Coffee & QSR

As the 2025 holiday season kicks off, Starbucks and Dunkin’ continue to see strong consumer engagement, with both brands outperforming their 2024 traffic levels and capitalizing on early seasonal launches.

Explore how Dutch Bros and Dave’s Hot Chicken showcase two stages of restaurant growth, from explosive expansion to disciplined scaling and strategic maturity.

Black Friday 2025 foot traffic trends show a holiday season defined by value-driven decisions, regional price sensitivity, and shifts toward budget-conscious categories. Longer in-store visits and standout gains for convenient, low-ticket coffee chains highlight shoppers’ deliberate, mission-focused approach to spending.

Starbucks’ 2025 Red Cup Day drew higher visits than both the Bearista launch and previous years. Placer.ai data shows visits jumped 44.5% above average as customers lined up for limited-edition cups and holiday drinks – proving that buzz, exclusivity, and timing continue to drive Starbucks’ seasonal success.

Starbucks’ $29.95 Bearista glass drove a 37.8% visit surge – nearly matching Red Cup Day’s free-cup frenzy. The viral launch proved that creativity, emotion, and scarcity can spark major traffic, showing consumers will still splurge on products that feel special.

Four years after their IPOs, First Watch, Portillo’s, and sweetgreen are navigating a new dining reality. First Watch continues strong growth, Portillo’s cools after expansion, and sweetgreen balances new tech and suburban growth to sustain its momentum.

Wendy’s same-store visits dropped 6.3% YoY in Q3 2025 amid high costs and discounting pressure. But a simplified promotion strategy – led by the $1 breakfast biscuit deal – fueled double-digit breakfast growth in August. The brand’s new “fewer, bigger deals” approach could help reignite momentum heading into year-end.

In Q3 2025, Yum! Brands outperformed the broader QSR category, led by Taco Bell’s continued strength and recoveries at KFC and Pizza Hut. Meanwhile, Restaurant Brands International (RBI) saw overall declines, though Firehouse Subs’ steady visit growth stood out as a bright spot.