Dig in. The burger business is sizzling, with prices heating up alongside consumer demand. Over the past year, the cost of a pound of ground beef has climbed 7.6% to $5.61, a 35% increase over the last decade.

Burger chains continue to expand, with McDonald’s leading the charge. The Golden Arches is targeting 10,000* new locations globally by 2027 and 500* were scheduled to open in the U.S. last year.

Empower research shows that 87% of Americans are feeling the strain of rising prices, but many are willing to prioritize dining experiences. In January, according to the Empower Personal Dashboard™, Americans spent an average of $750 at restaurants, including take-out and dine-in.

— The Editors 

📱 Tap to dine: No more IOUs when splitting the bill. More than half of Americans (51%) use peer-to-peer (P2P) payment platforms like Venmo and PayPal weekly. Zelle reached a record $1 trillion* in payments for 2024. With Zelle experiencing a 12% jump in users and a 27% rise in total dollars sent year over year, it’s clear that digital dollars are in demand.

💰 Quick eat$: DoorDash delivers more than just dinner — it served up a record-breaking Q4, with revenue soaring to $2.87 billion* and total orders hitting 685 million, posting a $141 million profit. These apps make eating out as easy as clicking ‘order again,’ but convenience has its price — find out more on The Currency^TM.

🛒 Tariffs at the table: New tariffs may soon be increasing grocery bills. In the U.S., 60%* of fresh fruit, 38% of fresh vegetables, and  70% of the steel used in canned goods are imported.

🥛 Latte luxuries: Dunkin' is stirring things up, dropping its non-dairy milk surcharge* after competitors Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and Tim Hortons recently did the same. Meanwhile, customization continues to dominate, with 25% of Starbucks orders featuring three or more modifications. 

Jobs on tap

The restaurant industry is heating up, with sales expected to reach $1.5 trillion* in 2025. Growth isn't just on the menu, it's in the workforce, too. The industry is projected to add 200,000 new jobs this year, pushing total employment to 15.9 million.

Looking ahead, the need for food and beverage servers is projected to grow 12%* through 2030, while hotel and restaurant managers could see even bigger gains at 18%, according to the World Economic Forum.

Chef’s choice

According to OpenTable, 54%* of people plan to dine out more this year than in 2024, with younger generations leading the way — 71% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials expect to visit restaurants more frequently.

But for those looking to balance cost and quality, hiring a personal chef is becoming an increasingly popular alternative. Personal chef services are currently a $15 billion industry and are expected to grow by 6.5% between now and 2030 as more people discover that meal prep services can be a cost-effective solution to dining out. 

The billion-dollar cookie

Crumbl is baking up record sales, bringing in $1 billion* across its 1,000+ locations in the U.S. and Canada. Known for its rotating menu and social-media friendly packaging, the brand has turned sweet cravings into a thriving business model.

For those who prefer to skip the lines for the latest Crumbl cookie, the Consumer Price Index shows that the cost for cookies purchased rose 3.1%* in January compared to the previous year.

Fashion plates

Luxury brands are bringing fashion to the dining table — literally. High-end labels like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany & Co., and Gucci are opening on-site restaurants that blend gourmet dining with runway fashion. Brand loyalists can experience the opulent surroundings of their favorite designer boutique for the cost of a meal. Enjoy “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” for $68 or dessert with the iconic LV monogram for $24.

It’s also ideal for brand amplification, with 60% of Gen Z and Millennials reporting that they’re likely to share their dining experiences on social media. Read more on The Currency.