“小吃热销预示经济堪忧”播客指出，消费者从点大菜转向偏爱高性价比的开胃菜，如芝士条，反映了通胀压力下的消费降级和“K型经济”分化。这种趋势不仅影响餐饮业，还折射出社会幸福感下降和供应链的深远变化，预示着经济面临严峻挑战，需要企业和个人做好过冬准备。
Appetizers boom in worrying sign for the economy
Read original at Morning Brew →December 13, 2025 • less than 3 min readA new semi-scientific recession indicator just dropped: surging appetizer sales. Restaurant-goers are loading up on apps like there’s no tomorrow, CNBC reported this week, based on data from Buyers Edge Platform, a company that helps eateries source ingredients.
Mozz stick indexBuyers Edge attributes what it dubbed the “appetizer economy” to budget-conscious eaters forgoing pricey entrees and dessert and opting instead for finger foods that often come with promotions and drink specials:• Sales of mozzarella sticks, pickle chips, and cheese curds—dishes notorious for denting the appetite for the main course—are up by about a third in 2025 compared to last year.
• Meanwhile, dessert orders dropped 2% over the same period.The Great Appetizer Awakening comes as Americans increasingly feel the bite of inflation when eating out. The price of a meal at a full-service restaurant was up 4.2% in September compared to a year before, according to government data.Big picture: The trend fits into the so-called K-shaped economy, in which wealthier people continue to spend, while lower-income consumers tighten their belts.
For instance, the New York Times recently reported that online pizza orders have declined, while Papa John’s customers are opting for smaller pies and fewer toppings. Sagging sales are potentially caused by the proliferation of competing options on delivery apps and weight loss drugs—but are also a sign that many diners might be struggling to afford even relatively inexpensive indulgences.
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