According to a new study released, dining out occasions are largely impulse decisions with 53 percent of occurences being unplanned. That blows away routine dining occasions, which came in at 25 percent and special occasions brought in only 22 percent of visits. This trend is really no surprise as we see consumers shifting more and more to wanting what they want, when they want it.

“These numbers quantify a trend Technomic has been following for decades,” said Sara Monnette, senior director, Consumer Insights & Innovation, in the announcement. “Twenty years ago, most dining—even taking the kids to a burger chain—was still a special occasion.” Dining out has become a function of consumers’ daily lives and, for most, casual meal planning and prep continues to be on the rise.

Also revealed is the spending per occasion, which is below $20 on average, with $6 spent at c-store and QSR visits. This shows that while consumers want what they want when they want it, they also want it at an affordable price point. Perhaps most important though, this study showed 70 percent of consumers want to feel good about their food choices.

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