Coffee & QSR

Q2 2025 restaurant trends highlight a cautious consumer. QSRs and fast casuals face headwinds as diners trade down to cheaper options, while casual dining brands like Chili’s and Applebee’s outperform with value-driven promotions and bundled meals.

Coffee, chicken, and Mexican-inspired chains stand out as 2025’s QSR growth leaders, though August softness signals the need for strategic discipline.

Starbucks’ 2025 Pumpkin Spice Latte launch once again fueled a nationwide traffic surge, reaffirming its enduring cultural and financial impact. Competitors like Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros. lag behind, underscoring Starbucks’ unrivaled mastery in seasonal LTO strategy.

CAVA and Sweetgreen saw major visit growth in Q2 2025, but their expansion philosophies differ. See the data comparing CAVA's market depth to Sweetgreen's national breadth.

Find out how leading QSR players Yum! Brands, RBI, and Wendy’s performed in Q2 2025.

Shake Shack Q2 visits up 13.7% (per-venue -1.7%). Wingstop visits up 3.6% (per-venue -6.3%). These divergent paths show brand resilience. Shake Shack appeals to higher HHI. Wingstop's lower HHI family base faces budget pressure, impacting loyalty. Both brands adapt for future success.

McDonald's Snack Wrap re-launch on July 10 drove a significant visit surge, up 15.0% from the 2025 YTD daily average. This initial success highlights the power of nostalgia-driven menu innovation to boost traffic, crucial for McDonald's ongoing efforts to reverse recent sales and traffic plateaus

McDonald's and Chipotle show diverse paths in Q2 2025. McDonald's visits rebounded, driven by innovation. Chipotle's overall visits grew, but its per-location traffic saw a dip. Both companies are expanding aggressively, shaping the dining landscape and demonstrating resilience amidst market challenges.