1 in 5 Restaurant Dollars Tied to Business Dining, New Report Finds

The Fall 2025 State of Business Dining Report uncovers how the business dining segment and its shifting dynamics shape restaurant performance amid economic volatility.

Dinova Inc., the authority in business dining, and Technomic, the leader in foodservice insights, have released the Fall 2025 State of Business Dining Report, offering the only data-driven look at a key market segment.

The report quantifies business dining’s full scale for the first time—an estimated $170–212 billion, or nearly one in five dollars spent at U.S. restaurants. Encompassing everything from team lunches and client dinners to conference catering and travel meals, the segment is proving resilient in an unpredictable economy. Business dining sales rose more than 5% year over year in June, outpacing the broader market.

“Consumer pullbacks dominate headlines, but that’s not the whole story,” said Alison Quinn, Dinova CEO. “Business dining is growing, though not evenly. Success depends on following the trends that vary significantly by industry, market and format.”

Some segments are posting double-digit increases in corporate dining spend, while others face headwinds. Fast casual restaurants are showing particularly strong performance among business diners, fueled largely by catering orders.

Among other key findings:

• Corporate diners are spending more per meal, signaling a shift toward fewer, more premium occasions.
• Growth is concentrating in tech and finance hubs, while manufacturing and energy markets face pressure.
• Economic uncertainty is prompting tighter oversight of travel and dining budgets.

Dinova and Technomic recently formalized their partnership, creating a deeper exchange of foodservice data.

“Our enhanced partnership takes business dining insights to the next level,” said Quinn. “By exchanging data on sales, traffic and check growth, we’re sharpening our view and providing operators with the complete picture they need.”