Hospitality Industry Research & Trends

Trends & Research

The Restaurant Association provides exclusive research and insights to help New Zealand hospitality businesses stay competitive and informed. Our trends and research resources give members access to industry benchmarking data, market analysis, and actionable intelligence to support better business decisions.

Whether you’re looking to understand consumer dining trends, compare your performance against industry standards, or plan for the future, our research helps you navigate the evolving hospitality landscape with confidence.

Why research matters for your hospitality business

Access to reliable industry data is essential for restaurant and café owners who want to make informed decisions. Our trends and research resources cover key areas including:

Industry benchmarking – Compare your business performance against New Zealand hospitality sector averages
Consumer trends – Understand changing dining preferences and customer expectations
Wage and salary insights – Stay competitive with current hospitality employment data
Market analysis – Track industry growth, challenges, and opportunities across regions
Operational best practices – Learn what’s working for successful hospitality businesses

Have a look at the reports and research below.

All information contained within is Copyright © 2025 Restaurant Association of New Zealand Inc. All rights reserved. No individual, party or entity is permitted to share, adapt or reuse this work without the consent of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand Inc.

2025 Hospitality Report

posted on 15 Oct 25

New Zealand’s hospitality industry has reached a significant milestone, posting record annual sales of $15.99 billion in the year ending June 2025, according to the Restaurant Association’s 2025 Hospitality Report. Read on

Cash payments vs card

posted on 13 Jul 25

This nationwide snapshot poll conducted in July 2025 explored current attitudes and behaviours around cash payments in the hospitality industry. Read on

2025 Q1 Hospitality Sales Snapshot

posted on 9 Jun 25

Released by the Restaurant Association, total sales for the hospitality industry over the 1st quarter of 2025 were $4 billion, representing a 1.0 per cent sales increase over the same quarter a year previous. Read on

Remuneration Survey

posted on 22 May 25

The Restaurant Association conducts an annual remuneration survey, collecting comprehensive wage and salary data on job positions in the hospitality industry. Read on

Safety and Security – 2025

posted on 13 May 25

This snapshot survey was conducted in March 2025 by the Restaurant Association of New Zealand to better understand hospitality operators’ experiences with safety and security issues in their businesses. Read on

Customer leftovers

posted on 13 Apr 25

This quick survey - conducted in April 2025 - looks at how hospitality businesses are handling customer leftovers — whether they offer doggie bags and what happens to the food that doesn’t get eaten. Read on

2024 Q4 Hospitality Sales Snapshot

posted on 12 Mar 25

With data sourced from Statistics New Zealand and the Restaurant Association, the Q4 Report provides relevant data on the state of the hospitality industry. Read on

Summer trade – 2025

posted on 5 Mar 25

This short snapshot survey, conducted in March 2025 by the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, gathered insights from hospitality businesses on how their summer trade performed compared to previous years. Read on

2024 Q3 Hospitality Sales Snapshot

posted on 5 Dec 24

With data sourced from Statistics New Zealand and the Restaurant Association, the Q3 Report provides relevant data on the state of the hospitality industry. The third quarter of 2024 reported a 0.8 per cent decline over the year previous. Read on

AEWV Review

posted on 13 Oct 24

This survey sought viewpoints on the Accredited Employer Work Visa review. It was conducted in October 2024. Read on

2024 Q2 Hospitality Sales Snapshot

posted on 23 Sep 24

The 2024 Q2 Hospitality Sales Snapshot provides top line statistics on the hospitality industry. With data sourced from Statistics New Read on

Retail payment system and interchange fees

posted on 13 Aug 24

This survey examined payment acceptance practices among hospitality businesses, focusing on methods accepted and attitudes toward surcharging. Read on