Let’s cut to it: 2025 asks a lot from the restaurant industry, and restaurant owners and managers are juggling more moving parts than ever. From restaurant industry statistics to restaurant revenue statistics, the picture is one of steady nominal sales with squeezed margins. This piece looks at the restaurant and food service industry through practical lenses: what changed since the previous year, what industry data matters right now, and what restaurant operators should prioritize to stay competitive.
Quick snapshot: the numbers that matter
The restaurant and food service industry still generates enormous spending. Restaurant sales and restaurant industry sales continue to grow in nominal terms, thanks to rising food prices and increased consumer spending. The average increase in dollar sales often masks the pressure operators feel from higher food and labor costs. Employment in food services remains substantial, and the sector is a major employer for workers across all types of restaurants, from fast food restaurants to full service restaurants and drinking places.
Why restaurant sales aren’t collapsing: growth with caveats
Consumers continue to spend on dining, takeout, and delivery, yet rising food and interest rates squeeze profitability. Rising food prices and general inflation push menu prices up compared with the previous year, so total sales figure higher even while profit margins narrow.
Chain restaurants often manage this friction better because of scale, while single unit operations and small businesses face harder choices. If you track restaurant revenue statistics, you’ll see revenue growth in dollars but thinner margins in many cases.
Labor and employment: recruiting, retention, and benefits
Employment in eating and drinking places recovered and expanded in recent months. As of July 2025, eating and drinking place employment was about 82,000 jobs above February 2020 levels, although the full service segment still lags pre-pandemic staffing by roughly 228,000 jobs. Labor costs, scheduling, and benefits remain major line items for restaurant operators.
Labor accounts for a huge portion of restaurant costs. Labor costs, benefits, scheduling software, and training all factor into operator decisions. Union membership debates and changing benefit expectations are shaping local markets; in some regions conversations about employment and labor have a significant role in negotiations.
Operators who invest in clear schedules, modest benefits, and staff development often reduce turnover and protect service quality.
Delivery, online ordering, and third party services: convenience meets cost
Online ordering and delivery are now core to restaurant operations. Diners want to order food through mobile apps, place orders to go, and get fast delivery. Third party services like Uber Eats drive volume but add commission fees that cut into margins.
Globally, food delivery revenue is expected to grow from about $156.8 billion in 2024 to $173.6 billion in 2025, and apps like Uber Eats continue to be dominant in downloads and orders. That growth creates customers but also significant commission costs that bite into margins. Operators should treat delivery as both a revenue channel and a cost center.
For many operators, delivery is both a revenue source and a cost center that needs careful management. Balance commissions with direct ordering incentives to keep delivery profitable.
Technology: POS system upgrades and the connected stack
Upgrading a POS system is essential, not optional. A modern POS that integrates sales, inventory, and loyalty data helps restaurants see where money leaks. POS system upgrades reveal food cost trends, loyalty program members, and real-time sales patterns that can unlock revenue growth. The best operators connect sales to inventory and labor data to make smarter purchasing and staffing choices.
What diners want: customer preferences, loyalty, and Gen Z
Consumer preferences are shifting. Gen Z and younger diners favor mobile apps, speed, and experiences that feel authentic. Loyalty programs and loyalty program members prove valuable: members tend to spend more and return more often.
Operators should treat customer loyalty as a measurable business channel, not just a marketing checkbox. Simple rewards, tailored offers, and data-driven messaging move customers from one-off diners to repeat customers.
Menu strategy and beverage dollars: smart choices for margins
Rising food pushes operators to simplify menus and highlight higher-margin items. Drinks often deliver outsized profit per check, so menu engineering that emphasizes beverages and signature items helps protect margins. Test limited-time offers and monitor the average performance of each dish to inform permanent changes. Portion control and ingredient tracking reduce waste and improve food cost management.
Small businesses and new restaurants: a careful reopening
New restaurants still open, especially where market dynamics support them. Single unit operations face high startup costs and stiff competition, so they must be surgically focused on niche, unique dining experiences, or strong neighborhood loyalty. Small businesses that succeed combine efficient restaurant operations with a clear digital presence for order food and pickup.
Case in point: San Francisco and delivery dynamics
High-cost markets such as San Francisco show how delivery and dine-in mix matters. Some restaurants lean heavily on third party platforms to reach customers, while others push mobile apps and direct orders to reduce delivery commissions. The right balance shifts through the first half of the year and when consumers cut discretionary spending. Monitor order channels and optimize for margin, not just volume.
Data and forecasting: industry data that drives action
Good industry data is essential. Track sales versus labor hours, delivery commissions, and weekly food costs. Use data to forecast demand and reduce waste. Artificial intelligence tools help with demand forecasting, recipe costing, and inventory alerts. Operators who use data to plan purchasing and staffing are well positioned to respond quickly to spikes or slowdowns.
AI, automation, and smarter operations
Artificial intelligence and automation are moving from concept to core toolsets. AI helps with labor forecasting, inventory reconciliation, and menu optimization, which reduces waste and improves margins. Start with one measurable problem, such as inventory shrinkage, and pilot a targeted AI solution. When it saves money, scale it.
Inflation, interest rates, and broader economics
Macro factors influence everything. Rising interest rates affect financing for expansion and remodels. Inflation keeps input costs high, and consumers may tighten spending depending on local economic pressures. Model scenarios with conservative sales forecasts and assume modest increases in labor and food costs when planning growth.
Practical blueprint: priorities for operators in 2025
- Integrate POS with inventory and labor systems to see real margins.
- Optimize delivery: compare third party services and promote direct ordering.
- Tighten portion control and reduce waste to protect food costs.
- Build loyalty programs that reward frequency and track lifetime value.
- Use labor forecasting tools to match staff levels with demand.
- Monitor supplier prices and use data to negotiate or find alternatives.
- Pilot AI for a single operational pain point, measure results, then expand.
- Create unique dining experiences to stand out from commoditized options.
Quick reads and useful references
For the full industry report and ongoing analysis consult the National Restaurant Association State of the Industry: National Restaurant Association State of the Industry 2025. For food cost trends and CPI data view the USDA Food Price Outlook: USDA ERS Food Price Outlook. For context on delivery platforms and app usage see the food delivery market snapshot: Business of Apps Food Delivery App Market.
The customer lifecycle: convert delivery customers into loyal regulars
Use data from online ordering and mobile apps to segment customers. Loyalty programs turn occasional customers into repeat diners and raise average check size. Make loyalty easy to join, and offer perks that encourage direct ordering rather than constant third party app use. Loyalty program members often show a measurable average increase in visits and spend.
Costs you can control: inventory, portions, and waste
Rising food and labor costs make it essential to control inventory and portions. Track food usage, reconcile deliveries rapidly, and reduce waste with clearer prep procedures. Small savings across meals add up into meaningful improvements for restaurant owners and chain restaurants alike.
Staffing and culture: employees influence customer experience
Employees determine how diners feel and whether customers return. Investing in predictable schedules, training, and modest benefits reduces turnover and saves money. In recent years operators that treat workers as a core asset report stronger service consistency and better customer satisfaction.
What to prioritize this month: a short checklist
- Run a food cost audit for top 20 dishes.
- Compare commissions across third party services and test a direct-order incentive.
- Launch or refresh a simple loyalty program tied to email or mobile app.
- Check POS system capabilities and schedule any needed upgrades.
- Pilot an AI-powered forecast or inventory tool for one location.
How WISK.ai helps you put these trends into action
All of these priorities come down to better control over food, data, and operations. WISK.ai provides inventory and analytics that link directly to POS data, which gives operators a clear picture of where food value is lost.
With WISK you can reconcile orders from third party services, track food usage, and spot waste in real time. That improves restaurant operations and helps restaurant operators convert industry data into money saved.
WISK helps restaurants lower food costs, reduce manual reconciliation time, and identify which items are costing the business. The platform supports single unit operations and chain restaurants, and it integrates with common POS systems and delivery channels so small businesses can scale insights quickly. If you want practical tools that cut costs and support revenue growth, WISK turns data into operational steps.
Final thoughts: decisions that actually move the needle
2025 is not about dramatic reinvention for most restaurants; it’s about tight operational focus. Use your POS and inventory data to reduce waste, treat employees as essential to service, and use loyalty to convert delivery customers into repeat diners. Be realistic about costs, and lean on technology where it delivers measurable returns.
Ready to see where your real savings are hiding? Book a free demo with WISK and get a clear, data-driven plan to protect margins and grow revenue.
