San Francisco – – September 29, 2026 -- U.S. restaurant and foodservice sales are projected to hit a record $1.55 trillion this year, a 4.8% increase from 2025, according to the National Restaurant Association, as OpenTable releases its first U.S. Restaurant Impact Report quantifying the sector's economic ripple effects. Dining at OpenTable restaurants rose 11% year-over-year, with average per-person spend up 3% to $60, based on OpenTable data covering July 2025 through June 2026.
Restaurant meals trigger $138 in additional nearby spending
60% of diners spend money at neighboring businesses before or after a meal, averaging $138 per visit, per a Ripple Research survey of 1,501 U.S. consumers conducted July 28–August 4, 2026. That figure climbs to $171 for Gen Z diners and $158 for Millennials, pointing to generational differences in local economic contribution.
Restaurant sector supports 23 million jobs and $1.2 trillion in labor income
The National Restaurant Association's State of the Restaurant Industry 2026 report puts the sector's total economic impact at $3.7 trillion, roughly 16% of real GDP. A separate Ripple Research survey of 355 U.S. restaurant workers found 51% of restaurants hire young people without formal qualifications, 39% employ people with disabilities or neurodivergent individuals, and 19% employ refugees or recently arrived migrants.
No-show reservations cost operators an average $80 per table
Restaurant operators estimate a no-show table for two costs $80 on average, while 28% of diners admit missing a reservation without cancelling in the past year despite 67% acknowledging the practice can seriously harm a restaurant's business. Workers cite consequences including turning away other bookings (56%), absorbing staff costs (51%) and wasted food or stock (49%). Nearly half of diners, 47%, say understanding the financial impact of a no-show would make them more likely to honor or properly cancel a reservation.
Diners increasingly treat restaurants as a 'third place' outside home and work
88% of diners say restaurants are important to building a sense of community, and 84% say dining locally enhances personal and social wellbeing, according to the survey. Nearly one in four diners overall, rising to 39% of Gen Z, call their local restaurant their "third place." Among restaurant workers, 81% say they greet regulars by name and 73% know their usual order.
Amy Wei, Chief Operations Officer of OpenTable, said the report highlights the often unseen value restaurants bring to local neighborhoods. OpenTable has offered reservation and demand-management tools, including deposits, credit card holds, prepaid Experiences and automated reminders, to help restaurants reduce no-shows.