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6 Things Americans Are Buying at the Grocery Store Instead of Going to Restaurants

The grocery store is increasingly doubling as a restaurant, as Americans look for cheaper ways to eat meals that still feel convenient.

1. Ready-to-Eat Meals

Prepared grocery-store food is becoming a bigger part of lunch routines because it combines restaurant-like convenience with grocery-store pricing. FMI found that 68% of away-from-home lunches now come from food prepared at home or purchased from a grocery store, rather than a restaurant.

2. Rotisserie Chickens

The humble rotisserie chicken is having a moment because it can become several meals without requiring much cooking. More than one-third of Americans say they are cooking at home more often, according to FMI’s 2026 research, while half say their families are eating fewer restaurant meals and ordering less takeout.

3. Restaurant-Style Prepared Foods

Americans aren’t necessarily giving up restaurant food—they’re trying to recreate it at home. 87% of consumers say they are interested in restaurant-style recipes or cooking tips, according to FMI, creating demand for sauces, prepared sides, specialty ingredients and ready-to-heat meals.

4. Premium Coffee

Coffee is increasingly being treated as a grocery purchase rather than a daily café expense. The National Coffee Association says 82% of Americans who drank coffee yesterday prepared it at home, while specialty coffee accounted for 47% of past-day consumption in 2026.

5. Better Snacks

Instead of buying an appetizer, dessert or afternoon treat while out, some shoppers are upgrading what they keep at home. Americans spend an average $719 a year on snacks, according to a 2026 analysis of federal consumer-spending data.

6. Ingredients for Fake Takeout

Pizza nights, steak dinners and restaurant-style bowls are becoming grocery projects. KPMG found 67% of consumers are eating at home more often, with 76% of those doing so citing budget constraints—while 25% say they’re visiting fast-food restaurants more often because they offer better value.

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