The share of Spanish survey participants eating out in 2023 was over 55 percent, after having increased over 20 percent the previous year. Around 32 percent of Spaniards surveyed in the same study reported visiting fast-food restaurants.

An April 2023 survey asked adults in the United States how frequently they dined out at restaurants compared to six months prior. In all restaurant categories shown, the highest share of respondents stated that they ate out less than they did half a year ago. Full service restaurants saw the lowest share of respondents that said they ate out more, at 13 percent. Meanwhile, fast food chains had the highest share of respondents saying this at 17 percent.

How much do consumers spend on fast food restaurants in the U.S.?

Fast food restaurants, also known as quick service restaurants (QSRs), are characterized by their limited menus, minimal table service and, as their name implies, fast service. In 2022, consumer spending in the QSR sector in the U.S. reached an all-time high of approximately 320 billion U.S. dollars. The sector experienced near year-over-year growth since 2004; however, there was a notable decline in consumer spending in 2020 because of stay-at-home measures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

What is the highest rated fast food chain in the U.S.?

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) scores on a 0-100 scale at the national level with 100 being the highest and best possible score. The ACSI is an economic indicator based on modeling of customer evaluations of the quality of goods and services purchased in the United States and produced by both domestic and foreign firms with substantial U.S. market shares. In 2023, the fast food chain with the highest ACSI score in the U.S. was Chick-fil-A. The popular chicken sandwich chain scored 85 out of 100 that year.

Eating out is a popular pastime in Germany, with almost 51 million people sometimes doing so in 2024, and over 11 million people stating they often did so. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent closures of restaurants influenced figures for 2020 and 2021.The Allensbach Market and Advertising Media Analysis (Allensbacher Markt- und Werbeträgeranalyse or AWA in German) determines attitudes, consumer habits and media usage of the population in Germany on a broad statistical basis. Bon appetit Germany has a varied restaurant landscape. Around 280 of them had one Michelin star, while just ten were ranked as three-star restaurants. Michelin stars are a prestigious rating system awarded to restaurants by the Michelin Guide, an internationally renowned publication. Restaurants can receive one, two, or three stars, each indicating a distinct level of excellence. The stars are awarded based on five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the mastery of cooking techniques, the harmony of flavors, the chef’s personality reflected in the cuisine, and consistency over time and across the menu. Michelin stars are highly coveted and signify culinary excellence on an international scale. Taste of success Growing revenues in the restaurant sector are a trend that is predicted to continue. Again, 2020 and 2021 put a dent in predictions, but the industry is predicted to pick up after 2022 and exeed 55 billion euros by 2025.

According to a survey by Rakuten Insight conducted in December 2022, around 66 percent of respondents in China stated that they usually went to food courts when dining out of home. Casual dining restaurants and street food stalls were also among most popular places to dine out.

This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted in the United States in November 2016. U.S. consumers were asked how often they choose quick service restaurants when dining out. During the survey, 20 percent of the respondents stated that they dined out at quick service restaurants once per week.

Quick service restaurants - additional information

Fast food, typically served in quick service restaurants, has been popular in the United States since the 1950s. While the desire for fast food has since spread worldwide, the U.S. industry is still the largest in the world, generating around 200 billion U.S. dollars per year. In more recent years, the negative health impacts of fast food have come under the spotlight. Concerns are rising over obesity problems and more emphasis is being place on healthy nutrition. That said, the November 2016 Statista survey found that 20 percent of U.S. consumers visited a fast food restaurant at least once a week and 18 percent visited several times per week.

In 2015, the third most popular quick service restaurant among U.S. consumers was In-N-Out Burger, a burger chain founded in California in 1948. Chicken sandwich restaurant Chick-fil-A was also a favorite. Surprisingly, industry leaders such as McDonald’s and Yum! Brands, whose restaurants include KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, are rarely voted among the most popular. In July 2014, McDonald’s burgers ranked last in a taste rating of 21 popular U.S. burger chains.

Nevertheless, McDonald’s is still the largest and most famous fast food chain in the world. In 2015, the company made 25.41 billion U.S. dollars from its restaurants worldwide.

According to a survey by Rakuten Insight conducted in December 2022, around 68 percent of respondents in Hong Kong stated that they usually went to fast-food chain restaurants or casual dining restaurants when dining out of home. Food court was the third most preferred place to dine out among Hong Kong residents.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2023, around 41 percent of households stated that they mostly visited Korean restaurants specializing in meat when dining out together. A further 40 percent mostly went to Korean restaurants. Korean food made up the vast majority of restaurant visits by households, with Japanese being the most popular foreign cuisine for such occasions.

According to a survey by Rakuten Insight conducted in December 2022, on average, around 73 percent of respondents in Taiwan said that they usually went for street food when dining out of home. This especially appealed to younger respondents with 75 percent approval rate. Meanwhile, only 55 percent of those who were 55 years old or more said they usually chose street food stalls when eating out of home.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey conducted in Thailand in 2022, casual dining restaurants were the most popular places to dine at. Meanwhile, 47 percent of the respondents said they like buying food at street food stalls and hawkers.

A 2022 survey determined that the most popular type of dine-in restaurant in the United States was casual dining, with 62 percent of respondents stating that this was the case. Meanwhile, fast food restaurants ranked second at 57 percent.

This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted in the United States in November 2016. U.S. consumers were asked which cuisine and restaurant type they prefer when dining out. During the survey, 80 percent of the respondents stated that they prefer the American cuisine when dining out at any restaurant.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey conducted in Vietnam in 2022, casual dining restaurants were the most popular places to dine at or buy food from outside of their homes, as stated by 59 percent of respondents. Meanwhile, only 14 percent chose to dine at fine-dining restaurants.

A January 2022 survey analyzed how frequently U.S consumers eat out at a restaurant. While 33 percent of white respondents said they go out once a week or more, just 16 percent of Black respondents stated the same. Furthermore, 22 percent of Black interviewees said they never eat out at restaurants.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey conducted in Thailand in 2022, most respondents from all age groups stated that they dined out of home for lunch and dinner. The same survey revealed that casual dining restaurants were the go-to establishments for eating out.

In a survey conducted in April 2024 in Japan, 31 percent of people between their twenties and sixties among restaurant goers stated that they dined out at least once a week. 62 percent of respondents stated that they ate out at least once a month.

During an April 2023 survey, respondents from the United States were asked what types of programs would convince them to dine out more at restaurants. Promotional deals were cited by the highest share of respondents as the program type that would convince them to eat out at restaurants more often, at 54 percent. Meanwhile, the least popular program type was monthly coffee/drink subscription programs.

According to a Rakuten Insight survey conducted in South Korea in 2022, casual dining restaurants were the most popular dining out choice across all age groups by some margin. Although other types of dining experiences were more varied in their results, fast-food chain restaurants were also generally popular across the board.

This statistic shows the result of a survey on the share of families eating out at least once a month in Denmark in 2016, by restaurant and family type. Eating at least once a month in fast food restaurants was most popular among families, reaching a share of 31 percent for families with children living at home and 24 percent for families without children living at home.

Lunch time was the most popular time to eat out in Spain in 2023. That year, more than 28 percent of the reported food and beverages consumed outside of home took place during that part of the day, according to a survey. Based on the same study, restaurants were the most commonly visited type of food service establishments in the European country.

According to a survey by Rakuten Insight on dining out habits, 78 percent of Singaporean respondents said that they usually ate out in food courts. Food courts were followed by hawker centers as the most frequented place to dine out in Singapore.