What do off-premise customers want? They want speed, buy-one, get-one-deals and better packaging to maintain quality during transport.
This according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2025 Off-Premises Restaurant Trends report released Wednesday.
With nearly 75% of all restaurant traffic now off-premise, the report highlights how essential takeout, delivery and drive-thru have become to both consumers and businesses.
“Off-premises dining has become a key revenue driver and essential way to engage consumers,” said Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist at the association. “It now accounts for a larger share of sales for 58% of limited-service and 41% of full-service operators compared with 2019—providing a critical path to restaurant resilience and growth despite ongoing economic pressures.”
Not surprisingly, the report found that younger diners, including Gen Z and Millennials, are driving demand, with two-thirds saying takeout is essential to their lifestyle and nearly 6 out of 10 using takeout and drive-thru at least weekly.
Demand varies by region, but the report found that 67% of rural consumers said they wished they had more takeout options, which the report said indicates an opportunity for growth.
Older consumers prefer in-person ordering, but 74% of Millennials and 65% of Gen Z adults use mobile ordering for off-premise dining. Takeout is the most selected method, followed by drive-thru and then delivery.
Though 65% of limited-service operators offer delivery, according to the report, many said they expect curbside and takeout areas to become a more common feature this year.
And though fewer full-service operators offer off-premise services generally, 43% said they expect curbside pickup to grow, 31% said they expect to see more dedicated takeout counters, and 12% foresee more drive-thru lanes.
When it comes to off-premise ordering, 94% said speed is critical, while more than 9 in 10 said customer service is a top priority, the report found.
Value was also important, with 80% using buy-one, get-one deals, combo meals or real-time specials. Nearly 9 in 10 also said they would use limited-time app-only deals.
Those value seekers are also interested in bundled meals (67%) and subscriptions (62%).
Loyalty programs also play a role with 65% of drive thru users, and 60% of takeout and delivery users say membership influenced where they chose to order.
And packaging matters.
The report said 90% of consumers said they’d order a greater variety of items to go if the food maintained on-premises quality during delivery. And more than half said they’d be willing to pay more for that premium packaging.
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