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A decade after declaring bankruptcy, Detroit is coming back to life. The city is experiencing a resurgence that is bringing new energy to its streets – and an increase in the population of the wider CBSA.
We took a look at some of the data points highlighting the return of the Motor City to better understand what is driving the city’s growth.
Detroit is making a comeback – undergoing a transformation from a depressed city to a viable and exciting place to live and work. Between July 2022 and July 2023, the city’s population grew for the first time in 66 years, likely thanks to economic revitalization efforts, a thriving tech scene, and a newfound “cool factor” driving inbound migration. And looking at more recent numbers for the wider CBSA indicates that the trend is continuing – net migration to the Detroit-Warren-Dearborne CBSA was either neutral or positive every month between January and August 2024.
This sustained net migration suggests that this growth is not a one-off – Detroit is increasingly becoming a place recognized for the opportunities it offers, economic and otherwise.
Diving into the CBSAs feeding Detroit’s domestic migration boom reveals that many of the Motor City’s newest residents are coming from other areas in Michigan. Between May 2023 and May 2024, the top five feeder CBSAs for migration to Detroit were located in the Wolverine State, accounting for over a third (35.4%) of new Detroit residents. The influx of Michiganders into Detroit may mean that Detroit’s new residents come with an already strong regional identity and are invested in continuing to revitalize Detroit.
The data also reveals that many of Detroit’s new residents came from areas with higher median household incomes (HHI) than the city’s: Around 33.8% of incoming residents came from areas where the median HHI was $100K and up, compared to just 31.6% of Detroit residents in that HHI bracket. The influx of higher-income residents to the area highlights just how well Detroit has reinvented itself, becoming an increasingly desirable destination for wealthier individuals – a positive feedback loop that could continue driving its economic growth.
Detroit has been known by many names over the years – Motown, Detroit Rock City, The Paris of the West – and today, it’s earning a new title: the Comeback City. With a positive economic outlook, steady population growth, and a thriving cultural scene, the future looks bright for Detroit.
Stay up to date with the latest data-driven civic insights at Placer.ai.
Chicken restaurants have seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few years, from the epic Chicken Wars of 2021 to the impressive stateside success of international chains. And analyzing recent data indicates that fried chicken concepts are likely to continue as a top growth segment in 2025 as well.
We dove into the visit numbers to see how the segment is faring and highlighted some of the chains making the biggest splash.
In a dining segment that’s faced its fair share of challenges of late, chicken restaurant chains are standing out. Visits to QSR and fast-casual chicken chains consistently outperformed the wider fast-casual and QSR segments in terms of YoY visits, with the chicken category seeing a 4.3% YoY traffic boost in Q3 2024.
As diners continue to prioritize convenient and affordable meals in the face of continued economic uncertainty, chicken-centric restaurants – which offer both value and speed – seem well-positioned to continue thriving.
Diving into the visitation data for some of the category’s chicken leaders reveals that many of the bigger names in the game are not only growing their storefleet – they’re also continuing to drive more visits to each location.
Dave’s Hot Chicken, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, and Church’s Texas Chicken each attract millions of visits to their brick-and-mortar location every month – and traffic is steadily growing thanks to the three chains' expanding footprint. And location analytics reveal that these brands are also seeing strong growth in monthly visits per location – highlighting the impressive demand for fried chicken and showcasing these companies’ ability to grow their consumer base through fleet expansions.
Another indication of the fried chicken market’s continued growth potential comes from the success of smaller brands flourishing alongside the category leaders. Chains like Pollo Campero, Urban Bird Hot Chicken, Layne’s Chicken Fingers, and Super Chix may not be competing with industry leaders yet – but their impressive YoY visit growth highlights consumers’ current appetite for fried chicken franchises.
The four analyzed chains enjoyed strong monthly visits in 2024 relative to 2023, with November 2024 visits elevated between 13.1% and 29.1% YoY.
Whether these smaller chains are fueling their growth by offering an innovative twist on the traditional fried bird or benefiting from homegrown loyalty, the bottom line remains clear. Despite operating in a market that's getting more crowded by the day, there's ample opportunity for new players to throw their feathered caps in the ring.
The fried chicken segment remains a high-demand category, evidenced by the segment’s strong visit performance over the past year. With fried chicken chains continuing to expand across the country, will they maintain their visit dominance? Or will the cluck stop somewhere?
Visit Placer.ai to stay up-to-date with the latest data-driven dining insights.
Darden Restaurants Inc. is the largest full-service restaurant group in the country, operating ten dining chains that range from fine dining to casual bars.
How has the company fared in recent months? We examined the location analytics to evaluate Darden’s recent performance and took a closer look at what the holiday season might bring for its wide array of brands.
The full-service restaurant category has faced significant challenges in recent years as rising food prices, labor shortages, and inflation pushed costs up and some customers away. But since the beginning of 2024, Darden has managed to stay ahead and outpace the wider full-service restaurant segment in terms of year-over-year (YoY) quarterly visits. Q3 2024 visits were 0.9% higher than in Q3 2023. In contrast, the broader full-service segment experienced a 1.9% decline in the same period.
As restaurant inflation finally begins to cool and the dining segment tiptoes cautiously toward recovery, Darden’s ability to stay ahead of the competition suggests that its brands are resonating with customers even during periods of economic uncertainty.
Darden’s portfolio runs the gamut from household names like Olive Garden (with over 900 locations) and LongHorn Steakhouse (over 500 locations) to smaller chains like Yard House and Bahama Breeze. And zooming in on the recent November data reveals that most chains are still enjoying year-over-year (YoY) visit growth. Yard House led the pack with 11.0% more visits than in November 2023, followed by LongHorn Steakhouse (9.0% YoY growth), and Bahama Breeze (8.8% YoY growth).
This steady November momentum bodes well for Darden as the typically busy holiday season approaches.
Indeed, diving into previous years’ visitation patterns reveals that Darden’s brands generally receive sizable visit bumps over the holiday season.
Analyzing December visits in 2019, 2022, and 2023 relative to each year’s January to November monthly visit average highlighted significant visit boosts across almost all Darden brands. The Capital Grille led the charge in December 2023, with visits 42.3% higher than the January to November average, followed closely by Ruth’s Chris Steak House (34.4%) and Season’s 52 (31.1%).
These consistent December traffic spikes coupled with November’s strong showing suggests that the company is well-positioned to sustain its current momentum into the holiday season and beyond.
Darden Restaurants continues to be a leader in the full-service segment, enjoying visit growth and capturing holiday foot traffic.
Will this year’s holiday season bring increased foot traffic to the company’s brands?
Visit Placer.ai to keep up with the latest data-driven dining insights.
About the Placer 100 Index for Retail & Dining: The Placer 100 Index for Retail and Dining is a curated, dynamic list of leading chains that often serve as prime tenants for shopping centers and malls. The index includes chains from various industries, such as superstores, grocery, dollar stores, dining, apparel, and more. Among the notable chains featured are Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger, Ulta Beauty, The Home Depot, McDonald’s, Chipotle, Crunch Fitness, and Trader Joe's. The goal of the list is to provide insight into the wider trends impacting the retail, dining and shopping center segments.
October’s positive visitation trends continued in November, with overall visits to the Placer 100 Retail & Dining Index up 0.9% year-over-year (YoY) – a strong start to the holiday season.
Some of the November uptick was likely driven by Black Friday – visits to the Placer 100 Index were up 2.2% YoY overall for Black Friday Weekend 2024, with Sunday seeing a particularly pronounced visit spike of 5.3%.
And zooming out to the week before Black Friday reveals that the visit boost started even earlier – YoY visits increased as early as the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with traffic remaining positive throughout the week leading up to the retail milestone. The early growth in visits highlights the success of early promotions in driving visits this year.
Once again, Chili’s Grill & Bar topped the Placer 100 Index, likely thanks to the ongoing popularity of the chain’s Big Smash Burger, 3 For Me value meal, and Triple Dipper offering. The chain’s even more remarkable visit growth in November was likely also due to Chili’s free Veteran’s Day meals to veterans and active duty personnel, which generated a 135.4% increase in visits on Monday, November 11th relative to the previous three Mondays’ average.
November’s Placer 100 Index winners also included several value-driven chains – such as Aldi’s, HomeGoods, and Crunch Fitness – as well luxury brands such as Nordstrom and Jared Jewelers – perhaps a testament to the still bifurcated consumer market.
Barnes & Noble also made the November 2024 top 10 list, with 13.0% overall visit growth and 9.8% more visits per location, on average, than in November 2023. The legacy book retailer, on an upward trajectory since 2021, has gained significant momentum this year – and the strong November numbers indicate that the company is headed into a promising holiday season.
The chain is seeing more than just impressive visit growth – since November 2023, the share of visitors coming to Barnes & Noble from their home location or headed straight home after a trip to the book retailer has also grown. This visitation pattern suggests that Barnes & Noble is becoming a primary destination for consumers rather than an incidental stop on the way to or from another errand – underscoring the chain’s restored relevance in the wider retail landscape.
Who will dominate the holiday season and top the Placer.ai 100 Retail & Dining Index in December 2024?
Visit placer.ai to find out.
After reaching new heights in October 2024, how did the office recovery fare in November? We dove into the data to find out.
In November 2024, visits to office buildings nationwide were 62.4% of what they were in November 2019, down from 66.7% in November 2023. This marks the most substantial drop in office foot traffic since January 2024 – and a sharp decline from October 2024.
But though significant, November’s downturn is likely a reflection of this year’s record-breaking Thanksgiving travel rather than of any real office recovery slowdown. Millions of Americans took to the skies and roads to spend the holiday with loved ones. And with remote work making it easier than ever before for professionals to plug in from virtually anywhere, many likely extended their trips without taking extra days off – leading to fewer office visits in the days leading up to the holiday.
Taking a look at regional trends, Miami continued to outshine other cities in November 2024, with visits at 84.0% of pre-pandemic levels – perhaps due in part to strict return-to-office (RTO) policies implemented by major players within the city’s growing tech and finance sector. New York came in second with recovery at 81.9%, while San Francisco continued to lag behind other major cities. But with major projects like the September 2024 grand opening of the revamped Transamerica Pyramid set to revitalize the city’s Financial District, more accelerated recovery may be ahead for this West Coast hub.
Indeed, San Francisco was among November 2024’s regional leaders for year over year (YoY) office visit growth. Nationwide, office building foot traffic was down 6.5% YoY. But in San Francisco, visits increased 1.6% – likely bolstered by recent RTO mandates from major local employers like Salesforce. The city’s temperate climate may also have played a role in encouraging residents to stay local for the holidays. Miami, too – a popular holiday destination in its own right – saw visits increase 1.7% YoY.
Denver, meanwhile, experienced its fourth snowiest November on record, which may have contributed to a larger portion of its workforce embracing remote work during the month – and an 11.3% YoY visit decline. And in New York, extended “workcations” by remote-capable finance employees, as well as potential disruptions in public transit and increased congestion during the holiday season, may have fueled a larger-than-average drop. Given the Big Apple’s strong overall recovery trajectory, we will likely see a rebound to more robust YoY growth by January, when the holiday season winds down.
While Thanksgiving travel created a temporary headwind for office recovery, cities like Miami and San Francisco demonstrate that the story is far from uniform. And looking ahead to the coming months, the office recovery still appears poised to continue apace.
For more data-driven office recovery analyses, follow Placer.ai.
Following weaker foot traffic performances in September and October, mall visits swung positive in November: Indoor malls, open-air shopping centers, and outlet malls received year-over-year (YoY) visit boosts of 6.4%, 4.8%, and 3.8%, respectively. The strong YoY growth across all mall types underscores the continued attraction of brick-and-mortar retail – particularly during the holiday season.
While much of the November boost is likely due to the malls’ strong Black Friday performance, foot traffic data indicates that early deals also drove visits before the big day: Comparing daily visits during the week before Black Friday (from Friday November 22nd to Wednesday November 27th) to visits during the equivalent days in 2023 (November 17th to 22nd 2023) reveals that malls received more pre-Black Friday mall visits this year than in 2023.
This willingness to shop ahead of Black Friday instead of waiting for the best deals on the day itself may highlight the effectiveness of retailers’ early promotions– or it could signal the readiness of some consumers to spend more freely this holiday season.
Still, despite the positive pre-Black Friday showing, the majority of the November visit boost can likely be attributed to malls’ impressive Black Friday Performance. All three formats saw YoY visit growth over Black Friday weekend, with open-air shopping centers seeing the largest visit increases – foot traffic for this sub-category was up 6.0% compared to Black Friday weekend 2023. In fact, this year’s Black Friday numbers were so strong that visits to indoor malls and open-air shopping centers even exceeded pre-pandemic Black Friday weekend.
These numbers reveal that, despite the rise in early Black Friday deals and online shopping, many consumers still want to experience the excitement of Black Friday bargain hunting in person. And this powerful kickoff to the 2024 holiday season indicates that the unique experiential offering of malls – combining shopping, dining, and entertainment all under one roof – continue to play a central role in the wider retail landscape.
For more data-driven retail insights, visit placer.ai.
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.
