Inflation and higher prices continue to impact consumer traffic at limited-service dining chains as many diners are choosing to eat at home. Sluggish traffic has even reached industry giants like McDonald’s, which reported that same-store sales have declined as lower- and middle-income consumers are more carefully watching their spending.
Several categories, however, have managed to defy the overall trend, including what Placer.ai called the “ever-impressive chicken segment.” Visits to chicken-related quick service restaurants grew 1.3% year over year during the first half of 2025, even as visits per location were down 1.2%.
Coffee shop visits grew 2.8% year over year, while Mexican-inspired eateries posted 1.9% growth in visits. Meanwhile, burger shop visits fell 1.7% and sandwich shops saw a 3.2% year-over-year decline in first-half visits, according to Placer.ai.
The firm said consumer preferences have been shifting toward affordable, customizable and protein-forward options that align with consumers’ fitness and wellness goals, while coffee shops remain a steady daily staple. Many of these restaurants have aggressively expanded, which has helped drive visits up.
However, the study noted per-location visits declined across every major category, even those with overall visit increases, which suggests expansion may be outpacing demand and could lead to oversaturation.
The report noted that year-over-year traffic growth for chicken, coffee and Mexican-inspired concepts weakened throughout the summer and by August, declines were noted in every category except coffee. Chicken chains saw a dip in traffic in August and an even steeper drop in average visits per location, the study found.
“This broader slowdown in limited-service dining, combined with persistent economic uncertainty, suggests that consumers may be scaling back restaurant spending – even in categories traditionally viewed as more budget-friendly,” said the report.
Placer.ai said operators focused on menu innovation, building loyalty and driving higher output per store stand to capture demand when economic pressures ease. Strategic expansion will also be key to capturing renewed consumer traffic as confidence rebounds, the firm said.
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