Fewer Americans are cutting back on dining out

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked about Americans' meal habits: Campbell’s CEO said on its earnings that “Consumers are cooking at home at the highest levels since early 2020 and turning to our brands for value, quality, and convenience.” We wondered if we would see that in our data, too.

What we found: Although the Ipsos Consumer Tracker does go back to early 2020, many of the early questions were very pandemic-focused. However, we do have a handy question from August 2024. In it, we asked about a variety of food options both in-home and out-of-home. In August, 45% said they were cooking dinner at home more than the start of 2024 and a similar number said they were making lunch at home more, too. Another 45% said they were cooking at home the same amount. In contrast, only single digits said they were dining out more across a spectrum of meals and restaurant types, and three in ten said they were doing so less.

Now, we find fewer (39%) saying they’re cooking dinner at home more, and a greater share (51%) saying they’re doing so at the same levels as the start of the year. That could indeed be additive building on the “more” from last fall. But fewer across the board said they were cutting back on dining out. So it seems that our dining habits continue to be in flux as the food industry continues to face rising costs and prices, labor issues, and a landscape of economic uncertainty but also an overall long-term strong economy.

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

More Americans say their employer aligns with their political beliefs

People are split on whether news coverage of AI is favorable

Americans are getting less happy with their commutes

The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about