Research
March 25, 2025
Consumer outlook
Consumers are becoming more uneasy about the economy, even as the underlying fundamentals remain generally positive.
A healthy and expanding labor market is a key driver of restaurant sales, as it gives households the financial wherewithal boost spending. High rates of employment also increase consumers’ need for the convenience that the industry provides on a daily basis.
Restaurant sales in 2025 will be dependent on the strength of the economy. If consumers have a job, they will likely spend money. Based on the expectations of continued job growth, households on the aggregate are expected to remain in a positive financial position.
However, while the underlying fundamentals of the economy remain generally positive, many consumers are becoming increasingly uneasy about their financial situation. This is due in large part to ongoing concerns about inflation with uncertainties in the outlook, and its eroding impact on the purchasing power of households.
This article presents the latest trends in key indicators that impact consumers’ ability and willingness to spend. Visit this page throughout the year for ongoing analysis of the state of the American consumer.
Consumer confidence is trending lower
The rising degree of economic uncertainty among households is reflected by the recent downturn in The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index. This measure of consumer sentiment declined for the fourth consecutive month in March – settling at its lowest level since January 2021. The expectations component of the index, which measures consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, fell to its lowest point in 12 years.
Labor market remains healthy
Although job growth was uneven in recent months, employers continued to expand payrolls at a moderate pace. The economy added an average of 200,000 jobs during the last 3 months, which is slightly above the average monthly pace of job growth during 2025.
Wage growth is slowing
Although job growth remains positive, wage gains are down from their strong pandemic-era growth rates. Average hourly earnings of private sector employees increased 4.0% between February 2024 and February 2025. That was nearly 2 percentage points below the strong gains posted during 2022, but still remained above the 3.3% average gain during 2019.
Savings rate dipped below pre-pandemic levels
Household savings soared during the first year and a half of the pandemic, driven primarily by reduced consumer activity as well as income-supporting fiscal stimulus packages. Many households used these excess savings to support elevated spending levels, which blunted the impact of soaring inflation. Savings rates are now below pre-pandemic levels, which means the financial cushion that many households established during the pandemic is largely depleted.
Household wealth at a record high
Household wealth rose to record highs during the pandemic, driven by a surging stock market and accelerating home values. These two indicators reversed trend in 2022, which resulted in a decline in total household net worth. By the fourth quarter of 2024, total household net worth had rebounded to reach a new record high of more than $169 trillion. While household wealth doesn’t directly determine the amount that most consumers can spend on a daily basis, its impact on confidence influences current and future financial decisions.
Household debt continues to rise
Household debt trended steadily higher in recent years, with aggregate balances topping $18 trillion by 2024:Q4. That was $3.9 trillion higher than the 2019:Q4 level. Mortgages represent the bulk of household debt at 70%, followed by auto loans (9%) and student loans (9%).
Revolving credit rising sharply
Consumer credit balances fell to a 4-year low during the early months of the pandemic – primarily because households had fewer places to spend their money. That trend quickly reversed as restrictions eased and the economy reopened. Revolving consumer credit rose sharply during the last 4 years, which easily wiped out all of the balance reductions posted during the early months of the pandemic. By January 2025, total revolving credit balances topped $1.3 trillion – more than $260 billion (or 25%) above their pre-pandemic peak.
Debt service remains in check
Despite the elevated debt levels, debt service remains manageable for households on the aggregate. The Federal Reserve’s Debt Service Ratio, which is the ratio of total required household debt payments to total disposable income, was just over 11% in 2024:Q4. While that was higher than the lows posted during the first half of 2021, it was slightly below pre-pandemic readings.
Overall delinquency rates are low, but rising
With debt service at manageable levels, overall delinquency rates remain in check – despite trending higher in recent quarters. As of 2024:Q4, 3.6% of outstanding household debt was in some stage of delinquency. While this was up more than a full percentage point from the recent low of 2.5% in 2022:Q4, it remained well below the 2019 average of 4.6%.
Credit card delinquencies rising sharply
Overall delinquency rates remain low, but the percent of credit cards that were severely delinquent rose sharply in recent quarters. As of 2024:Q4, 11.4% of credit card debt was at least 90 days delinquent. That was up from a recent low of 7.6% in 2022:Q3 and represented the highest level in 13 years.
Pent-up demand remains firm
Based on the National Restaurant Association’s measures of pent-up demand, consumers will likely continue to visit restaurants in the coming months – as long as they have the financial wherewithal to do so.
Forty-eight percent of adults say they are not going out to restaurants as often as they would like, according to a survey fielded January 10-12, 2025. That was up from 42% of consumers who reported similarly in September 2024.
Meanwhile, 37% of adults say they are not ordering takeout or delivery from restaurants as often as they would like. That was on par with recent surveys.
Members of Generation X are the most likely to say they aren’t using restaurants enough. Fifty-eight percent of Gen Xers say they are not eating on premises at restaurants as often as they would like. Only 4 in 10 Gen Z adults reported similarly.
Gen Xers are also the most likely to say they are not ordering takeout or delivery from restaurants as often as they would like.
Pent-up demand is higher among lower-income households, with a majority of consumers in households with income below $50,000 saying they would like to go out to restaurants more frequently. Nearly half report similarly about ordering takeout and delivery.
Meanwhile, 36% of adults living in households with income above $100,000 say they are not going out to restaurants as often as they would like.
Any amount of unfulfilled demand among higher-income households is an important indicator for restaurants, as this demographic group represents the majority of spending in the industry.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, households with incomes of $200,000 or higher are responsible for 24% of the total spending on food away from home, while households with incomes between $100,000 and $199,999 account for 35% of industry spending.
Taken together, households with income above $100,000 are responsible for nearly 6 in 10 dollars spent in restaurants.
Restaurant sales in 2025 will be dependent on the strength of the economy. If consumers have a job, they will likely spend money. Based on the expectations of continued job growth, households on the aggregate are expected to remain in a positive financial position.
However, while the underlying fundamentals of the economy remain generally positive, many consumers are becoming increasingly uneasy about their financial situation. This is due in large part to ongoing concerns about inflation with uncertainties in the outlook, and its eroding impact on the purchasing power of households.
This article presents the latest trends in key indicators that impact consumers’ ability and willingness to spend. Visit this page throughout the year for ongoing analysis of the state of the American consumer.
Consumer confidence is trending lower
The rising degree of economic uncertainty among households is reflected by the recent downturn in The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index. This measure of consumer sentiment declined for the fourth consecutive month in March – settling at its lowest level since January 2021. The expectations component of the index, which measures consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, fell to its lowest point in 12 years.
Labor market remains healthy
Although job growth was uneven in recent months, employers continued to expand payrolls at a moderate pace. The economy added an average of 200,000 jobs during the last 3 months, which is slightly above the average monthly pace of job growth during 2025.
Wage growth is slowing
Although job growth remains positive, wage gains are down from their strong pandemic-era growth rates. Average hourly earnings of private sector employees increased 4.0% between February 2024 and February 2025. That was nearly 2 percentage points below the strong gains posted during 2022, but still remained above the 3.3% average gain during 2019.
Savings rate dipped below pre-pandemic levels
Household savings soared during the first year and a half of the pandemic, driven primarily by reduced consumer activity as well as income-supporting fiscal stimulus packages. Many households used these excess savings to support elevated spending levels, which blunted the impact of soaring inflation. Savings rates are now below pre-pandemic levels, which means the financial cushion that many households established during the pandemic is largely depleted.
Household wealth at a record high
Household wealth rose to record highs during the pandemic, driven by a surging stock market and accelerating home values. These two indicators reversed trend in 2022, which resulted in a decline in total household net worth. By the fourth quarter of 2024, total household net worth had rebounded to reach a new record high of more than $169 trillion. While household wealth doesn’t directly determine the amount that most consumers can spend on a daily basis, its impact on confidence influences current and future financial decisions.
Household debt continues to rise
Household debt trended steadily higher in recent years, with aggregate balances topping $18 trillion by 2024:Q4. That was $3.9 trillion higher than the 2019:Q4 level. Mortgages represent the bulk of household debt at 70%, followed by auto loans (9%) and student loans (9%).
Revolving credit rising sharply
Consumer credit balances fell to a 4-year low during the early months of the pandemic – primarily because households had fewer places to spend their money. That trend quickly reversed as restrictions eased and the economy reopened. Revolving consumer credit rose sharply during the last 4 years, which easily wiped out all of the balance reductions posted during the early months of the pandemic. By January 2025, total revolving credit balances topped $1.3 trillion – more than $260 billion (or 25%) above their pre-pandemic peak.
Debt service remains in check
Despite the elevated debt levels, debt service remains manageable for households on the aggregate. The Federal Reserve’s Debt Service Ratio, which is the ratio of total required household debt payments to total disposable income, was just over 11% in 2024:Q4. While that was higher than the lows posted during the first half of 2021, it was slightly below pre-pandemic readings.
Overall delinquency rates are low, but rising
With debt service at manageable levels, overall delinquency rates remain in check – despite trending higher in recent quarters. As of 2024:Q4, 3.6% of outstanding household debt was in some stage of delinquency. While this was up more than a full percentage point from the recent low of 2.5% in 2022:Q4, it remained well below the 2019 average of 4.6%.
Credit card delinquencies rising sharply
Overall delinquency rates remain low, but the percent of credit cards that were severely delinquent rose sharply in recent quarters. As of 2024:Q4, 11.4% of credit card debt was at least 90 days delinquent. That was up from a recent low of 7.6% in 2022:Q3 and represented the highest level in 13 years.
Pent-up demand remains firm
Based on the National Restaurant Association’s measures of pent-up demand, consumers will likely continue to visit restaurants in the coming months – as long as they have the financial wherewithal to do so.
Forty-eight percent of adults say they are not going out to restaurants as often as they would like, according to a survey fielded January 10-12, 2025. That was up from 42% of consumers who reported similarly in September 2024.
Meanwhile, 37% of adults say they are not ordering takeout or delivery from restaurants as often as they would like. That was on par with recent surveys.
Members of Generation X are the most likely to say they aren’t using restaurants enough. Fifty-eight percent of Gen Xers say they are not eating on premises at restaurants as often as they would like. Only 4 in 10 Gen Z adults reported similarly.
Gen Xers are also the most likely to say they are not ordering takeout or delivery from restaurants as often as they would like.
Pent-up demand is higher among lower-income households, with a majority of consumers in households with income below $50,000 saying they would like to go out to restaurants more frequently. Nearly half report similarly about ordering takeout and delivery.
Meanwhile, 36% of adults living in households with income above $100,000 say they are not going out to restaurants as often as they would like.
Any amount of unfulfilled demand among higher-income households is an important indicator for restaurants, as this demographic group represents the majority of spending in the industry.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, households with incomes of $200,000 or higher are responsible for 24% of the total spending on food away from home, while households with incomes between $100,000 and $199,999 account for 35% of industry spending.
Taken together, households with income above $100,000 are responsible for nearly 6 in 10 dollars spent in restaurants.