Higher income households eating out less as consumer pain bites: survey

CONSUMER Higher income households eating out less as consumer pain bites: survey By Ariel Rabinovitch Global News Posted September 24, 2026 4:01 pm 3 min read The escalating trade conflict between the U.S. and Canada could mean higher food prices. Gary Sands of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers discusses how stores are preparing for tariffs, when shoppers could see price increases and the push for more Canadian-made products – Sep 12, 2026 LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Canadians say they are dining out at restaurants less than last year amid the heightened cost of living, according to new data from Restaurants Canada, which shows higher income households with the sharpest change. A retail analyst and consumer expert says the report is another example of the “K-shaped” economy writ large, which sees a growing divide between top earners in Canada and lower income brackets that is also showing strain among more middle and higher income earners. The report was released Thursday and featured details of Restaurants Canada’s survey, which was conducted by Angus Reid in May and included 1,500 Canadian participants. When questions were asked about dining out at restaurants, it included both fast food (a.k.a. “quick-service restaurants”) and full-service restaurants. Eighty per cent of all respondents said they have been eating out less often due to the rising cost of living, up from 75 per cent a year earlier. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT That sentiment was also shared by 78 per cent of households that claimed to earn a combined income of $100,000 per year or more, up from 70 per cent in 2025. 1:41 Why Canadian restaurants are struggling Stick to the Facts Add Global News as a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our stories in your search results. Eighty-one per cent of households that said they earn between $50,000 and $100,000 annually said they were dining out less this year, up from 76 per cent last year. Get breaking Montreal news Get breaking Montreal news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story. SIGN UP FOR BREAKING MONTREAL NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. Meanwhile, households that earned less than $50,000 were little changed, with…