From business.yougov.com
As plant-based lifestyles continue to grow in prominence, understanding the dining behaviours and decision-making patterns of vegetarians and vegans is becoming increasingly important for restaurants and marketers. With more consumers adopting or experimenting with meat-free and health-centric diets, the restaurant industry must evolve to meet their expectations—not only through menu options but also through how establishments are discovered and frequented. YouGov data provides insight into how dining frequency and discovery habits vary across different dietary preferences, painting a picture of the plant-forward diner in 2025.
Dining frequency: plant-based diners dine out just as often
Contrary to assumptions that dietary restrictions may discourage restaurant visits, vegetarians and vegans dine out just as often—if not more frequently—than their omnivorous counterparts. About a quarter of all dietary segments, including omnivores (24%), vegetarians (27%), and vegans (25%), report dining in at restaurants “a few times a month,” making this the most common frequency group across the board.
Notably, 16% of vegetarians dine out once a week, slightly more than the 14% of omnivores who do the same. Vegans (15%) and low-carb adherents (17%) also maintain similar weekly dining habits. Only a small share of any group—ranging from 16% to 17%—say they “rarely or never” dine out, indicating that restrictive diets are not deterring engagement with restaurants.
This pattern reflects the expanding availability of plant-based and diet-friendly options in restaurants, as well as a cultural shift that normalises meatless meals and health-conscious eating.
Discovery methods: how plant-based consumers find their next meal
When it comes to discovering new restaurants, the differences between diet groups become more pronounced.
Omnivores are heavily influenced by personal networks—73% rely on recommendations from friends or family. While this remains the top source for other groups too, the influence is notably lower among vegans (56%) and vegetarians (63%).
Instead, plant-based consumers lean more heavily on digital platforms. Half of vegans (50%) and 45% of vegetarians use social media to discover restaurants, compared to just 37% of omnivores. Online reviews and food blogs also play a larger role, especially for vegans, with 45% consulting reviews and 30% turning to food blogs and websites.
Advertisements and exploration of local areas appear to play a secondary role across all segments, though they still make a notable contribution. For instance, 30% of vegans and 28% of ketogenic diners say ads influence their discovery process.
In essence, vegans and vegetarians exhibit more independent and digitally informed restaurant discovery behaviour, relying less on word of mouth and more on curated content and online resources.
Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the US is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.
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