U.S. consumers are using snacks as a replacement for traditional meals amid growing financial pressures, according to Datassential’s Table Stakes Tracker report. Seventy-five percent of consumers said they snacked in place of a standard breakfast, lunch, or dinner occasion at least once in December. Snacking outside of traditional mealtimes is even more widespread, with 87% of consumers reporting doing so in December. Many consumers also are periodically straying away from t

Convenience stores are leaning harder into menu uniqueness as the channel’s definition of value evolves beyond price, according to Datassential’s Convenience Store Review report. Uniqueness ratings at c-stores rose to 45% in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of gains. Desserts and pizza stand out as the most distinctive categories on c-store menus, posting uniqueness scores of 53% and 48%, respectively — well ahead of staples like sandwiches and non-alcoholic beverage

Convenience stores are recalibrating their LTO strategies, pulling back on non-alcoholic beverages while doubling down on sandwiches as their primary play against restaurants, according to Datassential’s Convenience Store Review. Non-alcoholic beverages fell from 128 introductions in 2024 to 81 in 2025 — a 37% drop and the steepest absolute decline of any item type. Still, the category remains the most prolific at c-stores by volume. Overall, c-store LTOs fell 21% annually,

Non-alcoholic beverages are dominating May’s LTO performance on both viability and value ratings, according to Datassential’s Launches & Ratings platform. Eleven of 23 Superstar LTOs were non-alcoholic beverages, with the category’s strongest performers making the case that value perception isn’t just a price story. According to Datassential’s The Value Equation report, consumers define value beyond price, encompassing taste, quality ingredients, experience, and convenience.

Dessert prices jumped at quick-service restaurants over the past year while retreating at fast casual, according to Datassential’s Menu Price Tracker report. At quick-service restaurants, dessert prices rose 7.7% “as volume shifted toward shakes and higher-priced cake desserts, which also coincided with price increases,” said Datassential Economist Keenan Marchesi, Ph.D. At fast casual, dessert prices fell 1.3%, as “the fast casual mix moved away from premium Danish Pastry,

Consumers are reshaping their away-from-home eating habits in response to rising prices, steering traffic toward quick-service restaurants and supermarket prepared foods while pulling back from fine dining and eatertainment, according to Datassential’s Vibe-cession & Value report. Among consumers who visit each segment, supermarket prepared foods posted the strongest net visitation gain over the past six months, with 36% of consumers reporting they visit more often versus jus

Restaurant operators entered June with a mixed picture: profitability ticked up from the prior month, but food cost pressures intensified and traffic expectations softened, according to Datassential’s latest Table Stakes Tracker. About 74% of operators described the previous month as profitable or very profitable, up from 71% in April. Performance varied across segments, with C&U leading at 85%, followed by retail foodservice at 81%. Both fast casual and casual dining landed

Personal finances and the prices consumers see every day are driving away-from-home (AFH) dining decisions far more than any economic news cycle — and a widening gap between restaurant and grocery prices is making that calculus harder for operators to ignore. Datassential’s Vibe-Cession & Value report found that 84% of consumers said their own financial situation has at least some influence on how much they’re willing to spend eating and drinking away from home (AFH). Close

Major chains are reviving discontinued items and throwback experiences, as nostalgia becomes a deliberate menu strategy heading into the summer. McDonald’s today officially brought back its Fried Apple Pie following a more-than-30-year absence, while Burger King recently revived its crown-shaped chicken nuggets for the first time in 15 years. Taco Bell’s Enchirito, a part-burrito, part-enchilada hybrid that has cycled on and off menus since its introduction in 1970, is back a

12:09PM EST, Mon 06/22/26 Chinese vegetables and dishes are showing strong growth among new menu items, according to Datassential’s Menu Trends: What’s New report. The research compares new menu items from the 12 months through first-quarter end to new menu items from 2022. “This allows a look at items that continue to be new introductions year over year and often reveals core trends that differ from what the total list would show,” the report notes. The analysis reveals wi

Fast food’s long-standing grip on value perception is holding, but consumers want better value from higher-end segments, and the sweet spot between what feels like a good deal and what feels like too much varies across segments. According to Datassential’s The Value Equation report, 44% of consumers name fast food as the best provider of good value, more than any other segment. Yet fast food also ranks fourth on the wish list for better value, with 24% of consumers saying the

The average price of beverages and desserts increased by more than those of entrees, according to Datassential’s recent Menu Price Tracker report, suggesting operators are leaning on lower-visibility menu categories to offset rising costs without provoking consumer pushback. From May 2025 to May 2026, Datassential’s Price Monitor recorded a roughly 5% increase in non-alcoholic beverage prices across both full-service and limited-service restaurants. Prices climbed 6.5% at FSR

The best value items at foodservice do not always carry the lowest price tags, and the gap between perceived value and actual visit intent can be significant, according to a report from Datassential’s recent Elevate event. Among 12 menu items tested across price tiers, combos were the strongest traffic drivers, with bundled versions of the same items consistently outperforming their standalone counterparts on visit intent even at significantly higher price points. Mid-priced

LTOs that included the word “protein” at top U.S. chain restaurants this year have already surpassed all of last year and have more-than doubled the 2024 total, as introductions have evolved into a mainstream merchandising strategy. Datassential’s Launches & Ratings platform has captured 102 protein LTOs year to date, up from 84 in the whole of 2025 and 47 in 2024. The increase comes as protein-infused non-alcoholic beverages have spiked markedly — both in volume and in the

Consumer perceptions of value are evolving, with consistency and freshness of food closing the gap with price as elements that matter the most. According to a report from Datassential’s recent Elevate event, 52% of the commercial foodservice consumers say they have changed their perceptions of value. For them, consistency (67%) and freshness (67%) are the value elements that have grown most in importance, ahead of bundle and meal deals (66%), order accuracy (64%), and portion

Nearly 70% of foodservice operators believe consumers who say they want healthier away-from-home options may not always follow through at the point of purchase, according to Datassential’s recent 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines report. That skepticism is translating into limited action. Among operators aware of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ latest dietary guidelines, 52% say they have no plans to make menu, purchasing, or broader strategic changes in response.

Packaging is playing an important role in food purchase decisions among younger consumers, who place greater value on visual appeal, health claims, and the overall dining experience than their older counterparts, according to Datassential’s Packaging Perspectives report. For takeout and delivery, temperature retention (48%) and leak prevention (46%) top the overall priority list, but the report notes that those concerns “intensify with age.” Boomers for instance are significa

A widening divide in consumer finances is reshaping restaurant spending, leaving foodservice operators increasingly caught between two distinct customer segments, according to Datassential’s Navigating the STEEP Terrain presentation at Elevate Experience 2026. The “K-shaped economy” — where higher-income households continue to recover and build wealth while lower-income consumers struggle to keep pace — has become a defining force in the foodservice landscape. Among low-inco

Dessert LTO activity shot to its highest spring level in nearly a decade, as operators rolled out a mix of classic seasonal flavors and trend-driven builds. Datassential’s Launches & Ratings platform captured 191 dessert LTOs from March through May, the most for any comparable period since 2016, with quick-service chains accounting for more than half the volume and frozen formats dominating the field. Familiar Flavors Anchor The season leaned heavily on comfort. Strawberry wa

The plant-based meat boom is losing steam, with Datassential tracking declines on both permanent and limited-time menus. Incidence rates of plant-based meat have declined 3% over the past year, according to Datassential’s 2026 Trends report. Animal meat incidence, meanwhile, rose 2%. Plant-based meat alternatives have also declined 17% on burger menus over the past four years and are projected to decrease another 7% over the next four. New and limited-time introductions of pl