2026 Independent Restaurant Industry Report
Photo: Max Flatow
The James Beard Foundation 2026 Independent Restaurant Industry Report, created in collaboration with Deloitte, provides a comprehensive analysis of the independent restaurant landscape. It synthesizes insights from a survey of over 380 independent restaurant owners, chefs, and operators across 47 U.S. states, as well as conversations with more than 40 chefs across the country.
As the industry enters 2026, many operators are working within a recalibrated reality shaped by persistent cost pressures, shifting consumer behavior, workforce complexity, and rapid change across technology and service providers. Across our survey and roundtable discussions, chefs and operators consistently described a year marked by continued pressure—on costs, on demand, and predictability—but also by a growing sense of adaptation. This has led many operators to adjust to a new baseline—one in which fluctuation is expected, and adaptability manifests as an operating requirement rather than a response.
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Report Highlights
Rising or Flat Menu Prices Translates to Lower Profits
Fluctuations in supply chain, food pricing, and cost pressures make menu planning and pricing decisions more challenging than ever. Restaurants that raised menu prices by more than 10% were most likely to expect lower profits.
Labor Pressures Have Shifted from Shortages to Employee Retention
Staffing shortages declined by 13% compared to 2024, but 49% of operators still reported some level of staffing insufficiency, underscored by retention, costs, and regulatory complexity.
Moderate Tech Adoption Points to Stronger Business Performance
Technology systems such as POS, online ordering, and contactless payment are widely viewed as essential, but streamlining them is a challenge. Restaurants with moderate, intentional tech adoption report stronger business performance than low- or high-tech extremes.
The Consumer Expectation Gap is Widening
Increasing consumer expectations are widening the disconnect between guest assumptions and operational realities. 49% of surveyed chefs ranked social media as a top trend expected to affect restaurant operations in 2026.
Read the 2025 Report
Drawing from in-depth interviews with over 50 chefs and a nationwide survey of more than 350 restaurant leaders, our 2025 Independent Restaurant Industry Report, created in collaboration with Deloitte, sheds light on key trends shaping the industry and offers actionable insights that can help independent restaurants adapt, innovate, and thrive.