Consumer Dining Index Drops to Lowest Level of 2025
Canadians’ restaurant habits in December 2025 reflected a growing push and pull between affordability pressures and the desire to stay connected, according to Restaurants Canada’s latest REACT Survey. The Consumer Dining Index (CDI) fell to 85.1, its lowest level of the year, down from 92.1 in December 2024, a signal that weaker household finances and winter weather weighed on dining activity.
Budget concerns remained the biggest barrier to eating out. In December, 42% of Canadians said budget constraints led them to dine out less often, making affordability the top factor pulling demand down. Weather also became a much bigger deterrent, with 31% reporting that recent weather caused them to reduce restaurant visits, up sharply from 19% in November. At the same time, social dining continued to play an important role, with 31% of Canadians saying social activities and gatherings encouraged them to dine out more often.
These headwinds showed up most clearly at dinner. The share of Canadians dining out for dinner at least once a week fell to 27%, down from 33% a year earlier, the largest year over year decline across all dayparts. The pullback was especially pronounced among higher income households, with weekly dinner visits dropping 10 percentage points to 34% among Canadians earning $100,000 or more.
Overall, the December findings underscore a challenging operating environment for restaurant owners. Softer demand, weather disruptions, and ongoing shifts in dining behaviour are colliding with a period of persistently rising costs, including food, labour, and other operating expenses. While consumers continue to value dining as a social experience, the ability of restaurants to capture that demand is increasingly constrained by margin pressure. With limited room to absorb higher costs or pass them on to price-sensitive customers, many operators are entering 2026 facing heightened financial strain and difficult trade-offs to remain viable.
To find out more, click here to see the full December 2025 REACT report.
As a Research Analyst with Restaurants Canada, Sara Hamdy contributes to a research program that helps make Restaurants Canada a trusted source of insight for and about Canada’s $124-billion foodservice industry. Sara develops and maintains analytical reports and interactive dashboards that present key economic and market trends in a clear and engaging way for members and the public.
Her work supports Restaurants Canada’s advocacy and industry initiatives by transforming complex data into accessible information that guides operators, policymakers, and media.
