News

Study: Americans spend nearly $1,000 annually to lunch out

September 26, 2013

A new survey by Visa reveals that Americans dine out for lunch about twice a week, spending an average of $10 per outing, or $936 a year.

Men outspend women at the lunch counter by 44 percent, and are also more likely to dine out for lunch. Women spend an average of just under $15 per week, while men spend about $21.

One percent of survey respondents spend more than $50 per lunch, or about $5,000 a year. On the other end of spectrum, 30 percent of respondents said they don't buy lunch out at all.

Respondents who said they make less than $25,000 per year spend more per meal, at $11.70, than those in any other income bracket. In contrast, those earning more than $50,000 per year spend an average of $9.60 per meal, a difference of 22 percent.

Finally, regional disparities exist between those who eat lunch out as well:

• Southerners lead the regions of the country in spending per week. The average Southerner eats out twice per week, spending $10 each time for an average of $20 per week.
• Westerners mirrored the national average spending $10 per lunch 1.8 times a week for an average of $18 per week on lunch.
• Midwesterners went out for lunch 1.7 times a week and spent only $8.90 per meal. They averaged $15.13 per week
• Northeasterners ate their lunches out the least often but splurged the most when they did. In the Northeast, respondents only ate out 1.5 times a week but spent 14 percent more per meal than the national average at $11.40 for a weekly total of $17.10.

Read more about restaurant trends and statistics.