When a guest orders directly from a restaurant, as opposed to via a third-party marketplace, it is unquestionably better for the restaurant in terms of guest relationships and revenue generation. There are many reasons for restaurants to invest in third-party marketplaces—like exposure to new guests—but when it comes to finding the right mix of third-party and direct, restaurants generally want to maximize direct orders when possible.

Catering is one of the fastest-growing sales channels in the restaurant industry, with Olo data showing year-over-year growth of 100% between 2024 and 2025. Catering is expected to grow at a rate of 6.2% in the next 9 years, reaching over $140 billion by 2035. The catering boom presents a lucrative opportunity for restaurants to capitalize on evolving consumer behaviors and preferences. It’s no wonder leading brands are investing heavily in the channel.

Before we turn our sights to the new year, we're looking back at the data, milestones, and moments that shaped restaurant dining in 2025. From viral food trends to the catering boom, we crunched the numbers from billions of orders to bring you the trends, surprises, and milestones of the year.

For decades, restaurants lagged behind other industries in technology adoption. 2025 changed that. AI moved from buzzword to business-critical infrastructure powering everything from demand forecasting to personalized menu recommendations. Restaurants unlocked new revenue in high-value channels, such as catering, which is expected to grow by 6.2% annually, reaching over $140 billion by 2035.