In today’s Canada, consumers are re-thinking how they eat out, why they visit restaurants and what they expect from establishments in the food service space. With rising costs, changing work patterns, and evolving values, the attitudes of Canadians toward dining out are shifting. Let’s explore what’s changing.

1. Value first: price pressure is real

Many Canadians are eating out less frequently or being more selective about when they dine out. According to Restaurants Canada, three in four Canadians (75 %) say they are dining out less often due to the rising cost of living. Retail Insider+2Escoffier+2

They are trading down: opting for quick-service instead of full service, skipping add-ons, using coupons or loyalty programs. Escoffier+1

At the same time, full-service restaurants are seeing traffic decline, while quick-service and retail food service formats are performing better. Circana+1

From a consumer perspective, this means:

• They want “bang for the buck” not just cheaper, but better perceived value (experience, ingredients, convenience)
• They are more selective: with fewer dining-out occasions, each one has to feel worth it. Doane Grant Thornton LLP
• They may shift to formats where they feel spending makes more sense (e.g., QSR, take-out, delivery) rather than full formal dining.

For food service operators and food & beverage suppliers (and GPOs working with them) this means cost control, smarter menu design, and supplier partnerships that allow value without sacrificing quality.

2. Convenience and digital enablement dominate

Consumers increasingly expect convenience from ordering, to delivery, to how they interact with a restaurant.

Data show online and mobile ordering are surging for example, between 2022 and 2024 one report found online orders jumped ~155 % in Canada. Restroworks+1

In 2025, traffic in foodservice grew ~3.2 % and spending ~5.7 % but growth was heavily driven by quick-service and retail foodservice segments, not traditional full-service. Retail Insider+1

From the consumer side, that means:

• More ordering via app, more take-out or delivery, fewer sit-down occasions
• Expectation of speed, ease, good UX in ordering and pickup
• The dine-out experience needs to compete with the comfort of home or take-out.

For a GPO like Entegra or foodservice supplier, this trend means supporting operators who are investing in digital, delivery-capable kitchens, efficient supply chains and flexible menus.

3. Quality, sourcing & experience still matter

While value and convenience top the list, Canadians are increasingly concerned about what they’re eating and the experience around it.

Key elements:

• 68 % of Canadians say healthy and locally sourced ingredients matter when dining out. Escoffier+1
• Sustainability, plant-based and ethical sourcing are becoming important in the food & beverage realm. secondconsulting.ca+1
• Experience matters: dining out is as much about socializing and trying something new as it is about hunger. Retail Insider+1
• From the consumer lens: they’re willing to spend for something that feels premium, authentic or local but only if the price/value feels right. Mediocre offerings don’t cut it anymore. Doane Grant Thornton LLP
• For foodservice suppliers, this signals the need to source smarter (e.g., local farms, unique ingredients), support menu innovation and ensure operators can deliver real differentiation.

4. The role of a GPO like Entegra (and why consumers benefit)

In this ecosystem, the role of a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) becomes particularly relevant. When restaurants leverage a GPO to aggregate buying power, streamline sourcing and secure competitive pricing, there are downstream benefits that consumers can feel:

• Better value: When operators can keep input costs in check thanks to a strong food service GPO partnership, they can pass some of that back or avoid excessive menu price increases.
• Better quality: A GPO focused on food & beverage sourcing can help operators access higher-quality or unique items that small buyers might not reach on their own.
• Enhanced innovation: With a GPO, suppliers can bring new products (plant-based, clean-label, local) to more operators more efficiently, meaning consumers see new items on the menu more quickly.
• From the consumer side, awareness of these invisible supply-chain enablers may be limited but the result is better dining choices, improved value and more interesting menu options.

5. Challenges remain: What consumers are worried about

Even as things improve somewhat in 2025, there are strong headwinds that shape consumer behaviour:

• Inflation, rising food and labour costs: The food service outlook remains fragile. Retail Insider+1
• Consumers dining out less often: With cost pressures, many are substituting fewer trips out or opting for lower-cost formats. Retail Insider
• Expectations are higher: Consumers demand more consistency, better service and better ingredient transparency. Mistakes hurt loyalty. Doane Grant Thornton LLP
• Thus, from a consumer viewpoint: “I want value, I expect quality, I want convenience but I’m being more cautious with my spending.”

6. What this means going forward

For consumers, the next few years will likely bring:

• More hybrid dining models: combining at-home convenience (take-out/delivery) with occasional value dining out
• More frequent visits to quick-service / casual formats rather than fine dining
• Growing demands around sustainability, sourcing, ingredient transparency
• Demand for new experiences or menu items as dining out becomes more select.

For restaurants, food service operators and the GPO ecosystem (including food & beverage suppliers), the implications are:

• Leveraging a strong Food GPO like Entegra relationship becomes a competitive advantage because it supports cost control, menu flexibility and sourcing agility
• Investing in technology and digital ordering to meet consumer expectations of convenience
• Focusing on value, quality, and differentiation not just “cheap eats” but a thoughtful eating-out occasion
• Considering menu innovation (plant-based, local, unique global flavours) to meet shifting consumer values.

7. Key takeaways for consumers and market watchers

• If you’re a consumer: you’re less likely to dine out impulsively; when you do, you expect something more than just food you expect value, experience, convenience.
• If you’re in the food service supply chain: you’re able to enable the operator to deliver on those expectations. Entegra helps restaurants do more with less, giving consumers better options.
• For the broader food & beverage market: watch how sourcing, sustainability, and digital delivery continue to shape the industry in Canada. The ones who adapt will capture the evolving consumer sentiment.

Conclusion

In the Canadian restaurant landscape, the consumer’s voice is louder than ever. They are saying: “I’ll eat out less often, but when I do, I expect value, convenience, quality and something worth my dollars.” For food service operators and their partners including food & beverage suppliers understanding and aligning with this mindset is critical.

By leveraging a strong GPO like Entegra, restaurants can maintain cost control, source smarter and keep menus fresh. For consumers, that means better dining options, more interesting choices and better value. In short: the future of Canadian dining is not about more eating out it’s about smarter, more intentional dining out.

Find out how Entegra can help