Restaurants are leading the retail sector in new store openings, with nearly 3,000 of the 7,770 U.S. retail store openings announced between 2024 and 2025 to date coming from dining establishments.
Restaurants were followed by grocery stores, propelled by Aldi’s plans to open 800 new stores over the next three years, and discount and dollar stores such as Dollar General and Burlington, according to a JLL analysis.
Quick service restaurants dominate the list of restaurant types opening across the country. McDonald’s, Chipotle, Wingstop and coffee chain Dutch Bros are among the most active store openers.
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JLL said a re-emerging preference for dining out reached a balance with grocery shopping in 2023 after it receded during the pandemic. Americans spend nearly half of their food budget on take-out, delivery and sit-down meals, while their proportion of dining out continues to rise.
The Houston market is a standout in terms of restaurant demand, with people there allocating 60% of their food budget to eating out. JLL said Houstonians enjoy a more affordable cost of living compared with other major U.S. metro areas, which may allow them more discretionary funds to spend on eating out. The market also boasts relatively high average salaries and a strong job market, which are critical supports for the local restaurant industry.
Other U.S. markets where a larger proportion of food budget is allocated to dining out include Washington, D.C., at 57%, Los Angeles at 56%, Boston at 54% and New York at 53%.
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Kristen Smithberg
Kristen Smithberg is a Colorado-based freelance writer who covers commercial real estate, insurance, benefits and retirement topics for BenefitsPRO and other industry publications.
