From Trend to Transformation: Off-Premises Dining Now Essential for Restaurant Consumers, Operators

April 16, 2025

2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report shows how takeout, drive-thru and delivery are driving growth, innovation, and consumer loyalty

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Nearly 75% of all restaurant traffic now happens off-premises-meaning that almost 3 out of 4 restaurant orders are taken to go. New data from the National Restaurant Association's 2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report highlights how off-premises dining has become both a consumer preference and business essential, with the convenience and availability of takeout, delivery, and drive-thru now deeply embedded in everyday life.

"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."

Who's Driving Demand - and Where

Gen Z and millennials are leading the way: Two-thirds say takeout is essential to their lifestyle, and nearly 6 in 10 use takeout or drive-thru at least weekly. More than 60% say they're ordering off-premises more often than a year ago.

• Demand spans regions: Most urban consumers say takeout or drive-thru is essential, while 67% of rural consumers wish they had more options for takeout-highlighting areas for growth.
• Preferences vary by age and format: 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. Takeout is the most frequent off-premises method, followed by drive-thru and delivery.
• Restaurants are responding: 65% of limited-service 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, these operators see potential in the trend-43% expect curbside pickup to grow, 31% anticipate more dedicated takeout counters, and 12% foresee more drive-thru lanes. Many see these options not just as operational updates, but as strategic growth opportunities in a changing market.

What Customers Want & How Operators Can Deliver

Consumers want speed, ease of use and rewarding experiences. 94% of all consumers say speed is critical, with over 9 in 10 citing customer service as a top priority. Three-quarters of delivery customers value tech-enabled ordering and payments.

Value matters, too-over 80% of consumers utilize deals like "Buy One, Get One" offers, combo meals, or real-time specials. Loyalty programs also matter: 65% of drive-thru users and over 60% of takeout and delivery users say membership affects where they order.

Meanwhile, according to consumers, here are some opportunities for restaurants:

• 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 9 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.

  With off-premises already accounting for most of the traffic, it's not just a trend-it's a critical pathway for operators to drive growth, meet evolving expectations and stay competitive.

  Click here to download the 2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report.

About the National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.7 million employees. Together with 52 State Associations, we are a network of professional organizations dedicated to serving every restaurant through advocacy, education, and food safety. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find @WeRRestaurants on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.