Restaurant Dining Trends: 57% of respondents are comfortable with restaurants using AI

Want to know what your guests are thinking before they even sit down at your restaurant? 

Toast’s survey data can act as a cheat sheet for understanding your guest preferences. How often are they dining out? What are they ordering? Are they cool with AI taking their order, or does that weird them out? What's getting them through your doors in the first place?

Toast conducted a blind survey of 850 U.S. diners to help you make smarter decisions that keep diners happy and your business moving forward. Whether you've been in the game for decades or you're just getting started, staying on top of guest preferences is your ticket to standing out.

Let's dig into the trends shaping 2026 and what they mean for both sides of the table.

Restaurant guest preferences and insights 

Behind every menu choice and restaurant visit is a guest with habits, preferences, and expectations. To understand those behaviors, we’re starting with the basics: how often people are dining out.

People are still going out to eat: 24% of respondents dine out 5+ times a month

Despite ongoing economic concerns, diners are continuing to prioritize eating out. Nearly a quarter of respondents (24%) report going out to eat five or more times each month. And for 70% of respondents, dinner is the meal they dine out for most often.

Women appear more likely to limit their dining-out occasions, with 44% reporting they’ve gone out only once or twice in the past 30 days. Men, however, tend to dine out a bit more frequently; 41% say they’ve eaten out 3-5 times over the same period.

People are still choosing restaurants. And once they do, their ordering habits tell a story that’s juicier than the entrée.

Guests are ordering beyond the entrées: 82% of respondents commonly order appetizers 

For full-service restaurants, a memorable dining experience is built on more than entrées alone. Servers often encourage guests to ease into the meal with a drink and an appetizer, then round things out with dessert, and it turns out guests are right there with them. Most respondents say they often order an alcoholic beverage, an appetizer, and a dessert when dining out.

A closer look at ordering behavior shows just how common these add-ons really are. Nearly half of respondents (47%) say they often order an alcoholic drink with their meal. This is especially true for men, as 23% say they always order an alcoholic beverage when dining out, vs. only 15% of women. 

Dessert follows a similar pattern, with 41% often indulging and an additional 18%  always ordering dessert. For men, 22% always order a dessert vs. only 13% of women. 

Appetizers have become nearly universal: 53% of diners order them often, while another 29% order them every single time they go out. That means about 82% of guests are starting their meal with something from your appetizer list, making it one of the most important sections to get right. A strong appetizer lineup doesn't just boost check averages; it sets the tone for the entire dining experience and keeps guests at the table longer. Looking to revamp your offerings? Check out our guide: 12 Best Restaurant Appetizers to Impress Your Guests.

Almost everyone (71%) goes out on their birthday 

Birthdays come with cake, candles, and, most of all, plans. And for 71% of respondents, those birthday plans start at a bar or restaurant. These occasions often translate into high-value visits, with guests more likely to order the full experience from drinks to dessert. When someone chooses to spend their special day at your restaurant, it’s a prime opportunity to deliver an exceptional experience that leaves an impression. 

By implementing birthday programs through loyalty rewards, complimentary desserts, or special recognition, restaurants can turn one-time celebratory guests into regulars.

Customer loyalty remains on top, with 48% of respondents visiting mostly familiar restaurants

There are well over 700,000 restaurants in the United States, and 48% of respondents still mostly choose a familiar restaurant over trying somewhere new, and another 15% always do. 

That loyalty isn’t accidental; it's earned. When asked what matters most in choosing where to eat, 64% of diners ranked food quality as their top priority, with price trailing far behind at 16%. Guests are returning when the food is consistently great.

Every first-time visitor is a potential regular, and every regular represents recurring revenue that requires little to no marketing spend. A recent Toast survey shows that 49% of guests tip more at a restaurant where they consider themselves a regular, and another 32% say they occasionally do.

When about 63% of your guests lean toward familiar territory, the goal should be to become their go-to answer to “Where should we eat tonight?”

How diners discover new restaurants

When it comes to discovering new spots, nothing beats a personal recommendation. A solid 45% of diners find new restaurants through word of mouth. Restaurants can excel here by creating experiences worth talking about. Encourage sharing by training staff to create genuine connections and give guests reasons to tell their friends. 

Another 33% of diners discover restaurants through online sources like Yelp, Google, and Resy. Keep your Google Business Profile updated with accurate hours, current photos, and menu information. According to a study conducted by Toast, 84% of restaurant-goers leave feedback at least occasionally. Respond to reviews promptly and professionally (both positive and negative) to show potential guests you care about their experience. Not sure how to respond? Our Restaurant Review Response Template gives you ready-made frameworks for every type of review, helping you turn feedback into opportunities.

Great restaurants get talked about both at dinner tables and in search results. Master both channels, and you'll have a steady stream of new guests walking through your door.

AI adoption looks promising: Nearly a third of guests are “very comfortable” with restaurants using it 

As restaurants continue experimenting with AI, from forecasting to benchmarking, most guests seem surprisingly open to the idea. 29% of respondents say they’re very comfortable with restaurants using AI to enhance the dining experience, and another 28% are somewhat comfortable.

In addition to this majority, 30% of respondents feel neutral about AI. For restaurants, this neutrality represents opportunity: these guests aren’t actively seeking out AI, but they’re not resisting it either. Only a small share of guests expressed discomfort, as 7% are somewhat uncomfortable, and another 7% report being very uncomfortable with the use of AI. Clear communication, transparency about how AI is used, and maintaining the human touch can go a long way in easing concerns.

50% of guests will consider using AI for restaurant discovery 

When looking at AI acceptance more closely, Toast wanted to understand where customers feel most comfortable using it. In a select-all-that-apply question, 50% of respondents said they’d most welcome AI assistance when discovering new restaurants, accounting for 20% of total answers. 

Beyond restaurant discovery, guests are also open to a range of AI-driven enhancements. 44% said they’d appreciate menu item recommendations, 38% were interested in AI speeding up order taking, and 27% were open to AI customizing orders or offering dietary suggestions. Only 17% of respondents said they’d prefer no AI involvement at all. Most diners are willing to embrace AI when it meaningfully improves the experience.

Meeting guests where they are

Guests want quality food, full dining experiences, and places worth returning to. While nearly half stick with their favorites, word of mouth remains the primary way new restaurants break through. The openness to AI, particularly for discovery, suggests diners are ready for technology that enhances their experience without replacing the human touch. For restaurants, the formula is straightforward: deliver memorable moments and make it easy for satisfied guests to spread the word.

Survey methodology 

Toast conducted a blind survey on this topic of 850 U.S. adults ages 21 and older on December 2, 2025. Respondents were not made aware that Toast was fielding the study. Using a standard margin of error calculation, at a confidence interval of 95%, the margin of error on average is +/- 3 - 5%.