As Business Dining Spend Reaches ‘New Normal,’ Report Highlights Key Post-COVID Developments

The Q3 State of Business Dining Report analyzes the impacts of sustainability, hybrid work, and the return of in-person events.

Dinova Inc., the authority in business dining, and Technomic, the leader in foodservice insights, published the Q3 2023 State of Business Dining Report today. The latest report offers exclusive post-pandemic business dining data, trends, and tips for restaurants.

“The latest business and consumer dining data tell a tale of two segments,” said Dinova CEO Alison Quinn. “While tightening budgets and inflation negatively impact consumer restaurant traffic, businesses are investing heavily in face-to-face connections — typically with food and drink as the centerpiece.”

Since 2020, the report has leveraged proprietary Dinova data to analyze and predict business dining recovery, incorporating Technomic’s latest consumer insights for context. In Q2 2023, business dining was 12 points shy of a full recovery — unchanged from the last report — with other factors also signaling a ‘new normal.’ The report also studies larger corporate trends impacting business dining behavior. Among the highlights:

• Companies are seeking to build culture and invest in face-to-face connections as hybrid work remains commonplace, increasing demand for corporate meetings and events.
• Meanwhile, larger average check sizes are dampening consumer appetite for dining out.
• As companies strive to fulfill sustainability commitments, sustainability is a leading decision factor when choosing vendors — including restaurants.
• Office occupancy rates have flattened as hybrid work remains prevalent, shifting traditional weekday business dining patterns.

“The pandemic may have permanently changed business dining behavior, so restaurants must stay ahead of new factors shaping those decisions, especially sustainability,” said Quinn. “It has been heartening to witness how swiftly restaurants have embraced adaptable strategies, and this report can be a valuable resource as they continue to move forward.”

The free report can be found at dinova.com/dining-report.