This is just a tiny glimpse of the data available to CivicScience clients. Discover more data.
The alarm bells have been ringing in the QSR industry a lot lately, and CivicScience data sheds light on why: A dimming economic outlook, a pullback on dining out to save money, and potential tariff impacts are all contributing factors. Coupled with a growing reluctance to leave home, these trends make for a bad recipe for QSRs. New CivicScience data offers a snapshot of how key consumer behavior trends shape food preparation and consumption beyond cutting back on dining out amid this current economic climate.
Eating Breakfast at Home Trends Up
Despite bird flu-related price increases and egg shortages, CivicScience data shows that up to 82% of people still eat breakfast regularly. As overall spending declines, more consumers are opting to eat breakfast at home—80% of breakfast eaters now do so, up from 73% in 2023. Meanwhile, eating on the go, at work, or at restaurants remains far less common.
The majority of all age groups typically eat breakfast at home, with those 55+ being the most likely to do so. When it comes to value-focused shoppers, 79% of Monthly+ Walmart grocery shoppers eat breakfast at home, compared to 69% of frequent Aldi shoppers.
Take our Poll: Breakfast for breakfast or breakfast for dinner?
Most Americans Cook Dinner on the Stove
Fresh data reveals that 75% of consumers primarily prepare their dinner at home—up two percentage points from February. Among those who cook at home, nearly half (46%) use the stove, a steady increase from 43% in 2022. The stove is also the dominant cooking method, far surpassing the oven (15%), microwave (10%), and no-cook meals (5%). Meanwhile, among those who don’t cook their own dinner, 15% rely on someone else to prepare it, while 9% choose to dine out.
Interestingly, consumer spending trends compared to last year vary significantly based on their most frequent dinner preparation method. For example, those primarily using the oven are most likely to report spending less, while microwave users spend about the same. Meanwhile, respondents who cook dinner on the stove are leading in spending more this year (excluding I’m not sure).
Use this Data: CivicScience clients leverage data like this to anticipate how a variety of audience segments respond to economic pressures, allowing them to stay ahead of trends that could shape customer growth and retention in an uncertain economic environment.
Nearly Two in Five Frequently Turn to Pre-prepared Meals and Sides
CivicScience has already explored the prominence of frozen entree consumption, but what of other pre-prepared options? The latest polling finds 64% of U.S. adults are consumers of packaged meals and sides (e.g., pre-made pasta or rice dishes, heat and serve meat or vegetables) at least several times per year, with 37% eating them several times per month or more. Americans under the age of 35 are even more likely to be monthly+ preprepared item consumers.Â
These items not only save meal prep time but may also offer a more affordable alternative to dining out, which explains their strong presence in consumer habits. Tariff concerns may also influence this trend – those at least ‘somewhat’ concerned about the impact of recent trade and tariff policies on their household expenses are significantly more likely to consume pre-prepared food items than those unconcerned (43% vs. 24%).
Join the Conversation: How do you feel about prepackaged produce?
The shifting economic landscape is shaping how Americans approach meal preparation, with more consumers opting for cost-effective, home-based dining solutions. As economic pressures persist and tariff impacts loom, grocery retailers could stand to benefit from emphasizing home-cooking and pre-prepared items in the face of evolving consumer habits.
