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Industry reports · curated

The F&B reports
we actually read.

The trusted research that operator teams should keep on a tab — from NRA to McKinsey to RedSeer. Each with a quick Restronomics note on which sections to read first and which to skip.

Updated monthly. Last update: Apr 2026.

Consumer Trends

1 report

Consumer Trends·US

Restaurant Industry Trends Q1 2026 (Circana / formerly NPD)

Circana · Apr 2026

Free

What's in it

Circana's quarterly US foodservice traffic report — visits by service style, daypart shifts (breakfast vs. late-night), average check movement, and channel mix (dine-in vs. delivery vs. drive-thru).

Restronomics take

The most reliable real-time read on US consumer behavior. The daypart shift data is the leading indicator for menu strategy 12-18 months out.

Consumer BehaviorUS MarketQuarterly

Markets

8 reports

Markets·US

Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report

Technomic · Mar 2026

Paid

What's in it

Annual ranking of the 500 largest US restaurant chains by sales, unit count growth/decline, and segment performance (QSR / fast-casual / casual / fine).

Restronomics take

The "fastest-shrinking chains" list signals which segments operators are exiting. Use it to time entry into a niche being abandoned by majors.

ChainsRankingsSegment Trends

Markets·Global

PwC Global Hospitality Outlook

PwC · Feb 2026

Free

What's in it

Cross-border analysis of hotel + restaurant performance, RevPAR trends, F&B contribution to total hospitality revenue across major markets.

Restronomics take

Less useful for pure-play independent restaurants. Read it if you operate inside hotels or have hotel groups as clients.

HospitalityHotelsGlobal Markets

Markets·Global

EY Future of Food: Foodservice Transformation 2026

EY · Jan 2026

Free

What's in it

EY's view on foodservice market consolidation, M&A activity, capital flows into restaurant tech and ghost kitchen platforms, and the regulatory shifts shaping the sector.

Restronomics take

Most useful for operators contemplating an exit or growth-equity raise. The "valuation multiples by format" table is the practical centerpiece.

MarketsM&ACapital Flows

Markets·India

Foodservice in India: Market Sizing & Operator Landscape

Euromonitor International · Dec 2025

Paid

What's in it

Euromonitor's India foodservice market sizing — segment-level breakdowns (full service, QSR, cafe, cloud kitchen), top operator rankings, channel mix, and growth projections through 2030.

Restronomics take

The cloud kitchen segment sizing is more conservative than RedSeer — Euromonitor undercounts pure-play DSP-native brands. Use both side-by-side.

IndiaMarket SizingSegment Analysis

Markets·Global

Future of Restaurants: Deloitte Industry Trends

Deloitte · Dec 2025

Free

What's in it

Annual analysis of consumer behavior shifts, restaurant tech adoption, sustainability pressures, and operating model evolution. Backed by 2,000+ consumer survey responses.

Restronomics take

Pages 12-18 (operator profitability levers) are the part to read. The rest is corporate strategy framing aimed at chains and franchisors.

Consumer TrendsStrategyAnnual Outlook

Markets·India

India Food Services Report (NRAI)

National Restaurant Association of India · Dec 2025

Email gate

What's in it

NRAI's flagship industry report — sector size, organized vs. unorganized split, employment, top operator rankings, regulatory landscape, and forward-looking projections for the Indian F&B sector.

Restronomics take

The single most cited Indian F&B report. The "unorganized sector" sizing is necessarily fuzzy but the organized-sector data is solid. Required reading for anyone pitching India F&B.

IndiaIndustry OutlookSector Sizing

Markets·India

India F&B Sector Outlook 2026

KPMG India · Nov 2025

Free

What's in it

India-specific F&B market sizing, organized vs unorganized split, tier-2 city expansion patterns, and regulatory updates affecting restaurant operators.

Restronomics take

Mandatory reading if you operate in India. The aggregator-commission analysis (Zomato/Swiggy take rates) is unusually frank for a Big Four report.

IndiaAggregatorsTier-2 Cities

Markets·APAC

Asia Pacific Restaurant Industry Report

OC&C Strategy Consultants · Sep 2025

Free

What's in it

APAC restaurant market sizing across 8 countries, dining occasion shifts post-pandemic, and the rise of regional chain consolidators.

Restronomics take

For operators considering APAC expansion: the country-level economic-density rankings (sales-per-capita-per-cuisine) are the right frame for site selection.

APACMarket SizingExpansion

Technology

4 reports

Technology·US

DoorDash Restaurant Online Ordering Report

DoorDash · Feb 2026

Free

What's in it

DoorDash's annual report on online ordering trends, restaurant adoption of delivery, average ticket dynamics on-platform, and the direct-ordering vs. DSP economics from the platform's POV.

Restronomics take

Self-serving but data-dense. Read it for the order-volume trends, ignore the framing around platform-vs-direct economics — that's their narrative, not yours.

DeliveryOnline OrderingChannel Economics

Technology·India

India Foodtech and Restaurant Industry Report

RedSeer Strategy Consultants · Feb 2026

Free

What's in it

GMV breakdowns for Zomato, Swiggy, ONDC; cloud kitchen capital efficiency; D2C food brand growth rates; quick-commerce x F&B convergence.

Restronomics take

RedSeer reports are denser than Western consultancies — set aside 90 minutes. The cloud kitchen contribution-margin analysis is particularly clear-eyed.

IndiaFoodtechCloud Kitchens

Technology·Global

Restaurant of the Future: Technology, Format, Format Economics

BCG · Jan 2026

Free

What's in it

BCG's view on next-generation restaurant formats — robotic kitchens, micro-units, branded virtual concepts, AI-driven personalization, and the unit-economic frontiers for each.

Restronomics take

Strong on format-vs-format margin comparisons. Light on India and SEA realities — assume their numbers are US/EU-skewed. Section 4 on virtual brands is the most practical for cloud-kitchen operators.

TechnologyRestaurant FormatUnit Economics

Technology·US

Future of Restaurants Report

Square · Oct 2025

Email gate

What's in it

Tech adoption data from 2,000+ Square restaurant accounts: POS feature usage, online ordering mix, payment behavior, repeat-customer ratios.

Restronomics take

The repeat-customer benchmark by cuisine type (page 23) is the most quotable stat in any tech vendor report this year. Worth the email gate.

TechnologyPOS DataCustomer Analytics

Operations

2 reports

Operations·Global

Restaurant Industry: What's Next for Operators

Bain & Company · Feb 2026

Free

What's in it

Bain's annual restaurant industry outlook covering operator economics, channel mix shifts, technology adoption, and labor strategy across global markets.

Restronomics take

The labor-cost benchmarks by service format are the most actionable section. Skip the M&A predictions — they're directionally fine but commercially useless for single-unit operators.

OperationsLaborIndustry Outlook

Operations·US

Toast Restaurant Industry Outlook 2026

Toast · Dec 2025

Email gate

What's in it

Operating data from Toast's POS network: average check sizes by daypart, labor cost ratios, comped-meal patterns, top-selling items by region.

Restronomics take

The "labor cost as % of sales by service style" chart is ground truth — anchor your own cost reviews to these numbers.

LaborOperationsBenchmarks

Growth

4 reports

Growth·Global

Foodservice Industry Trends Report

Mintel · Jan 2026

Paid

What's in it

Consumer-side analysis of dining-out frequency, channel preferences (dine-in / delivery / pickup), price sensitivity, and loyalty program participation.

Restronomics take

Consumer panel data is reliable but lagging. Use as a baseline check — don't chase the headlines, the tactical takeaways are usually 6 months stale.

Consumer BehaviorLoyaltyChannel Mix

Growth·US

Datassential Foodservice Industry Forecast

Datassential · Jan 2026

Paid

What's in it

Menu trend forecasts, ingredient adoption curves, flavor profile movements, and operator-side innovation patterns based on Datassential's menu database.

Restronomics take

The flavor adoption curves are gold for menu R&D — find ingredients trending up but not yet at "saturation" stage to differentiate.

Menu InnovationTrendsFlavor Adoption

Growth·Global

Hospitality 2030: Restaurants in the Experience Economy

Accenture · Nov 2025

Free

What's in it

Accenture's decade-out view on dining behavior, generational shifts (Gen Z share of restaurant spend), experiential vs. convenience tradeoffs, and the role of loyalty/personalization tech.

Restronomics take

Useful as a 12-month strategy frame. The "Gen Z spend share" data is overcooked — assume 30% directional inflation. The "experience tier pricing" matrix is genuinely worth saving.

StrategyConsumer BehaviorGenerational Shift

Growth·Global

How the Foodservice Industry is Reinventing Itself

McKinsey & Company · Nov 2025

Free

What's in it

Strategic outlook on chain consolidation, ghost kitchen economics, hybrid models (dine-in + delivery), and capital allocation patterns across global QSR groups.

Restronomics take

Best read as a primer on where institutional money is flowing. Useful for operators raising capital — frames the deck conversation.

StrategyCapitalGhost Kitchens

Annual Outlook

1 report

Annual Outlook·US

State of the Restaurant Industry 2026

National Restaurant Association · Jan 2026

Free

What's in it

NRA's flagship annual report on US restaurant employment, sales projections, technology adoption rates, and consumer dining trends for the year ahead.

Restronomics take

The labor cost benchmarks are the most useful section for multi-unit operators. Skip the consumer survey — sample skews older and dine-in-heavy.

Industry OutlookLaborUS Market

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