Des Moines' weekday lunch's are down but weekends are up

Restaurant spending is shifting from weekday lunch hours to the weekends, per new Square data.

Why it matters: It's a reflection of pandemic behavior changes — and an important insight for restaurants as they continue adapting to survive and thrive.

By the numbers: Weekday lunch's share of overall restaurant transactions fell in Des Moines from about 21% in 2019 to 18% in 2023, based on data from food and drink establishments using Square, a financial services platform for small- and medium-sized businesses.

• By contrast, the weekend's share grew from about 31% in 2019 to 39% in 2023.

What they're saying: Before COVID, consumers were going out more during the week to eat lunch by their office.

• With remote work, more restaurant spending has shifted to the weekend, Square Research lead Ara Kharazian said in the company's new report .

State of play: New restaurant listings in Des Moines fell 10% last year as compared to 2019, per Yelp data.

• Downtown foot traffic is trending upwards but still averaging less than before the pandemic, according to a survey last month from the Greater DSM Partnership.

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