Research
Restaurants face wage rise, energy costs and tighter margins in 2026, industry body warns
Restaurants face wage rise, energy costs and tighter margins in 2026, industry body warns
Wages were lifted by 4.75% from July 1, whilst electricity costs have grown 25% year-on-year.
30 minutes ago
Value for money tops F&B industry's opportunities as cost pressures bite
More than half of businesses expect to be more profitable in two years.
23 hours ago
Restaurants that fail to balance risk and innovation are losing customers, study finds
Nearly nine in 10 said balancing risk and innovation was their biggest challenge.
4 days ago
Australian household spending rebounds in May as consumer confidence slides on economic pessimism
Spending at hotels, cafes and restaurants rose, driven primarily by catering services including restaurant meals, takeaway and dining out.
5 days ago
Beverages and snacks lead fast food market segments as industry heads to US$1t by 2035
Rice meals are close second.
Burgers still lead Australia's QSR market as chicken chains gain ground
Smaller QSR chains are more linked to quality and ingredients.
Online food takeaway market surges to $68.63 by 2033
The report points to smaller cities and towns as the next growth frontier.
What’s hot on Australian menus in 2026
Smash burgers, hot honey, and global flavours are leading Australia's menu evolution.
Six-point gap emerges as Australians scale back QSR spending
Baby Boomers are driving the decline, with 51% reducing their QSR spending.
Wrong orders are the biggest driver of food waste in Australian QSR—report
Food waste is costing Australia $36.6b a year.
Resilient foodservice quarter masks economic time lag
Quick-service restaurants remained the primary growth engine.
Coffee chains bet big on ube as Gen Z, millennials drive flavour trends
Over 60% of Gen Z and millennials use social media to discover new flavours.
Who’s really driving restaurant spending?
Different age groups also have different reasons to dine.
QSR chains position value as primary driver of traffic growth
Deal-led visits and bundles drive QSR traffic as consumers trade down channels.
Operators shift marketing digital, but customers rely on word of mouth
Data shows a gap between operator digital spend and customer discovery habits
Aussies wants more health-concsious food on the menu
Meanwhile, vegan and plant-based meals have declined for the third time.
Fuel surcharge may trim fast-food spending
Pressure on petrol costs tests pricing tactics across Australia’s dining sector.
Commentary
The customer habits you build in a ‘Goldilocks’ market set the tone for what comes next