On-Demand Recording

Webinar: Black Box Intelligence State of the Restaurant Industry Q2 2026

The quarterly State of the Industry series is produced exclusively for Black Box Intelligence customers and select partners.

We use industry data captured and benchmarked for over 100,000 restaurant units and concepts to provide our audience with in-depth analysis of exactly what’s going on in the industry.

Watch our recording reviewing everything we’re seeing so far in 2026 and looking forward to the rest of the year.

What’s Covered

Summary of What’s in the Recording

  • The Resilient Consumer & Share of Stomach: Are guests finally tapping out? Not according to our data. Discover why restaurants are actually growing their lead over grocery—capturing a massive 54% of total food spend—and which specific segments are winning the battle for the budget-conscious diner.

  • The Pricing Power Shift: Menu prices are up, but guests are pushing back by aggressively managing their own check averages. We reveal the exact menu price increases your competitors are planning for the rest of the year, and how top operators are navigating the affordability gap.

  • The Surprising GLP-1 Effect: With millions of Americans adopting weight-loss medications, guest behavior is experiencing a massive structural shift. Find out why traditional “healthy” cuisines are unexpectedly losing traffic, and the specific, data-backed menu strategies that are winning these highly customized orders.

  • Killing the Friction that Kills Value: Guests are prioritizing value more than ever, but operational hiccups are destroying your ROI. We break down the top guest complaints driving traffic away, and the one simple, low-cost engagement strategy proven to actually boost your traffic.

  • The Massive ROI of a Great GM: The industry is seeing historically low turnover, but retaining top management is still the ultimate growth hack. See the exact dollar difference in base pay between top-performing General Managers and the rest of the pack—and how it directly impacts your bottom line.

  • Our Updated 2026 Forecast & Brand of the Year: We share our updated macroeconomic outlook for the rest of the year so you can plan accordingly. Plus, stick around to the end as we celebrate the absolute best in the business with our Best Practices Awards—including the reveal of our highly anticipated 2026 Brand of the Year.

Presenters

Brought to you by BBI’s premier and most experienced restaurant industry analysts.
A man with gray hair and a beard, wearing glasses, a dark suit jacket, and a white shirt, smiles at the camera. The blurred green and yellow background suggests he's ready to discuss the State of Restaurant Industry Q2.
Victor Fernandez, Chief Insights Officer @ Black Box Intelligence
A man with short brown hair, a beard, and glasses is smiling. Dressed in a gray blazer over a light shirt, he stands in front of a blurred background, ready to discuss the State of the Restaurant Industry Q2 2025.
Philip May, Director of Insights & Advanced Analytics @ Black Box Intelligence
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