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When it comes to home improvement retail, big-box chains like Home Depot and Lowe’s are often top of mind. However, retail visit share data shows that smaller-format chains such as Ace Hardware, Harbor Freight, and Tractor Supply have been outperforming their larger competitors over the past several years.
This trend is primarily driven by store expansion and migration patterns. Ace Hardware and Harbor Freight have aggressively increased their presence in high-growth markets, particularly in smaller cities where their 10,000-20,000 square foot store footprints provide a strategic advantage. In contrast, Home Depot and Lowe’s, with their larger 100,000+ square foot layouts, face greater challenges expanding into these markets.
The success of smaller retailers reflects a broader industry shift toward optimizing store formats, with many retailers—including those in home furnishings, department stores, and grocery – embracing smaller stores to mitigate rising operational costs and respond to evolving consumer migration trends.
We’ve seen mall operators investing in tenants, such as when Simon and Brookfield invested in JCPenney. Of late, outlet operators such as Tanger are scooping up open-air mixed use centers. Walmart’s latest move to purchase Monroeville Mall in Allegheny, PA is also turning heads. What do all these purchases have in common? A desire to diversify.
Over the years, Walmart has experimented beyond retail by adding grocery, optical, pharmacy, and healthcare. Walmart is now working on the Monroeville Mall with Cypress Equities, who position themselves as partners for “distinctive retail, residential, hospitality and mixed-use opportunities.’’ Analyzing visits to some of their properties – including Bayshore Mall in Glendale, WI and Legacy Square in Linden, NJ – reveals Cypress’ strong track record in managing successful shopping centers.
Legacy Square in particular saw impressive visit growth in 2024 – perhaps thanks to Cypress Equity’s investments in the center’s recent renovation. The project included opening a Walmart supercenter anchor followed by the addition of popular retailers and dining chains as well as a c-store and a medical facility – services that are increasingly coming to mixed-use centers.
And the data suggests that the redevelopment has been a success: In 2024, a variety of retailers and dining chains at Legacy Square – including Walmart, Starbucks, Verizon, and Mattress Firm – received significantly more visits per square foot than the New Jersey statewide average for each chain. The success of the Legacy Square redevelopment sheds some light on Walmart’s choice to partner with Cypress Equities on the Monroeville mall project.
The current performance at Monroeville Mall shows that visitation to the mall has declined most months compared to last year, with the exception of November when visits were likely boosted by a strong Black Friday.
At the same time, the mall’s trade area includes a wide array of consumer segments – from budget conscious singles to affluent families to middle income older folks – suggesting that the mall has significant potential to increase its visitations from a variety of audience segments.
Walmart's strategic acquisition and redevelopment of Monroeville Mall, in partnership with Cypress Equities, reflects a broader industry trend towards diversification and the creation of mixed-use destinations. By leveraging Cypress's proven success in revitalizing properties like Legacy Square, Walmart may well transform a struggling mall into a thriving community hub, catering to a diverse demographic and further solidifying its position in the evolving retail landscape.
It almost feels like a throwback to the COVID era, with more people raising backyard chickens – but this time, it’s driven by skyrocketing egg prices due to bird flu. So, what’s the trickle-down effect on food and retail establishments? Breakfast-focused restaurants, where eggs are a staple – from classic dishes like eggs with bacon, sausage, potatoes, and toast to essential ingredients in pancakes and waffles – are feeling the impact most acutely.
According to a recent USDA report, retail egg prices increased by 13.8% in January 2025, following an 8.4% rise in December 2024. The agency has now revised upwards its initial forecast of a 20% increase in egg prices for 2025 and now projects a 41.1% rise for the year. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the average price of a dozen large Grade A eggs also highlights the significant nature of this recent price surge from a historical perspective.
To offset this unprecedented surge in egg prices, several breakfast chains have implemented surcharges on egg-based menu items in February. Waffle House introduced a 50-cent surcharge per egg across all its locations. Similarly, Denny's added surcharges across its 1,500 locations, with fees varying based on regional impacts. Other establishments, such as Biscuitville, also imposed similar surcharges to manage escalating expenses. These measures reflect the industry's efforts to navigate the financial strain caused by the egg shortage while striving to maintain menu affordability for customers.
Broadly speaking, foot traffic across much of the retail and dining sector declined as February progressed, likely due to factors such as post-holiday spending pullbacks, decreased consumer confidence, weather, and other macroeconomic conditions. However, breakfast-first chains–including IHOP, Denny’s, Waffle House, Broken Yolk Cafe, Huddle House, Bob Evans Restaurant, Another Broken Egg Cafe, and Silver Diner have underperformed other retail and restaurant chains in our Placer 100 index.
Year-to-date weekly visitation trends for the largest breakfast-focused chains show that First Watch and Silver Diner are the only brands with positive year-over-year growth. In contrast, chains that implemented egg price surcharges like Waffle House and Denny’s have understandably underperformed compared to the broader category.
Silver Diner and First Watch also pull visitors from higher-income trade areas (below), which allows them to absorb costs more effectively without risking a decline in visitation.
The surge in egg prices, which has compelled many breakfast chains to introduce surcharges, already seems to be having an impact on visitation trends to egg-forward restaurant chains. Dining concepts catering to higher-income consumers – or those less reliant on breakfast visitation – are likely to have more success weathering the current challenges.
For more data-driven dining insights, visit placer.ai.
With Q1 2025 in full swing, we dove into the data to see how Darden Restaurants, Inc. – the force behind Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and eight additional brands – fared throughout 2024 and how things are shaping up at the start of 2025.
During the three month period ending November 24th, 2024, Darden reported a 2.4% year-over-year (YoY) increase in same-restaurant sales, even as consumers continued trading down and cutting back on discretionary spending. And though Darden hasn’t been immune to the headwinds affecting the full-service restaurant sector – its overall foot traffic dipped 1.7% in Q4 2024 – the company still closed out the year with a 1.0% increase in visits compared to 2023.
With more than 900 locations nationwide, Olive Garden is Darden’s biggest brand by far. And a look at recent monthly visitation trends shows that despite challenges, the chain held its own in 2024. On a yearly basis, visits to Olive Garden remained essentially flat in 2024 (-0.3% YoY). And several months saw positive visit growth – likely bolstered by the chain’s popular Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion, which ran from August 26th (a week earlier for club members) to November 17th. (The chain’s October YoY visit dip may reflect a different promotional schedule in 2023, when the offer began in mid- or late-September, driving heightened demand in October.)
But Darden’s most consistent growth driver over the past several months has been LongHorn Steakhouse. The casual dining steakhouse posted a 4.4% YoY visit increase in 2024, with six of the past eight months showing positive growth. And though February 2025 saw a minor weather- and calendar-driven dip, a strong rebound during the week of February 24th suggests continued momentum.
Taking a broader look at LongHorn Steakhouse’s trajectory reveals just how consistently the chain has outperformed. Since Q1 2023, LongHorn has posted steady YoY quarterly visit gains, each quarter building on the momentum of the last. Affordable, high-quality steaks continue to resonate especially well with today’s consumers, as they seek to stretch their dining dollars to the max.
All things considered, Darden has proven remarkably resilient in a dining landscape marked by cautious consumer spending. As 2025 unfolds, expect the company’s dual emphasis on iconic promotions at Olive Garden and consistent value-driven steak offerings at LongHorn to remain key to its continued success. And if current trends hold, Darden is poised to further solidify its standing as one of the industry’s top full-service dining operators.
For more data-driven dining insights, visit placer.ai.
How did the activewear and sporting goods segment fare throughout 2024? We dove into foot traffic for Nike, lululemon, and DICK’S Sporting Goods to find out.
Nike experienced strong visitation throughout 2024, with increases in all but one quarter. Visits were especially elevated in the first half of the year, likely related to the store fleet expansion in the second half of 2023. While visits slowed in Q4, Nike has also recently returned to its wholesale partnerships, allowing continued engagement across channels.
The brand also excelled during the holiday season, with December delivering the busiest weeks of the year. Weekly visits to the brand spiked 76.7% on December 16th and 75.7% on December 23rd relative to 2024’s weekly visit average, with the first spike possibly driven by gift-seekers, and December 23rd’s spike likely driven by Nike’s End of Season sale. The week of Black Friday also provided a visit boost of 51.2%. These visit increases highlight the impact of sales and special retail occasions on the brand, proving that consumers remain highly responsive to promotions.
Lululemon enjoyed steady visit growth in all quarters of 2024, with Q4 2024 experiencing visit growth of 2.4% YoY. These numbers come on the heels of the brands’ successful expansion and growth plan, which saw lululemon focus on product innovation and increase its retail footprint both in local and international markets.
The brand also excelled during the holiday season, with the week of December 23rd marking lululemon’s highest-visited week of the year as traffic increased by 104% compared to the 2024 weekly average. This increase may be related to lululemon’s highly anticipated End of Year sale – one of the few occasions when the brand offers store-wide discounts – or by last-minute holiday shoppers. Lululemon tends to limit its sales events, creating a sense of urgency around them. By maintaining a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” approach to discounts, lululemon can create major visit spikes when sales take place, driving significant shopper engagement – and foot traffic.
DICK’S Sporting Goods emerged as a major retail winner during the pandemic and its aftermath, delivering strong foot traffic for several consecutive years. And while YoY visits began to slow in late 2023 and throughout 2024, the declines were relatively minor.
Some of the visit declines may be attributed to store closures over the past year, including high-profile locations such as the South Loop store in Chicago. Still, DICK’S remains a dominant player in the sporting goods sector, continuing to draw strong consumer interest.
Like Nike and lululemon, the holiday season provided DICK’S with a significant visit boost – visits surging 96.0% and 61.5% during the weeks of December 16th and 23rd, respectively, compared to the 2024 weekly visit average. But DICK’S also got a major visit boost during the back-to-school season, reinforcing its year-round relevance.
Nike, Lululemon, and DICK’S are well-positioned as 2025 begins, with new marketing strategies keeping both the brands and their audiences engaged. Will these visitation trends continue throughout 2025?
Visit Placer.ai to keep up with the latest data-driven retail insights.
The Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining is a curated, dynamic list of leading chains operating across the United States. It includes chains from a variety of industries, such as superstores, grocery, dollar stores, apparel, full-service dining, QSR, and more.
In February 2025, foot traffic to the Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining declined by 4.7% year over year (YoY), marking the steepest drop in the past twelve months. And although the comparison to a 29-day February in 2024 drove most of the dip, other factors also contributed to the negative trend. Shaky consumer confidence may have caused some consumers to cut down on shopping and dining out. And the severe winter storms and polar vortex that impacted much of the United States last month likely contributed significantly to the decline, especially given the comparison to an unusually mild February 2024.
An analysis of February 2025 foot traffic trends across the continental United States highlights the likely impact of last month’s extreme weather on retail and dining visitation patterns. While February 2025 was slightly warmer than average nationwide, temperature fluctuations varied significantly by region. Parts of the Southwest and Southeast experienced unusually high temperatures, whereas the Midwest, Central, and Northeast regions faced successive snow storms and sharp temperature drops. These regions also experienced the steepest foot traffic declines, with Kansas seeing the largest drop (-9.0%). By contrast, states with milder climates – such as New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Florida – experienced more modest decreases in visits, though they were still affected by February 2025’s shorter calendar.
Still, even amidst the inclement weather, some chains bucked the trend, enjoying YoY visit boosts last month. Chili’s Grill & Bar maintained its top position for both total visits and average visits per location, continuing the winning streak it sparked with its enhanced 3 For Me value meal in late April 2024. Barnes & Noble also did well, as did value-oriented top performers like Crunch Fitness, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Five Below, and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. CVS and LA Fitness also saw positive YoY average visit-per-location growth, highlighting the success of recent rightsizing moves. And several other chains, including California-based In-N-Out Burger, also emerged ahead of the pack.
Bath & Body Works was another major retailer to claim a top spot in February’s Placer 100 Index, with both overall visits (+8.7%) and average visits per location (+6.6%) elevated YoY – bolstered in part by a wildly successful Disney collaboration that clearly resonated.
On February 16th, 2024, the body care and fragrances retailer launched a line of Disney Princess-inspired fragrances, available both in-store and online. Enthusiastic fans of Cinderella, Tiana, Ariel, Belle, Moana, and Jasmine flocked to the chain, resulting in a remarkable 69.3% increase in visits on the launch day compared to an average year-to-date Sunday. And traffic remained elevated on the following Sunday as well (+10.0%), underscoring the power of a well-chosen collab to overcome headwinds and draw crowds.
The February 2025 Placer 100 Index highlights how severe winter weather can significantly impact foot traffic, with the hardest-hit regions experiencing the steepest declines. But the performance of chains like Chili's and Bath & Body Works shows the power of strategic initiatives, such as value deals and compelling collaborations, to maintain strong visit numbers in the face of challenges. What lies ahead for retail and dining in the rest of 2025?
Follow Placer.ai's data-driven retail analyses to find out.
Placer.ai observes a panel of mobile devices in order to extrapolate and generate visitation insights for a variety of locations across the U.S. This panel covers only visitors from within the United States and does not represent or take into account international visitors.
Downtown districts in the nation’s major cities attract domestic travelers all year long with their iconic sights, lively entertainment, and diverse dining offerings. But each hub follows its own rhythm, shaped by distinct seasonal peaks and dips in visitor flow.
This white paper examines downtown hotel visitation patterns in four of the nation’s most popular destinations for domestic tourists: Miami, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Focusing on 20 downtown hotels in each city, the analysis explores seasonal variations in domestic travel, city-specific dynamics, and differentiating factors.
Domestic tourism has rebounded strongly in recent years, and hotels in Miami and Chicago have been the biggest beneficiaries. In 2024, visits to analyzed hotels in each of these cities’ downtown areas grew by 8.9% and 7.4%, respectively, compared to 2023. Meanwhile, hotels in downtown and midtown Manhattan saw a more modest 2.0% increase, while Los Angeles experienced a slight year-over-year (YoY) decline in downtown hotel visits.
One factor that may be driving Miami and Chicago’s stronger performance is their higher proportion of long-distance visitors, defined as those visiting from over 250 miles away. Miami remains a top destination for snowbirds and spring breakers, while Chicago serves as a cultural and entertainment hub for the sprawling Midwest. These long-distance leisure travelers may be more likely to splurge on downtown hotel stays during their trips, helping drive hotel visit growth in the two cities.
By contrast, hotels in the Los Angeles and Manhattan city centers drew lower shares of domestic travelers coming from less than 250 miles away. These shorter-haul domestic tourists may be less likely to splurge on downtown hotels than those taking longer vacations. Both cities are also surrounded by numerous regional getaway options that can draw long-haul leisure travelers away from their downtown cores.
Each of the four analyzed cities has its own unique ebbs and flows – and city center hotel visits reflect these patterns. Miami, with its warm, sunny climate, experiences influxes of tourists during the winter and spring, with March seeing the biggest jump in downtown hotel visits last year (13.0% above the monthly visit average). Chicago, which thrives in the summer with its many festivals and events, saw its biggest downtown hotel visit bump in August. Meanwhile, Manhattan experienced a major uptick in December, likely fueled by holiday tourism and New Year celebrations, and Los Angeles visits were highest in the summertime.
What drives these seasonal visit peaks? Miami has long been a top tourism destination, especially in early spring, when snowbirds and spring breakers flock to the city for sun and relaxation. In recent years, the city has seen a rise in short-term domestic tourism, suggesting that the city is becoming increasingly popular for weekend getaways. According to the Placer.ai Tourism Dashboard, the share of domestic tourists staying just one or two nights grew from 71.7% in March 2022 to 78.3% in March 2024.
This shift aligns with an impressive increase in the magnitude of downtown Miami’s springtime hotel visit peak: In March 2022, visits to downtown hotels were 5.0% above the monthly average for the year, a share that more than doubled by 2024 to 12.9%.
These numbers may mean that more people are choosing to head to Miami for a quick break from the cold – and staying in downtown hotels to make the most of their short getaway.
Chicago’s major August visit spike was likely driven by the Windy City’s impressive lineup of major summer festivals, from Lollapalooza to the Chicago Air and Water Show, which draw thousands of attendees from across the country.
Lollapalooza fueled the largest visit spike to the city – between Thursday, August 1st and Sunday, August 4th, visits to downtown Chicago hotels surged between 51.1% and 63.8% above 2024 daily averages for those days of the week. The Air and Water Show and the Chicago Jazz Festival also generated significant hotel visit increases – highlighting the boost these events bring to the city’s tourism and hospitality sector.
The Big Apple draws a diverse mix of visitors throughout the year. But in December – the city’s peak tourist season – visitors pour in from all over the country to skate in Rockefeller Center, browse Fifth Avenue’s festive window displays and experience the city’s unique holiday magic.
And analyzing data from hotels in midtown and downtown Manhattan reveals a striking shift in the types of visitors who stay in the heart of NYC during the holiday season. While visitors from other urban centers dominated downtown hotel stays throughout most of the year – accounting for 47.9% of visits from January to November 2024 – their share dropped to 42.0% in December 2024. Meanwhile, the share of guests from suburban areas and small towns rose from 37.3% to 41.0%, and the share of guests from rural and semi-rural areas nearly doubled, from 3.5% to 6.1%.
These patterns suggest that, though Manhattan typically attracts a wide range of visitors, the holiday season is uniquely appealing to tourists from smaller towns and suburban areas. Understanding these trends can provide crucial context for hotels and civic stakeholders alike as they work to maximize the opportunities presented by the city’s December visit surge.
Los Angeles hotels also experience significant demographic shifts during peak season. In July, visits to downtown LA hotels surged by 15.3% relative to the 2024 monthly visit average. And a closer look at audience segmentation data suggests a corresponding surge in the share of "Flourishing Families" – an Experian: Mosaic segment consisting of affluent, middle-aged households with children. Throughout the year, "Flourishing Families" comprised between 7.7% and 8.7% of the census block groups (CBGs) driving visits to downtown LA hotels. But in July, this share jumped to 9.9%.
These families may be taking advantage of summer vacations to enjoy Los Angeles’ cultural attractions and entertainment. Hotels and city stakeholders who understand the appeal the city holds for this demographic can better cater to them through family-friendly promotions and strategic marketing efforts to target these households.
Downtowns are making a comeback – and hotels in the heart of the nation’s major tourist hubs are reaping the benefits. By understanding who frequents these downtown hotels and when, local businesses and civic leaders can optimize their resource management and strategic planning to make the most of these opportunities.
The New York office scene is buzzing once again, as companies from JPMorgan to Meta double down on return-to-office (RTO) mandates. But just how did New York office foot traffic fare in 2024? How did Big Apple office foot traffic compare to that of other major business hubs nationwide? And how is New York’s office recovery impacting post-COVID trends like the TGIF work week? Are office visits still concentrated mid-week, or are people coming in more on Fridays and Mondays? And how has Manhattan’s RTO affected local commuting patterns?
We dove into the data to find out.
In 2024, New York City cemented its position as the nationwide leader in office recovery. Thanks in part to remote work crackdowns by banking behemoths like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan, visits to NYC office buildings in 2024 were just 13.1% below pre-pandemic (2019) levels.
For comparison, Miami’s office foot traffic remained 16.2% below pre-pandemic levels, while Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Boston saw significantly larger gaps at 28.6%, 37.8%, and 43.9%, respectively.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the Big Apple’s robust year-over-five-year (Yo5Y) recovery, the pace of year-over-year (YoY) visit growth to NYC office buildings was somewhat slower in 2024 than in other major East Coast business centers. Still, New York’s YoY office recovery rate of 12.4% outpaced the nationwide baseline, and came in just slightly below Washington, D.C.’s 15.2% and Atlanta’s 14.6%.
Interestingly, New York’s return to office has not led to a significant retreat from the TGIF work week that emerged during COVID. In 2024, just 11.9% of weekday (Monday to Friday) visits to NYC offices took place on Fridays – only slightly more than the 11.5% recorded in 2023 and significantly below the pre-pandemic baseline of 17.2%.
Meanwhile, Monday has quietly regained its footing as the dreaded start of the New York work week. After dropping significantly in 2022 and 2023, the share of weekday office visits taking place on Mondays rebounded to 18.2% in 2024 – just slightly below 2019’s 19.5%. Still, Tuesday remained the Big Apple’s busiest in-office day of the week last year, accounting for nearly a quarter (24.6%) of weekday NYC office foot traffic.
And diving into Yo5Y data for each day of the work week shows just how much New York’s overall recovery is driven by mid-week visits – and especially Tuesday ones. In 2024, Friday visits to NYC office buildings were down 40.2% compared to 2019. But on Tuesdays, visits were essentially on par with pre-pandemic levels (-0.3%), even as nationwide office visits remained 24.6% below 2019.
Another post-COVID trend that has shown staying power in New York is the growing share of office visits coming from employees who live nearby. As hybrid schedules become the norm, it seems that those commuting more frequently are often just a short subway ride -or even a stroll- away.
The share of NYC office workers coming from less than five miles away, for example, has risen steadily since COVID, reaching 46.0% in 2024. Over the same period, the share of workers coming from 5-10 miles, 10-15 miles, or 25+ miles away has declined.
Looking at commuting trends across the East Coast helps put New York City’s shift into perspective. In 2019, NYC’s share of nearby commuters was on par with Washington, D.C. and slightly below Boston. But while both cities experienced moderate increases in local commuters between 2019 and 2024, New York pulled ahead, outpacing all other analyzed cities in its share of nearby office workers last year.
Miami and Atlanta – two other standout cities in office recovery – also saw significant growth in the percentage of short-distance commuters over the past five years. This trend underscores a broader shift: As hybrid work reshapes commuting habits, employees across multiple markets are more likely to go into the office if they live nearby, reducing reliance on long-haul commutes.
As the nation’s office recovery leader, New York offers a glimpse into what other cities can expect as office visitation rates continue to improve. Even at just 13.1% below pre-pandemic levels, NYC office visit levels continue to rise. And as recovery nears completion, trends that took hold during COVID remain firmly entrenched.
The full-service dining segment has experienced its fair share of challenges over the past few years, with pandemic-era closures, rising food and labor costs, and cutbacks in discretionary spending contributing to visit lags. In 2024, visits were down 0.2% year over year (YoY) and remained 8.4% below 2019 levels – a reflection of the significant number of venues that permanently closed over COVID and a testament to the industry's ongoing struggle to regain its pre-pandemic footing.
Yet, even in a difficult environment, some full-service restaurant (FSR) chains are thriving. These brands aren’t waiting for the industry to rebound – they're becoming trendsetters in their own right, proving that stand-out strategy is everything in a challenging market.
This white paper explores brands that are harnessing three key differentiators – fixed-price value offerings, elevated social experiences, and a laser focus on product – to drive full-service dining success in 2025.
One of the most defining trends over the past few years has been the unrelenting march of price increases. And as consumers continue to seek out ways to save, some chains are staying ahead of the pack with fixed-price value offerings that help diners squeeze out the very best bang for their buck.
Golden Corral, the all-you-can-eat buffet chain that lets kids under three eat for free, is one FSR that is benefiting from consumers’ current value orientation. Despite closing several locations in 2024, overall visits to the chain still tracked closely with 2023 levels, declining by just 0.5% – while the average number visits to each Golden Corral restaurant grew 3.8% YoY.
Golden Corral’s value proposition is resonating strongly with budget-conscious Americans eager to enjoy a wide variety of comfort foods at an affordable price. The chain’s visitors tend to come from trade areas with lower median household incomes (HHIs) than traditional full-service restaurant (FSR) diners. And these patrons are willing to travel to enjoy the chain’s value buffet offerings, many of which are situated in rural areas and may require a longer drive. In 2024, 25.2% of Golden Corral’s diners came from over 30 miles away – compared to just 19.2% for the wider FSR segment.
Golden Corral’s continued flourishing proves that in an era of rising costs, diners are willing to go the extra mile (literally) for a restaurant that delivers both quality and affordability.
Children’s party space and eatertainment destination Chuck E. Cheese has had a transformative few years. Following the retirement of its iconic animatronic band, the chain shifted its focus to a new membership model, announcing a revamped Summer of Fun pass in May 2024 – including unlimited visits over a two-month period, steep discounts on food, and up to 250 games per day. The pass proved incredibly popular, with YoY visits surging by 15.6% in May 2024, when the offer launched – a sharp turnaround from the YoY visit declines of the previous months. Recognizing the strong demand, Chuck E. Cheese extended the program year-round – and the strategy has paid off as YoY visits remained positive through the end of 2024.
A closer look at the data suggests that parents are making full use of their unlimited passes: The share of weekday visits was higher in H2 2024 than in H2 2023, likely due to families using their passes for weekday entertainment rather than reserving visits for weekends and special occasions.
At the same time, the share of repeat visitors – those frequenting the chain at least twice a month – also grew. Although these repeat visitors may not purchase additional gameplay beyond the flat fee, their more frequent on-site presence likely translates into increased sales of pizza and other menu items.
While value has been a major motivator for restaurant-goers in recent years, low prices aren’t the only drivers of FSR success. Brands offering unique experiences aimed at maximizing social interaction are also seeing outsized gains.
Though many of these more innovative venues tend to be on the more expensive side, they draw enthusiastic crowds willing to pony up for concepts that combine good food with fun social occasions. And some of the more successful ones bolster perceived value through offerings like fixed-price menus or club memberships.
Korean cuisine has been on the rise in recent years, with restaurants like Bonchon Chicken and GEN Korean BBQ House making significant waves in the dining space. Another chain drawing attention is KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot, which began modestly in 2018 and has since expanded to over 150 locations nationwide.
Diners at KPOT can customize their meals by selecting from a variety of proteins, broths, sauces, and side dishes, known as banchan, while barbecuing or cooking in a hotpot at their table and sipping on the drinks from the menu’s extensive selection. And though pricier than Golden Corral, KPOT also offers an all-you-can-eat experience that lets customers squeeze the most value out of their indulgence.
Location intelligence shows that KPOT’s experiential dining model is resonating with customers: Since Q4 2019, the average number of visits to each KPOT location has risen steadily – even as the chain has grown its footprint – while the average dwell time has also increased. Indeed, rather than a quick dining stop, KPOT has become a destination for guests to linger, enjoying both food and drinks – and an interactive and social experience.
By positioning themselves as gathering places for fine wine aficionados, wine-club-focused concepts such as Postino WineCafe and Cooper’s Hawk Winery are also benefiting from today’s consumers’ emphasis on social experiences. The two upscale dining destinations offer club memberships that combine periodic wine releases with a variety of perks.
And the data suggests that the model is strongly resonating with diners. Both Postino and Cooper’s Hawk have grown their footprints over the past year, driving substantial YoY chain-wide visit increases while average visits per location grew as well – showing that the expansions and experiential offerings are meeting robust demand.
And analyzing the two chains’ captured markets shows that the wine club model enjoys broad appeal across a variety of audience segments.
Unsurprisingly, both wine clubs’ visitor bases include higher-than-average shares of affluent consumers with money to spend, including Experian: Mosaic’s “Power Elite”, “Booming with Confidence”, and “Flourishing Families” segments (the nation’s wealthiest families, as well as affluent suburban and middle-aged households). But the two chains also attract younger, more budget-conscious consumers – Postino, which has many downtown locations, is popular among “Singles and Starters”, while Cooper’s Hawk is popular among “Promising Families” - i.e. young couples with children.
The success of the two brands across various segments underscores the impact of a distinctive experience – especially when paired with a loyalty-boosting membership – in attracting today’s consumers.
Value offerings and unique experiences have the power to drive restaurant visits – but ultimately, a good meal in an inviting atmosphere is a draw in and of itself, as is shown by the success of First Watch and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill.
Breakfast-only restaurant First Watch excels at ambiance and menu innovation, changing up its offerings five times a year and striving to maintain a neighborhood feel at each of its locations.
First Watch has made a point of leaning into its strengths, eschewing discounts in favor of a consistently elevated dining experience and doubling down its strongest day part (weekend brunch), rather than trying to artificially drive up interest at other times.
And the strategy appears to be working: In 2024, visits to First Watch increased 6.6% YoY – with Saturdays and Sundays between 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. remaining its busiest dayparts by far. Visitors to First Watch also tend to linger over their meals more than at other breakfast chains – in 2024, the restaurant experienced an average dwell time of 54.9 minutes, significantly longer than the 48.7-minute average at other breakfast-focused restaurants.
By focusing on what matters most to its diners – innovative and exciting food and a welcoming atmosphere that allows patrons to enjoy their meals at a leisurely pace – First Watch is continuing to flourish.
Another chain that is growing its footprint and its audience on the strength of a menu and ambiance-focused approach is Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. The chain, known for its “polished casual” vibe and bold, unique flavors, added several new restaurants last year, leading to a 6.5% increase in overall visits. Over the same period, the average number of visits to each Firebirds location held steady – showing that the new restaurants aren’t cannibalizing existing business.
The chain’s success may rest, in part, on its locating its venues in areas rife with enthusiastic foodies. Data from Spatial.ai’s FollowGraph shows that in 2024, Firebird’s trade areas had significantly higher shares of “BBQ Lovers”, “Gourmet Burger Lovers,” and “Foodies” than the nationwide average. This suggests that Firebirds is attracting diners who prioritize the experience of eating – key for a chain that prides itself on putting good food first. The chain is also known for its welcoming decor and design – another aspect that may lead to its strong visit success.
Necessity often serves as the mother of invention, and challenging economic periods continue to spark new trends and innovations in the dining scene. From a heightened focus on value – drawing families and lower-HHI consumers willing to travel for a good deal – to the growing appeal of social dining and the timeless draw of good food – new trends are emerging to meet changing consumer expectations.
