Holidays & Seasonal Trends

Holiday dining patterns highlight upscale and fine-dining restaurants as the strongest seasonal performers, with coffee, casual dining, and eatertainment showing targeted lifts. Emerging YoY trends point to premium full-service concepts leading demand again this December.

Thanksgiving brought a healthy rise in movie theater traffic while still trailing 2024’s exceptional highs. The gap points to a growing reality in the theatrical space: In 2025, audiences show up strongest when franchises – and preferably, multiple franchises at once – lead the way.

Turkey Wednesday 2025 drove major traffic to grocery stores, with traditional supermarkets seeing the biggest visit spikes, while value chains led early-week shopping. Dwell times showed a shift from early stock-up trips to quick last-minute runs, and all analyzed major grocers posted year-over-year visit growth.

Despite weakened consumer sentiment, Dollar Tree and Dollar General continue to post strong visit and sales growth. Both chains are capitalizing on shoppers’ focus on value, with consistent quarterly gains and October momentum signaling sustained strength into the holidays.

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.

Mall traffic surged in October 2025 – likely driven by early holiday shopping – with visits jumping YoY and MoM across all mall formats.

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.

As the 2025 holiday season nears, retailers like Framebridge, Best Buy, and ALDI are gaining momentum through expansion, innovation, and value-driven strategies. Foot traffic data reveals how these brands are connecting with shoppers and setting the tone for a strong end-of-year retail performance.