The following is a snapshot of US Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) trends for January 2025.

Note: Trends may vary slightly depending on data availability at the time of reporting.

Overview

In January, U.S. QSR traffic stayed marginally the same with a -0.2% decrease YOY, portraying a positive outlook after a -1.3% decrease in December.

While traffic improved compared to December, average fast-food prices held steady at +3.3% YOY in January.

Breakdown of Monthly QSR Performance Trends

When comparing fast-food performance trends YOY (January 2024 to January 2025):

• Net sales are positive at +3.4% YOY.
• Traffic is down -0.2% YOY.
• Average check is up +3.6% YOY.
• Quantity per transaction (QPT) increased by +0.3% YOY.
• Average price increased +3.3% YOY.

Monthly QSR Traffic by Daypart

• Breakfast traffic decreased by -6.9% YOY.
• Lunch traffic is down -1.6% compared to January of 2024.
• Dinner traffic stayed high, up +3.1% YOY.

Breakfast traffic saw the largest dip in traffic as it is the easiest meal for consumers to skip, especially on busy weekdays when they opt for quick, at-home options. As a result, transactions are shifting more toward weekends, when customers typically purchase higher quantities per transaction (QPT) and spend more per check.

Additionally, with rising labor costs and declining traffic, some brands have scaled back enforcement of breakfast hours, further impacting morning visits. With value offerings primarily targeting later dayparts, breakfast has seen fewer promotions and some menu price increases, driving up the average check.

Consultant’s Corner

Adapting to Change: How Restaurant Trends Have Evolved

As the pandemic fades into history, one question lingers—have consumers returned to pre-pandemic dining habits? Explore the rise of online ordering, digital dining, the changing preferences of today’s restaurant-goers, and actionable insights to capture these opportunities in Revenue Management Solutions’ latest consumer report.