Toast Report Shows Lattes Rising as Drip Coffee and Cold Brew Slip

"Toast said the analysis is based on same-store restaurant sales from January 2024 through December 2025 across a cohort on its platform, which served about 164,000 locations as of Dec. 31, 2025. The biggest declines through 2025 were found in green tea (-4.9%), black tea (-3.4%), hot drip coffee (-3.3%) and regular soda (-2.3%)."

"Toast framed the shift as a move toward drinks that feel more premium, more specialized and less easily made at home for cafes and restaurants. Yet the report also showed strong growth for non-coffee caffeinated options geared toward canned or bottled convenience, including energy drinks (+8.7%) and diet sodas (+7.4%)."

"The Toast findings broadly align with recent National Coffee Association market research showing modest continued momentum for specialty coffee. In the Spring 2025 National Coffee Data Trends report, the NCA said 66% of U.S. adults drank coffee in the past day, while specialty coffee reached 46% of adults, up from 39% in 2020."

Toast's Restaurant Trends Report reveals significant beverage consumption shifts across U.S. restaurants and cafes from January 2024 through December 2025. Specialty espresso-based drinks including lattes, americanos, espresso shots, and macchiatos experienced year-over-year sales growth, while traditional options like drip coffee, cold brew, cappuccinos, and frappés declined. Green tea saw the steepest decline at 4.9%, followed by black tea at 3.4% and hot drip coffee at 3.3%. Notably, energy drinks surged 8.7% and diet sodas grew 7.4%, indicating consumer preference for convenient, pre-packaged caffeinated beverages. Median drip coffee prices rose to $3.65, up 4.3%, while cold brew reached $5.58, up 4.1%. These trends reflect consumer movement toward premium, specialized drinks perceived as difficult to replicate at home.

Read at Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine