Why Americans can't stop coming back for coffee, even as dining budgets tighten

As Americans tighten their wallets, consumers are cutting back on some everyday luxuries — but not coffee.

A Dec. 18 report from Placer.ai, an analytics platform, found that coffee chains recorded year-over-year visit growth in 2025, even as restaurants struggled to achieve the same success.

The report mentions Scooter's Coffee, a drive-thru coffee chain headquartered in Nebraska, noting the chain saw a 3.1% year-over-year increase in average visits per location in the third quarter of 2025.

AMERICA'S BEST COFFEE ISN'T IN CAFES ANYMORE; IT'S SHOWING UP AT GAS STATIONS

Also noted in the report: Nearly one in four customers of Aroma Joe's, a New England-based chain, visited at least four times in October 2025 — a sign of high loyalty.

The reason for coffee chains' success? It comes down to affordable indulgences, Placer.ai found. 

Americans may be packing lunches for work and cutting back on expensive dinners, but a small or medium cup of coffee — rarely priced above $10 in most parts of the country — remains a feasible, everyday treat to many people.

Part of it is regional. The report found coffee chains are moving toward underserved regions, such as the Southeast, Sun Belt and Texas.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

"[In] these regions where branded coffee still represents a relatively small share of dining visits," the report said, "operators across dining segments can learn from coffee's approach and identify markets with low category penetration to lean into those whitespace opportunities."

Many coffee chains have also delved into pop culture collaborations — which Placer.ai said drove growth.

The firm cited Dunkin's limited-time "Wicked" collaboration as an effort that "generated a significant multi-day traffic spike."

"Dunkin's 'Wicked' surge shows that when executed well, cultural relevance can also significantly move the needle," the report stated.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

"Other dining segments may also lean into thoughtful collabs to create outsized excitement and traffic lift — even without deep discounts or free offers."

The report suggested that dining chains take a lesson from coffee places, saying that the sector's 2025 performance "offers a blueprint for dining success."

"Chains are expanding smartly into underpenetrated regions, successfully implementing both hyper-efficient and hyper-personal service models, using recurring [limited-time offers] to build seasonal and monthly rituals, and leveraging merch and pop culture partnerships to reshape demand."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Fox News Digital reached out to the National Restaurant Association for comment.

Alex Tchekmeian, the Florida-based founder and president of Foxtail Coffee, told Fox News Digital he wasn't surprised by the report.

His chain is expanding across multiple states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia and Nevada. 

"Overall, coffee has generally held up better than many other dining categories as consumers tighten their spending, and we expect that resilience to continue into 2026," Tchekmeian said.

"National industry data show coffee's broad appeal and steady consumption patterns, supported by a large and loyal base of regular drinkers who often prioritize that daily ritual even in tighter economic times."