CHICAGO – Consumers spent slightly more of their household income on dining away from home in 2012, according to a new consumer spending report from the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The Consumer Spending in Restaurants report is an analysis of spending on food away from home by demographic groups. The report is based on 2012 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
In 2012, the average household spending in restaurants climbed 2.2 percent to $2,678, or $1,071 per person, according to the report. Broken down by region, the Northeast and the West spent more in restaurants compared to the Midwest and the South. Washington, DC led the nation in levels of spending and proportion of total budget spent in restaurants.
Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research & Knowledge Group, said the report highlights how spending on food away from home can vary based on household traits and composition.
“For example, households with annual income above $70,000 comprise a third of all households but account for 56 percent of total spending on food away from home. And, young adults who have not yet reached their peak earning years spend less dining out when counting dollars, but a higher proportion of their total food budget compared with families with children,” Riehle said.
