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Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart in Las Vegas is an immersive entertainment experience that is sui generis and requires an in-person visit to truly understand this one-of-a-kind adventure. It’s a bit like an escape room, a bit of a psychedelic art show, with tongue-in-cheek humor and a satiric take on our consumerist tendencies. Make sure to keep an open mind when you visit and don’t be afraid to touch and feel the objects. In addition to Las Vegas, there are also locations in Denver “Convergence Station”, Grapevine “The Real Unreal”, and Santa Fe “House of Eternal Return”, with Houston opening in 2024.
When we look at participants from Las Vegas, Denver, and Grapevine, per Spatial.ai Followgraph, they have a higher propensity for being enthusiasts about Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Electric Vehicles, Celebrity Entrepreneurs, Mental Health Advocates, and Athleisure. They are more likely than average to Chase Credit Card Rewards, Invest in Real Estate, eat Mexican Food, and Love BBQ.
The segments they come from are varied, per Spatial.ai PersonaLive. Las Vegas tends to attract the most Near-Urban Diverse Families, followed by Young Professionals. Nearly 1 in 5 at the Denver location are Young Professionals, as are 14.1% in Grapevine.
Those visiting the Denver location stay the longest, with a median dwell time of 120 minutes. Santa Fe is next at 109 minutes.
As the experience economy evolves, the options for fun continue to grow. Here at the Anchor, we’ve delved into eatertainment, bowling, rock climbing, pickleball, mini-golf, driving ranges, and more. Enter Axe Throwing. It’s the type of activity you’ll often see on some of those reality dating shows, but upon closer inspection, it’s also come into a league of its own, and with technology allowing one to project targets onto the cork board, the ante is upped with a variety of games available. The International Axe Throwing Federation has over 20,000 members in 9 countries, pointing to the popularity of this sport worldwide. Here in the US, two large chains include Bad Axe Throwing and Bury the Hatchet.
Of all the predictions about what would be the prevailing retail trends in 2024, an uncharacteristic cold snap wasn’t on anyone’s radar. But so far this year, extreme weather has had a major impact on consumer behavior in a host of retail categories. How big an influence have drastic conditions had on foot traffic and what visit patterns are emerging as temperatures thaw? We dove into the latest location analytics to find out.
A powerful Arctic blast gripped a large portion of the continental U.S. in January 2024. And along with other disastrous consequences, the chill caused many consumers to stay indoors – resulting in a decline in overall retail visits.
Although retail foot traffic the week of January 8th, 2024 was almost in line with 2023 levels – likely due to a flux of consumers stocking up on essentials – the week of January 15th saw the overall retail visits gap widen to 2.9% year-over-year (YoY) as the storm expanded its grip on the country.
The worst of the cold abated in late January 2024, and consumers appeared to be out and about again – catching up on errands and making up for time spent cooped up at home. Overall retail visits picked up steam the week of January 22nd, 2024 and sustained positive YoY growth through February.
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Zooming in on retail foot traffic by state revealed the scope of the storm’s impact on visits nationwide. Generally, states that bore the brunt of the cold blast saw the widest YoY retail visits gaps. And although perennial cold weather regions were not spared from the unusual cold spell, consumers in the often frigid Upper Midwest and Northeast may have been more acclimated to the cold and therefore able to maintain somewhat normal shopping routines.
In January 2024, Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, and Minnesota – along with Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire – all experienced YoY retail visit growth, despite the extreme weather. Meanwhile, foot traffic in much of the Midwest and South buckled under the abnormal conditions.
The resilience of the Upper Midwest and the Northeast was evident again as temperatures thawed. While winter weather was still prevalent in these parts, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, and Vermont all cozied up to over 8.0% YoY retail visit growth in February 2024.
As was the case for retail foot traffic patterns as a whole, the cold snap took a toll on visits to the dining space early on in 2024. The data suggests that many consumers stayed home and cut back on dining out during the extreme storm. But as temperatures more or less normalized, restaurant-goers were eager to get back to their favorite dining hot spots.
Analysis of weekly foot traffic to the various dining categories in January and February 2024 once again showcased the industry’s resilience and the strength of discretionary spending as a whole.
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Diving into dining foot traffic on the state level provided further evidence that freezing conditions likely influenced the eating-out behavior of consumers.
Location analytics revealed that as storms raged in January 2024, southern and midwestern states – where consumers may have been caught off guard by the extreme weather – experienced the widest YoY dining visit gaps. Meanwhile, upper midwestern and northeastern states – where consumers are generally accustomed to harsher winters – produced dining traffic growth.
In February 2024 – as temperatures warmed – several states in the Upper Midwest and Northeast mustered exceptional increases in YoY dining visits. But notably, all of the continental U.S. saw YoY dining traffic growth during that month – further indication of the dining space’s ability to bounce back from adversity and the sustained demand for going out.
Which retail trends will prevail as 2024 progresses? Visit Placer.ai to find out.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.0, which implements improvements to our extrapolation capabilities, adds short visit monitoring, and enhances visit detection.
With the first round of earning announcements in 2024 coming to a close, we dove into the foot traffic data to find out which companies are likely to surpass their 2023 performance in the coming year.
Following a challenging period and shifts in apparel consumer preferences hampering traffic, Gap’s performance is on the upswing. The company, which operates four iconic brands – Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, and Banana Republic – recently announced stronger-than-expected Q4 2023 results, driven by strong performances of the Gap and Old Navy brands.
Foot traffic data also points to a comeback. The Old Navy and Gap managed to maintain minimal year-over-year (YoY) visit gaps in 2023 despite the challenging retail environment, with Q4 visits – during the critical holiday season – down just 2.3% and 1.7% for the two brands, respectively.
Gap’s turnaround is likely helped by several C-suite personnel changes at the company. Last year, Gap Inc. brought in C.E.O. Richard Dickson from Mattel to revitalize the legacy brands, and Chris Blakeslee – previously at Alo Yoga – was chosen to lead the Athleta chain. And the company is continuing its series of high-profile hirings in 2024 with the appointment of designer Zac Posen as Creative Director of the company and Chief Creative Officer of the Old Navy banner. Should Gap continue on its current track, the company is well-positioned for a strong 2024.
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Monthly visits to The Cheesecake Factory fell YoY for much of last year, with the chain’s foot traffic regularly lagging behind the wider Restaurant category. But the gaps between the wider industry performance and visits to the brand began to narrow towards the end of the year, with The Cheesecake Factory beating out the overall Restaurant industry in terms of YoY traffic in December 2023. And although January 2024’s cold spell brought visits back down, foot traffic rose again in February 2024.
The chain has announced plans to expand its store count this year and intends to implement moderate price hikes to offset rising costs. And if the positive foot traffic trends continue alongside the company’s new unit openings and price increases, The Cheesecake Factory may well outpace its 2023 performance in 2024.
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The pet care sector thrived over the pandemic, as the combination of shelter-in-place orders, stimulus checks, and reduced spending channels drove consumers to shower their pets with love in the form of increased spending at pet stores. But the economic headwinds of the past two years led some shoppers to reduce their discretionary spending. Some consumers have gone as far as surrendering their pets in an effort to cut costs, with the tighter consumer budgets impacting visits to leading pet care retailers, including Petco. And to add to an already challenging situation, the pet care landscape has recently become even more competitive, with Walmart recently making more aggressive inroads into the space.
But Petco is fighting to stay on top, with the company continuing to invest in its veterinary program and optimize its product assortment to keep up with the changing preferences of 2024 consumers. And recent foot traffic data indicates that Petco’s strategy may be bearing fruit. Visits to Petco grew 1.8% and 4.0% YoY in November and December 2023, respectively – indicating that many pet owners still splurged on holiday gifts for their beloved pets and turned to Petco for the perfect treat or toy. And although January 2024’s unusual cold spell drove a visit lag, foot traffic quickly stabilized in February – indicating that the company should not be written off quite yet.
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For more retail and dining insights, visit our blog at placer.ai.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.0, which implements improvements to our extrapolation capabilities, adds short visit monitoring, and enhances visit detection.
In February 2024 Placer.ai released two white papers: 10 Top Brands to Watch in 2024 and Q4 2023 Quarterly Index. Below is a taste of our findings. To read more data-driven consumer research, visit our library.
The Q4 2023 Quarterly Index white paper analyzed the foot traffic performance of the Fitness, Beauty & Self Care, Discount & Dollar Stores, Superstores, Grocery Stores, and Dining categories in 2023 and during last year’s all-important holiday shopping season.
Last year ended on a high note for many retailers, with cooling inflation and rebounding consumer confidence contributing to a robust holiday season. Still, 2023 was a year of headwinds for the sector, as consumers traded down and cut back on unnecessary indulgences.
In the midst of these challenges, some segments thrived. Continued prioritization of health and wellness by consumers drove strong visit growth for the Fitness and Beauty & Self Care segments – which emerged as 2023 winners and enjoyed positive foot traffic growth in Q4. At the same time, price consciousness drove foot traffic to Discount & Dollar Stores and Superstores, both of which made inroads into the affordable grocery space during the year.
The Grocery category, too, saw a 4.3% jump in visits last year compared to 2022, as well as a slight uptick in Q4 visits. And even the discretionary Dining sector held its own, with a 2.1% year-over-year (YoY) annual increase in foot traffic, and a Q4 quarterly visit gap of just 1.8%.
For a deeper dive into the Q4 2023 performance of these sectors, read the full report.
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The 10 Top Brands to Watch in 2024 white paper leveraged up-to-date location intelligence and consumer demographic insights to identify ten brands gearing up for growth in 2024 – one of which was Foxtrot Market.
Convenience stores have evolved into bona-fide dining destinations. And Foxtrot, a Chicago-based chain with 29 stores across Texas, Illinois, Washington, Maryland, and Virginia, is one of the brands redefining what a convenience store can be. The chain offers an upscale convenience store experience and is particularly known for including local brands in its product assortment as well as its excellent wine curation and dining options.
And location intelligence data indicates that Foxtrot knows its audience – visitors to the chain were significantly more likely to fall into AGS: Behavior & Attitudes dataset’s “Wine Drinker” or “Nutritionally Aware” segments than visitors to nearby convenience stores. The company plans to ramp up store openings, particularly in the suburbs, where convenience and a good bottle of wine might just find the perfect home as a welcome distraction from the daily grind.
To find out the other brands on the list, read the full report.
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For more data-driven consumer research, visit our library.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.0, which implements improvements to our extrapolation capabilities, adds short visit monitoring, and enhances visit detection.
Discount and dollar stores flourished in 2022 and 2023, as rising prices led many shoppers to trade down and tighten their purse strings. Consumers flocked to dollar stores for everything from essential goods to discretionary items like toys and party supplies. And while some chains – including category leader Dollar General – were buoyed by their growing positioning as low-cost grocery venues, others found success by leaning into the affordable luxury space. Brands like Five Below, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, and pOpshelf (owned by Dollar General) grew their audiences by offering price-conscious consumers easy access to inexpensive non-necessities.
But how did these specialty discount retailers fare in the all-important fourth quarter of 2023 – and what does their early 2024 performance portend for the rest of the new year?
We dove into the data to find out.
Five Below, the bargain chain specializing in low-cost, recreational merchandise, wrapped up 2023 with a bang. Between September and December 2023, the brand saw year-over-year (YoY) monthly visit increases ranging from 14.6% to 22.1%. And while Five Below’s expanding store count has likely helped fuel this surge, the indulgence-oriented retailer is also attracting shoppers with a growing selection of “Five Beyond” products, priced above the chain’s traditional $5.00 ceiling. Last year, Five Below further cemented its status as a key holiday shopping destination – another factor driving its impressive Q4 2023 performance. And the discounter continued its winning streak into the new year, with strong performance in January and February 2024.
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet operates according to a somewhat different strategy – enticing shoppers with a broad selection of highly discounted name-brand merchandise. Ollie’s offerings include lower-ticket items like food and books, but also a wide range of premium products like electronics and home furnishings. And Ollie’s closeout buying model means that shoppers never know exactly what they’re going to find – turning each trip into something of a treasure hunt. Like Five Below, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has expanded its physical presence in recent years – and the chain’s consistent positive YoY foot traffic growth highlights its continued appeal to today’s consumers.
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Dollar General’s pOpshelf concept – launched in late 2020 with a discretionary-focused product mix aimed at higher income shoppers than the company’s flagship brand – now boasts some 240 locations across 20 states. And as the chain has expanded its footprint, it has also grown its audience. Like other affordable luxury venues, pOpshelf experiences large visit spikes during the fourth quarter of the year, as shoppers seek out inexpensive gifts and other holiday fare.
As of February 2024, visits to the chain were up 190.1% compared to a March 2022 baseline. Though Dollar General has reined in the pace of pOpshelf’s expansion to account for what remains a challenging retail environment, the company still plans to open more stores this year. And if pOpshelf’s strong visit trajectory is any indication, investing in the concept’s long-term strength may well bear fruit in the months and years ahead.
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Each of these discount chains has found success by appealing to a different audience. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, with its constantly-shifting closeout inventory, attracts shoppers from areas with higher shares of singles and fewer families with children. Five Below’s and pOpshelf, on the other hand, feature captured markets with larger shares of parental households than of singles – though pOpshelf’s share of the latter has risen over the past year, as the chain expanded into new markets.
For all three chains, however, the extent of the gap between the two demographic groups varies throughout the year – with the share of singles increasing during the summer and the share of parental households seeing an uptick during the December holiday shopping season. (For pOpshelf, this pattern began to emerge in 2023). Five Below experienced a particularly pronounced version of this trend – with the share of singles frequenting the chain actually outpacing the share of families with children each August. This uptick in the share of singles visiting discount chains – especially Five Below – may be due in part to back-to-school shopping by college students, many of whom load up on dorm supplies towards the end of summer.
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Specialty discount chains offer price-conscious shoppers affordable outlets for retail therapy. And in 2023 and early 2024, Five Below, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, and pOpshelf grew their audiences by appealing to the perennial quest for inexpensive, fun shopping experiences. How will these retailers continue to fare as 2024 wears on? Will cooling inflation put a dent in their gains – or will a revitalized discretionary retail environment propel them forward?
Follow Placer.ai’s data-driven retail analyses to find out.
This blog includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.0, which implements improvements to our extrapolation capabilities, adds short visit monitoring, and enhances visit detection.
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.
