Chicken is now viewed as the "crown jewel" of QSR menus, while at the same time The International Food Information Council has reported that 70% of Americans are prioritizing protein, with more than one third increasing their intake this last year. Chicken is perceived to be a "nutrient powerhouse" by health-conscious individuals who are influenced by wellness trends and medications like GLP-1 drugs. They are actively seeking more protein and see poultry as a healthy, clean, and simple protein choice. Consumers are also price-sensitive, and chicken's ability to support a wide range of price points makes it an attractive, economical alternative to higher-priced beef and pork, with their higher price volatility. Chicken is also adaptable in various cuisines and applications, from healthy grilled breasts to comfort food, which enables it to meet diverse consumer needs in both retail and foodservice settings. Chicken has a convenience factor as well, that fits well with today’s busy lifestyles. The rise of high-protein snacking and demand for quick, easy meal solutions (like rotisserie chicken and pre-packaged options) is further driving its popularity. While not the primary driver, the fact that chicken production has a lower environmental impact compared to beef, is also becoming more important to younger consumers (Gen Z and millennials) who consider corporate responsibility in their purchasing decisions. And, according to the media company Numerator, in their recent report, Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner: Unpacking Poultry's Momentum with Health-Focused Guests, nearly 40% of money spent at quick-service restaurants goes to chicken. This growth reflects a booming market for chicken-focused chains and expanded chicken offerings across the quick-service sector. Numerator also tracks purchase data and surveys verified buyers to understand shifts in consumer behavior. Their latest report found that 63% of chicken increasers say it is possible to eat healthy at QSRs, while 36% said the presence of chicken on a menu meaningfully influences their restaurant choice. It is also clear that Americans’ love affair with fried chicken has reached a fever pitch, reshaping the quick-service restaurant (QSR) landscape and challenging old-guard burger joints. Sales at chicken-centric chains have been soaring – the Wall Street Journal reported that in 2024, U.S. chicken QSRs saw nearly 9% growth year-on-year, far outpacing the 1.4% increase of burger chains. Chicken is quickly taking center stage in U.S. fast food in 2026, on track to be the most consumed animal protein in the U.S. due to its versatility, health perception, and affordability.

Costs Skyrocket and Consumers Cut Back 

Data shows that takeout meals are no longer indulgences, they’re foundational to modern life — marking a cultural shift rooted in efficiency and value. If you’d rather visit the drive-thru and have dinner at home rather than eat out, you’re not alone. A whopping 75% of restaurant traffic consists of takeout orders, according to a new report by the National Restaurant Association. And they better hope that food is delivered quickly: Nearly 95% of consumers deem speed as “critical” to the experience, while 90% see it as the top priority. That figure, which includes drive-thru and pickup orders, points to customers’ evolving tastes for takeout and fast food. Here are the highlights of several key trends shaping the dining industry: the growing dominance of off-premise dining, younger generations driving demand for convenience and speed, value playing a central role in consumer decision-making, and increased integration of technology in the restaurant experience. “For many Americans, they’ve become accustomed to it,” Chad Moutray, chief economist at the National Restaurant Association, tells Food & Wine. “That convenience has become part of the overall lifestyle.” Roughly half of all consumers consider takeout or drive-thru meals as “an essential part of their lifestyle,” while 41% of all those surveyed expressed the same sentiment about delivery. That sentiment is also reflected in Americans’ takeout and ordering habits. Overall, 37% of adults say they order delivery, while 47% order takeout at least once a week. At the same time, 60% of Gen Z and Millennials report ordering to-go more than they did a year ago. Approximately 65% of drive-thru customers and 60% of delivery and takeout customers indicate that membership programs influence their choices. Additionally, about 80% of consumers report using “Buy One, Get One” deals, combos, and other promotions. “The pandemic accelerated trends that were already in place,” Moutray says. “The big switch there is the increase in technology. Looking back at the past decade, imagine what we can do today that we couldn’t five or 10 years ago.” The question is, where will the industry go from here?

‘Small and Often’ is Gaining Popularity 

Decisive Factors in Dining Decisions

If you gave your bank account a look right now, what percentage of it would you say was spent on restaurants? For someone in the restaurant industry, the number likely wouldn't surprise them…but for those who aren't, the number might be a surprise and show that folks have been eating out a lot more than they used to. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the amount of money spent on food “away from home” (vs. at home) has risen 94% since 2003. Despite increasing food and energy prices and tighter budgets, U.S. consumers continue to actively support local restaurants with 58% stating that they are eating restaurant food more often this year compared to 2021. Recognizing financial hardships restaurants have endured, the majority of consumers stated that they are ok with restaurants raising menu prices—though value is top of mind as consumers keep a watchful eye on economic trends. According to two nationwide, anonymous surveys by Popmenu, a leading innovator in digital marketing and ordering technology that works with over 10,000 independent restaurants and hospitality groups, restaurant meals remain an important part of consumer budgets. When Popmenu asked 1,000 consumers who increased their restaurant spend this year why they were doing so, they responded as follows: 61% – I like the convenience. 43% – I want to support local restaurants. 36% – Grocery prices are so high, it’s more cost-effective to order from restaurants. 28% – I don’t have time to cook. Is takeout or delivery, therefore, slowing down? No. While fears around the pandemic continue to subside—resulting in a much-appreciated return to restaurant dining rooms— takeout and delivery remain a way of life. In fact, 69% of consumers order takeout or delivery as often or more often than they did last year. The No. 1 cuisine consumers say they will always order from restaurants vs. cooking at home? Mexican, followed by seafood and sushi. Consumers report understanding the significant challenges restaurants are facing and say they are willing to throw in a little extra to help restaurants out. They also welcome new technologies restaurants have implemented to serve guests. Further results: 68% of consumers are ok with restaurants raising menu prices. 51% are ok with restaurants decreasing portion sizes. 45% are ok with restaurants adding a temporary inflation fee. 71% say restaurant technology, both online and on-premise, makes their guest experience better. Brendan Sweeney, CEO and Co-founder of Popmenu says, “You can almost hear the rallying cry for restaurants as consumers do their part to support their neighborhood favorites in a precarious time. While mindful of their own household economics, 61% of consumers said they would pay more to keep restaurants open if a recession hits in 2022 or next year. That says a lot about how important restaurants are to their local communities and how much people rely on and empathize with them.”

Attaining a healthy work-life balance in the US seems to be a distant dream. While many countries have laws covering standard work hours per week, America does not. The status of American work-life balance is so dismal that the US is ranked as the most overworked first-world nation. Here are some of the overworked employee statistics worth knowing: 48% of employed Americans believe they are workaholics. 77% of Americans say that they experience burnout in their current careers. 94% of US service industry professionals reportedly spend more than 50 hours at work each week. 95% of human resource experts believe that high employee turnover results from job burnout. Close to 53% of workers feel they need work-life balance for their total well-being. Nearly 66% of workers admit that they have no work-life balance even though they recognize it's needed. 46% of workers think about joining the side-gig economy to help reduce their work-induced stress and limit their workload. While many US employees spend more than four hours outside their average working hours, these workers also report spending the same amount of time worrying about the state of their work. Mental exhaustion has become a huge problem for many people in the US workforce. The American Psychological Association reports that about 550 million working days are lost every year due to employee burnout, while 91% of the respondents found their jobs increasingly stressful, leading them to give low-quality results. About 7 out of 10 full-time employees believe that they do not spend enough time on personal activities because of their demanding work schedules. And nearly 33% of US full-time workers work on holidays or weekends. Sentiments and priorities in the U.S. have begun to shift. In a 2022 BestColleges survey, 89% of graduates say the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the importance of work-life balance and they are seeking this equilibriuim in their careers more than ever. “We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to-do’ list.” ~Michelle Obama, former First Lady “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” ~Dolly Parton, Singer

For all of the setbacks and trials of COVID-19, in the end, the quick-service restaurant customer may be the true winner. “The customer has spoken,” says Papa John’s CEO Rob Lynch. “They want to get food brought to them or get food that is ultra-convenient.” Just look at breakfast. It’s estimated that there could be as many as 25 million people working from home on a full or part-time basis. So far, the trend has pushed breakfast back in the day as commuter routines shift—realities seen at Starbucks, Dunkin’, and others. Out of the gate, Dunkin’ Donuts said business in the 6 to 9 a.m. stretch dropped; but 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. picked up. David Portalatin, food industry adviser at The NPD Group and author of Eating Patterns in America, says the “late-morning snack occasion” is something that showed up frequently pre-virus and is only going to gain steam. For example, guests who start their day at home with a cup of coffee and then hit the drive-thru later for a breakfast sandwich. Or perhaps they’re one of the 7 percent or so of consumers (and growing, Portalatin says) actively leaping on the intermittent fasting trend. “We’re even seeing nontraditional breakfast foods in things like salty snacks, or trail mix, or a protein shake or something like that emerge as things that consumers are looking for a little later in the morning,” he says. “It’s just the structure of the day—the share of breakfast we attribute to an away-from-home occasion may be more or less permanently altered,” according to Portalatin. Other research data reflects pattern shifts as well. People are no longer isolated to a single hour to grab lunch or stuck thinking about dinner on their drive home from the office. More navigations are taking place between 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m., and quick-serves are seeing more consistent traffic throughout the day. Coffee shops, for example, are seeing steady customers between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rather than previously being the busiest between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. Since these trends are not expected to revert next year, and they may never snapback, the challenge will be to target opportunities to reach and serve these “always on” drivers.