Fourth of July Restaurant Data & Trends: Hard Seltzer Sales Up By 40%

The Fourth of July brings people together. It's a summer holiday Americans enjoy, whether it's at a backyard BBQ, on a crowded beach, or at your favorite local restaurant. But not everyone celebrates the same way. 

For restaurants, that means the rhythm of business can shift: mornings might be busier, dinner may slow down, and certain menu items can skyrocket. We analyzed data from full-service restaurants on the Toast platform from July 4, 2024, and compared it to the average Thursday in 2024. These patterns offer a glimpse into how and when Americans choose to dine out on Independence Day. Get your red, white, and blue Old Navy T-shirts ready!

*Key takeaways are compared to a regular Thursday in 2024.

🌭 Fourth of July food and alcohol trends

The American menu takes center stage: Hot dogs up by 75%

On the Fourth, hot dog sales soared by 75% compared to the average Thursday in 2024, cementing their place as the go-to Fourth of July food. Breakfast and brunch platters also saw a major lift, up 51%, with omelette sales rising 49%. This may be attributed to early celebrations or diners seeking fuel before a full day of festivities.

The spirit carried on throughout the day as well, with BBQ sales increasing by 31%. While these classic American staples saw significant gains, all other cuisines sampled experienced a drop. Diners gravitated toward the standard Fourth of July American foods.

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Hard seltzers are America’s drink of choice, with a 40% increase in sales

While overall transactions at Toast restaurants were down 20% compared to an average Thursday, alcohol transactions experienced a less significant decline of only 17%. People ordered about 6% more alcohol per transaction than on a typical Thursday.

Although beer sales were down 16%, they were still the most-ordered alcoholic beverage on the Fourth. The star of the show was hard seltzers, which were up by 40%.  Statista reports that revenue in the hard seltzer market amounts to $10.45 billion in 2025. Tequila sales also saw a light lift of 4%. Maybe tequila hard seltzers will be the beverage of choice this Independence Day?

How restaurant traffic swings across the nation

Restaurant traffic varied from state to state on the Fourth of July. However, a few trends still emerged. A couple of New England vacation hot spots saw transaction increases, as Maine transactions were up 20%, and Rhode Island transactions were up by 52%. This tracks – New England practically is the Fourth of July, with its coastal charm, historic towns, and fireworks-ready beaches drawing crowds year after year. Unless you’re visiting New Hampshire, which dipped by 21%.

Along the East Coast, Delaware saw a 22% increase in transactions. Out West, the Mountain West region also experienced a lift,  as Wyoming transactions rose by 40%, and Montana saw a 6% uptick.

Nebraska recorded the steepest drop in the region( -62%), followed by Missouri (-52%), Indiana(-45%), and Iowa (-23%). Other Midwestern states, like Minnesota (-29%), Illinois (-16%), Michigan (-35%), and Wisconsin (-34%) echoed the trend. South Dakota stood out as one of the only Midwestern states to remain flat, with just a -1% dip. Altogether, the data suggests that across the Midwest, residents largely chose home-based celebrations, BBQs, or travel over dining out at restaurants. 

Southern states saw some of the steepest declines in restaurant transactions on the Fourth of July compared to a typical Thursday in 2024. Alabama experienced a sharp 50% drop, Arkansas followed closely, dipping 47%, and Louisiana dipped by 26%. Texas, one of the region’s largest markets, saw transactions down by 16%. Florida saw a more modest 8% decline, possibly suggesting some resilience in tourism-driven areas.

Sales shift, but the rush still comes

Early morning sales on the Fourth of July saw dramatic spikes, indicating that many patrons kicked off their celebrations the night before. Transactions at midnight were up by 158% compared to a typical Thursday, with similarly sharp increases at 1 a.m. (+157%), 2 a.m. (+155%), and 3 a.m. (+147%). These jumps don’t represent the busiest hours overall but rather the biggest surges compared to usual activity at those times.

Later in the day, lunch hours saw a lift, with sales up 9% at 2 p.m. and 19% at 3 p.m. compared to the average Thursday. While 7 p.m. marked the single busiest hour of the holiday, alongside 6 p.m., with both accounting for 9% of all daily transactions, overall dinner traffic was down, with a steep 42% drop at 7 p.m. compared to an average Thursday. The data paints a picture of celebrations starting early and tapering off in the late evening, with traditional dinner plans bringing in the largest crowds. 

Knowing when and what guests crave 🇺🇸

The Fourth isn’t just about fireworks, it’s about knowing when people dine and what they’re craving. From hot dogs and omelettes to hard seltzers and BBQ, the day is full of predictable crowd-pleasers served with slightly less predictable patterns. Restaurants that lean into those rhythms are set to win the holiday. 

To know what else is happening beyond your four walls, check out Toast Benchmarking. This tool helps you get valuable insights into local market trends, so you can capitalize on trends (like hard seltzers on the Fourth of July) and plan ahead.

Methodology

Toast analyzed transactions on the Toast platform on July 4, 2024. Toast then compared the average volume for the Fourth of July weekend to the average Thursday in 2024.