Marketing In The Restaurant Industry Statistics 2026

With the global online food delivery market projected to reach $162.6 billion in 2023, restaurant marketing has to work twice as hard just to earn attention before the next tap. At the same time, 51% of consumers say they are more likely to use a business that responds to reviews, and 86% would use Google Maps to find a local spot, turning discovery and reputation into the real battleground. Let’s break down the statistics shaping what gets ordered, booked, and chosen.

Key Takeaways

31% of adults say they use online search to find restaurants at least once a week
86% of consumers say they would use Google Maps to find a local restaurant
40% of consumers are influenced by restaurant brand social media posts in making a dining decision (consumer survey)
51% of consumers are more likely to use a business that responds to reviews on at least some platforms
60% of small businesses use email marketing (U.S. survey)
44% of consumers use restaurant mobile apps at least once per month
Global online food delivery market size is projected to reach $162.6 billion in 2023
U.S. restaurant reservations software market is expected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2027
The global digital out-of-home advertising market is projected to reach $46.3 billion in 2025 (relevant for restaurant promotional signage)
Email marketing ROI is reported as $36 per $1 spent by a widely cited U.S. study
SMS marketing ROI of $38 per $1 spent is reported by a survey of marketers
Google Business Profile calls-to-action drive measurable actions; listings with photos receive 42% more requests for directions
Average conversion rate for local landing pages is about 4.3% (benchmark)
Email unsubscribe rates average around 0.2%–0.5% per send (deliverability benchmark)
Facebook advertising costs rise during peak seasons; U.S. Q4 CPM for retail/dining campaigns averages around $6–$10 (benchmark)

Restaurants win more demand and bookings by mastering online search, fast pages, and review responsive marketing.

01 · Category

Customer Behavior6 stats

31% of adults say they use online search to find restaurants at least once a week

86% of consumers say they would use Google Maps to find a local restaurant

40% of consumers are influenced by restaurant brand social media posts in making a dining decision (consumer survey)

Mobile web traffic accounts for more than 50% of restaurant website visits on average (traffic breakdown benchmark)

34% of consumers have used a voice search feature to find a restaurant (voice search survey)

27% of consumers prefer restaurant loyalty programs with digital rewards (consumer loyalty survey)

Interpretation

Customer Behavior Interpretation

Customer behavior in the restaurant industry is increasingly driven by digital discovery and engagement, with 86% of consumers using Google Maps and 31% searching online weekly, while 40% are swayed by brand social posts and 27% prefer digital loyalty rewards.

02 · Category

User Adoption8 stats

51% of consumers are more likely to use a business that responds to reviews on at least some platforms

60% of small businesses use email marketing (U.S. survey)

44% of consumers use restaurant mobile apps at least once per month

86% of consumers say they use search engines to find local restaurants (2019 survey)

53% of consumers are willing to share their location data to receive more relevant restaurant offers (survey-based)

18% of consumers say they use loyalty points/membership programs when choosing a restaurant (survey)

In the U.S., 6 in 10 adults (59%) use a smartphone to get directions or location-related information (2019)

63% of restaurant consumers say they are more likely to order from a restaurant that offers delivery (survey)

Interpretation

User Adoption Interpretation

For restaurant user adoption, the biggest momentum comes from digital discovery and convenience, since 86% of consumers use search engines for local restaurants and 63% are more likely to order when delivery is available.

03 · Category

Market Size9 stats

Global online food delivery market size is projected to reach $162.6 billion in 2023

U.S. restaurant reservations software market is expected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2027

The global digital out-of-home advertising market is projected to reach $46.3 billion in 2025 (relevant for restaurant promotional signage)

Global social media advertising spending is projected to reach $226.2 billion in 2024

Online food ordering market in the U.S. is projected to exceed $250 billion in 2024

$1.79 billion in Google Ads revenue share from food delivery listings indicates search-driven restaurant demand

$37 billion annual spend in the U.S. for digital coupons and promotions (market estimate)

$1.2 billion U.S. market for restaurant loyalty apps (estimated by vendor research for 2024)

Online food delivery accounted for $109.0 billion in global revenue in 2023 (estimate)

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

With global online food delivery reaching $162.6 billion in 2023 and the U.S. online food ordering market projected to exceed $250 billion in 2024, the Market Size data shows that restaurant marketing is rapidly shifting toward large-scale digital channels and measurable demand generation.

Food Service RestaurantsRestaurants Hospitality Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Performance Metrics6 stats

Email marketing ROI is reported as $36per $1 spent by a widely cited U.S. study

SMS marketing ROI of $38per $1 spent is reported by a survey of marketers

Google Business Profile calls-to-action drive measurable actions; listings with photos receive 42% more requests for directions

Companies can increase conversions by 4%–6% by improving page speed from 1 to 3 seconds (web performance benchmark relevant to restaurant pages)

Search engine traffic accounts for 46% of all website traffic for local businesses (2019 study)

A 1-second improvement in page speed can increase conversions by 27% for mobile users (Google benchmark study)

Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

For performance metrics in restaurant marketing, the data shows that small efficiency gains drive outsized results, such as faster page speeds improving conversions by 4% to 6% and mobile conversions jumping 27% with just a 1-second improvement, while high ROI channels like email at $36 and SMS at $38 per $1 spent reinforce the payoff of measurable optimization.

05 · Category

Cost Analysis4 stats

Average conversion rate for local landing pages is about 4.3% (benchmark)

Email unsubscribe rates average around 0.2%–0.5% per send (deliverability benchmark)

Facebook advertising costs rise during peak seasons; U.S. Q4 CPM for retail/dining campaigns averages around $6–$10 (benchmark)

Mobile accounted for 67% of local digital ad clicks in 2023 (industry measurement)

Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

From a cost analysis perspective, the main lever for keeping restaurant marketing efficient is improving mobile driven conversions since mobile made up 67% of local digital ad clicks in 2023 and local landing pages convert at only about 4.3%, meaning better conversion can reduce the impact of higher seasonal Facebook CPMs that average $6 to $10 in the U.S. Q4 for retail and dining campaigns.

06 · Category

Industry Trends1 stats

52% of restaurant marketers say social media is the most effective channel for driving awareness (survey)

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

Industry trends show that 52% of restaurant marketers say social media is the most effective channel for driving awareness, making it the clear go-to tactic for restaurants looking to stay competitive.

Reference

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APA

Christopher Morgan. (2026, February 13). Marketing In The Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-restaurant-industry-statistics

MLA

Christopher Morgan. "Marketing In The Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-restaurant-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Christopher Morgan. 2026. "Marketing In The Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/marketing-in-the-restaurant-industry-statistics.