How Australians are still dining out – just a little smarter
Australians aren’t giving up on eating out, but they are getting far more strategic about how they spend when they do.
With cost-of-living pressures continuing to bite, diners are finding ways to enjoy the restaurant experience without blowing the budget – cutting back on extras like drinks and dessert rather than cancelling nights out altogether.
New research from retail and hospitality payments platform Lightspeed shows café and restaurant customers have become far more selective, with nearly half (44 per cent) of respondents choosing cheaper menu items. The survey of 1000 Australians also found 40 per cent were skipping alcoholic drinks or ordering fewer, while 35 per cent were passing on dessert.
Despite the tightening purse strings, the social side of dining remains intact.
“The rituals that matter, from eating out to solo dining and catching up with friends, haven’t disappeared, even under ongoing cost pressure,” Lightspeed managing director Nicole Buisson said.
She added that Australians are still eating out an average of three times a month – unchanged from 2024.
“People are far more conscious of how much value they can get out of their dollar.
“They do their research before they come – looking at reviews, talking to their friends and looking online. Where years ago there was more free spending, where they would walk around and take a chance. That doesn’t seem to happen these days.”
The shift in consumer behaviour is being felt behind the scenes as well. Lightspeed’s research found more than half (51 per cent) of hospitality venues have adjusted their menus in response to changing spending habits, while 34 per cent reported price increases of between 31 and 40 per cent in 2025.
“Venues that can spot these shifts in spending behaviour early and adapt quickly – through pricing, staffing or menu changes – are far better placed to perform,” Ms Buisson said.
“Combined with steady demand and an expected lift in spending next year, that adaptability is driving renewed confidence across the hospitality sector heading into 2026.”
On the floor, operators say customers aren’t disappearing – they’re just ordering differently.
Restaurant owner Vanessa Devine said diners were still going out, but with a clearer idea of what they want from the experience.
“They’re very selective with how they spend their dollar,” Devine, co-owner of Brisbane venues Seoulful Chicken and Marble Korean Steakhouse said.
“We find that people opt out of dessert often. They might replace it with another glass of wine.
“They want more portion in the quality of their meal, rather than at the end.”
The way diners discover venues is also evolving. Lightspeed’s poll found TikTok has become the top discovery platform for 16–24-year-olds, with 58 per cent using the app to find new places to eat.
Instagram has now overtaken Google as the leading marketing channel for hospitality businesses overall.
Meanwhile, a separate report from AI-powered ordering platform me&u shows dining activity varies significantly by state.
Western Australia led the country for restaurant visits, up 13.5 per cent compared with 2024, with orders also rising 13.2 per cent. South Australia followed with a 9.4 per cent increase in visits, while Queensland recorded a 5.9 per cent lift.
“People aren’t pulling back, they’re being more intentional,” me&u CEO Kim Teo said.
“This is a resilience story, not a luxury one. But it’s also become a two-speed economy.
“States like WA, Queensland and South Australia are booming, driven by more occasions and strong demand, while NSW and Victoria are far more cautious, with people going out less often but making each visit count.”
For hospitality operators, the message is clear: diners still want the experience – they just want to feel smarter about how they’re paying for it.
Jonathan Jackson, 20th January 2026
