capabilities can work together.
Look past topline sales
Higher off-premises demand does not automatically mean stronger profitability.
US chain restaurant sales increased 3.1% in 2024 while menu prices increased 4.1%, according to data cited by ACSI. That means nominal sales growth failed to keep pace with menu-price inflation.
Operators should therefore evaluate each ordering channel based on contribution margin, not revenue alone.
Include:
- Third-party delivery fees
- Packaging costs
- Labor
- Discounts
- Refunds and remakes
- Payment processing costs
A high-volume delivery channel may generate impressive sales while producing weaker margins than pickup or direct ordering.
Value matters, but loyalty can't fix a bad experience
Price remains another weak point. In ACSI's food-delivery study, fairness of food prices and fairness of taxes and service fees both score 71—the lowest-rated categories measured.
Consumers are still responsive to value. More than 80% use offers such as buy-one-get-one deals or combo meals, while loyalty membership influences restaurant choice for more than 60% of takeout and delivery customers.
But discounts should not be the first response to a fulfillment problem. Fix inaccurate orders, poor packaging, unreliable ordering tools and unclear fees before adding another promotion. Otherwise, restaurants risk paying customers to repeat an experience they already find frustrating.
When testing loyalty offers, measure repeat orders and contribution margin rather than redemption volume alone. Operators considering a new program can also review TRHQ's guide to the best restaurant loyalty programs.
Last bite
The couch economy is raising expectations for convenience, but restaurants do not need to solve every off-premises problem at once.
Start by identifying the biggest local source of friction:
- Kitchen execution: Are orders accurate and ready when promised?
- Handoff and packaging: Does the food arrive in good condition?
- Ordering technology: Can customers order and pay without unnecessary friction?
- Pricing transparency: Do fees and final prices match customer expectations?
Measure one problem, fix it, and then move to the next.
Off-premises demand is already established. The bigger opportunity now is making sure the restaurant experience holds up after the customer leaves — or never arrives in the first place.
