‘Throwback’ prices to help beat inflation: These restaurant chains are trying to win back customers with discounts

Amid economic uncertainty among consumers in the United States, Americans say they are cutting back on eating out - and some restaurants are responding with ‘throwback’ pricing deals to entice customers to their establishments.

According to a recent survey conducted by the marketing platform Popmenu, nearly two-thirds of U.S. diners have reduced the amount they spend at restaurants this year.

This comes as 50% of Americans told a CBS News/YouGov poll that President Trump’s economic policies, which are headlined by aggressive tariffs on imported goods, have made them financially worse off.

Over 60% of U.S. consumers cutting back on restaurant expenditure

Per Popmenu’s study - which found that 75% of U.S. consumers are worried the country will plunge into a recession this year - 61% of Americans say they’ve lowered their outlay at restaurants in 2025.

Popmenu’s poll, whose results were released in June, found that restaurants have been the chief target of consumer cutbacks across all areas of spending, just ahead of clothes, entertainment and travel.

What’s more, the restaurant-industry publication Nation’s Restaurant News cites Yelp data that shows a significant spike in online searches for “cheap eats”, “value meals” and “meal deal” among U.S. consumers.

In response, NRN says, eateries nationwide are turning to ‘rollback’ price deals. “Several chains have introduced limited-time offers featuring prices from the past, simultaneously appealing to consumers’ sense of nostalgia while drawing diners back through their doors with the promise of lower prices,” writes NRN’s Joanna Fantozzi.

Which restaurants are embracing ‘throwback’ deals?

Fantozzi points to the example of fast-food restaurant White Castle, which this spring ran a promotion on its Original Sliders, turning the price clock back to 2012.

White Castle’s vice-president of marketing, Jamie Richardson, told NRN: “Being able to share an offer that takes us back in time - like our ‘6 Sliders for $4’ deal - helps feed the soul a little bit.

“To be able to promote savings that harkens back to 2012 is compelling, especially in a day and age where sticker shock for so many daily purchases can be real.”

NRN also highlights other, similar recent campaigns, such as 1991 prices at Planet Hollywood in New York’s Times Square, and the “Eat Like It’s 2019” promotion at Burger Patch, a restaurant chain in California.

Americans feeling food pinch as inflation starts to creep up

Released this weekend, the new CBS News/YouGov poll joins Popmenu’s survey in illustrating consumer concerns over the direction of the U.S. economy - and the effect on people’s spending power when it comes to key expenses such as meals.

Not only did half of those surveyed say they feel poorer under President Trump, but 62% declared that they’ve found the cost of food has been pushed up since he began his second term in the White House.

In general, the 79-year-old’s handling of inflation was given a thumbs-down by 64% of those who participated in the poll.

As things stand, inflation in the U.S. remains well below the 40-year high it experienced in mid-2022. However, there are signs it may be beginning to gather momentum, propelled in part by tariffs that have led U.S. businesses to pass on increased import costs to their customers.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) - which measures trends in the prices people pay for goods and services in the U.S. - showed a 2.7% annual rise in June, the highest year-on-year increase since February.

The CPI data for food displayed a price increase higher than overall inflation, at 3.0%, and in the specific category ‘food away from home’, the rise was 3.8%.

“It is the case that we’re now seeing lift-off in inflation in goods,” the economist Torsten Slok told an interview with Bloomberg last week, after the release of the latest CPI results.

Related stories

Food safety

Tuna salad recall hits stores across these four states

Health

Textile dye turned viral biohacking health supplement

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.