2025
9
US Restaurant Breakfast and Brunch Trends Report 2025
2025-11-07T10:01:52+00:00
REP2C535950_1C69_43A3_BE97_8989F7F223E1
3695
188406
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Report
en_GB
Return to offices and on-the-go needs have helped bolster foodservice breakfast/brunch post-pandemic, but today's economically cautious consumer keeps value and convenience at the center of decision-making. Economic headwinds (inflation, ingredient…
US
Foodservice
simple

US Restaurant Breakfast and Brunch Trends Report 2025

"Foodservice breakfast/brunch operators must be agile to capture the routine-driven demand for convenience and reliability along with experience-driven visits."

Kelsey Girard, Senior Food & Drink Analyst

US Foodservice Breakfast and Brunch Trends

  • The return to offices and on-the-go needs have bolstered foodservice breakfast and brunch post-pandemic, but economically cautious consumers now prioritize value and convenience in their decision-making. Economic challenges, such as inflation and ingredient price fluctuations, are driving operators to adopt agile menu offerings and bundled deals.
  • The breakfast and brunch daypart is being reshaped by two forces: routine reliability for weekday, on-the-go occasions, and experience-driven, social visits that encourage indulgence.
  • Everyday convenience occasions are pushing c-stores to sharpen their competitive edge and traditional chains to modernize through rebranding, digital investments, and off-premise capabilities.
  • The boundaries between meals and snacks are blurring, creating opportunities for breakfast solutions that extend beyond morning hours, pair with beverages, and offer portability and snackability.
  • Breakfast and brunch menus are evolving to balance health-focused (BFY) options with indulgent “treat yourself” moments, allowing operators to cater to a wider range of dynamic consumer occasions.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • The foodservice breakfast/brunch consumer
  • Breakfast/brunch ordering behaviors, motivators and deterrents
  • Interest in breakfast/brunch menu options at foodservice locations
  • Healthy breakfast/brunch perceptions and attributes sought
  • Interest in breakfast/brunch value/promotion concepts and concerns around foodservice value
  • Innovation and marketing highlights: rebranding, menu innovation, marketing creativity

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook on the future of restaurant breakfast and brunch trends
    • Opportunities
    • Provide solutions for different speeds and spending levels
    • Graph 1: breakfast, brunch and morning snack restaurant ordering, by generation, 2025
    • Embrace both functionality and fun potential of breakfast and brunch
    • Graph 2: reasons for ordering breakfast/brunch from a foodservice location, 2025
    • Graph 3: foodservice breakfast/brunch behaviors, 2025
    • Elevated prices demand strengthened away-from-home differentiation
  2. MARKET DYNAMICS

    • Economic factors
    • Consumers and the economic outlook
    • Market factors
    • Price of breakfast ingredients sees ups and downs
    • Remote work stabilizes in the midst of rocky employment market
    • Graph 4: percent of persons 16 years and over who teleworked or worked at home for pay, 2022-25
    • Starting the day off at the convenience store
    • Rebrands and breakfast exploration
    • Denny’s strategy shift leads to store closures, cash flow, store updates
  3. CONSUMER INSIGHTS

    • The breakfast/brunch consumer
    • Definition of breakfast continues to blur demanding modern menu availability
    • Graph 5: types of meals ordered (dine-in, takeout, delivery) from restaurants, 2025
    • Younger consumers’ breakfast preferences harder to replicate at home
    • Capture routine and special occasions to appeal across generations and life stages
    • Graph 6: breakfast, brunch and morning snack restaurant ordering, by generation, 2025
    • Breakfast/brunch ordering behaviors
    • Away from home breakfast balances ties to tradition with demands for excitement
    • Graph 7: foodservice breakfast/brunch behaviors, 2025
    • Exploration and value a finer line at breakfast/brunch
    • Baby Boomers seek out new locations, familiar menu options
    • Graph 8: foodservice breakfast/brunch ordering behaviors, by generation, 2025
    • In-person workers seek a balance of convenience, quality and exploration
    • Graph 9: foodservice breakfast/brunch ordering behaviors, by employment status, 2025
    • Breakfast/brunch foodservice ordering motivators
    • Design foodservice breakfast/brunch for dual need states
    • Graph 10: reasons for ordering (dine-in, takeout or delivery) breakfast/brunch from foodservice locations, 2025
    • IHOP leans into breakfast and brunch as a treat on an LTO basis
    • Indulgence and tradition can pair up for inclusive treat yourself positioning
    • Graph 11: reasons for ordering breakfast/brunch from a foodservice location, by generation, 2025
    • Breakfast can carve out white spaces, dependent on working status
    • Graph 12: reasons for ordering breakfast/brunch from a foodservice location, by employment status, 2025
    • Breakfast/brunch foodservice ordering deterrents
    • Gain an understanding of at home breakfast/brunch’s value proposition to sharpen away from home differentiation
    • Graph 13: deterrents to ordering breakfast/brunch from a foodservice location, 2025
    • Craft tiered experiences for younger generations’ varied needs
    • Graph 14: deterrents to ordering breakfast/brunch from a foodservice location, 2025
    • Interest in breakfast/brunch menu options at foodservice locations
    • Embrace menu diversity and agile innovation to meet personal breakfast/brunch preferences
    • Graph 15: interest in breakfast/brunch-related options on foodservice menus, 2025
    • Younger generations seek a more fluid approach to breakfast
    • Graph 16: interest in breakfast/brunch-related foodservice options, by generation, 2025
    • Operators embrace beverage creativity as core to menus
    • Healthy breakfast/brunch attitudes and attributes sought
    • What consumers are saying about healthy foodservice breakfast/brunch options:
    • Fiber approaches protein as top healthy breakfast/brunch priority
    • Graph 17: healthy attributes sought in breakfast or brunch items, 2025
    • From targeted solutions…
    • …to BFY options that are holistically rounded out
    • Interest in breakfast/brunch value/promotion concepts and concerns around FS value
    • Concerns around prices shaking up breakfast routines span across financial situations: how can operators react?
    • Graph 18: types of promotions that would motivate consumers to order breakfast/brunch from a restaurant, 2025
    • Graph 19: concerns around rising prices impacting breakfast routines – strongly agree, by financial situation
    • Promote with a purpose to meet generations where they’re at
    • Graph 20: types of promotions that would motivate consumers to order breakfast/brunch from a restaurant, by generation, 2025
  4. MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

    • Innovation and marketing
    • Chicken proves affordable, craveable breakfast/brunch protein solution
    • Perkins embraces familiar ingredients in new formats
    • Breakfast appetizers can reframe sides into sharables and small plates
    • Bojangles gets points for promotional creativity tied to flavor enthusiasm
  5. APPENDIX

    • Consumer research questions
    • Foodservice breakfast and brunch attitudes
    • Graph 21: breakfast/brunch attitudes, 2025
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Generations
    • Abbreviations and terms

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