4 guides

Dining data & trends

The numbers behind the category, sourced and current.

Cities Replacing Tips with Service Charges Restaurants in San Francisco, Seattle, and New York are replacing tips with mandatory service charges. Here is what to expect on your bill in those cities.
Dining Cost Index 2026: Meals and Catering by Service The 2026 Dining Cost Index: average US restaurant meal cost by tier, tasting-menu and omakase pricing, and catering cost per person, sourced to BLS and Toast.
How Much Americans Spend on Dining Out: Key Data US households spend over $3,400 per year dining out, per Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Here is how that breaks down by income, region, and restaurant format.
Restaurant Price Tiers: What $ to $$$$ Really Means Decode the dollar-sign system on Yelp and Google. Learn what $ to $$$$ typically costs per person, what the tiers do and do not tell you, and how to use them.