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Going out is losing ground to staying in. A 2025 Talker Research survey of 2,000 Americans found that 72% prefer staying in with friends, whenever possible, while just 28% prefer a night out. Half of those respondents said the shift happened in just the past few years.
The reasons go beyond comfort. Restaurant prices are climbing faster than grocery prices, affluent homeowners are leading the trend, and the spaces people host in are getting serious renovation budgets.
Half of Americans Now Host at Home Monthly
Industry data shows how often homeowners are entertaining at home. NielsenIQ research found that 50% of Americans entertain guests in their homes at least monthly, while 21% host either daily or weekly.
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The trend is accelerating. The 2024 IHA At-Home Entertaining Survey, conducted by Morning Consult, reported that 26% of consumers said they would host more gatherings in the year ahead versus 16% who believe they will host less.
That tracks with the broader behavior shift. The same Talker Research survey found that beyond saving money (53%), people host at home for the more comfortable environment (65%) and the ability to hear each other (47%).
Restaurant Prices Are Pushing People Home
Restaurant prices have climbed faster than grocery prices for several years running. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that food away from home prices rose 4.1% from December 2024 to December 2025, compared with 2.4% for food at home.
Cost is not the only factor. The Talker Research survey for Air Wick found that beyond saving money (53%), people host at home for the more comfortable environment (65%) and the ability to hear each other (47%).
The gap matters. When dining out costs more and the at-home alternative costs less, hosting becomes the better deal, especially for households entertaining multiple times a month.
Backyards Get the Renovation Budget
If hosting at home is the trend, outdoor spaces are getting the investment. A 2025 Talker Research survey of 2,000 homeowners commissioned by Trex Company found that the most popular exterior home trends people are looking to implement this year are creating backyard sanctuaries (41%), adding fire pits and outdoor heating elements (38%) and making their spaces more private (37%).
The same survey found that two-thirds (67%) plan on spending more time outdoors than in previous years, with homeowners estimating 11.7 hours per week outside in 2025 versus 9.6 hours the year before. That's a 22% jump in outdoor time, much of it pointed at entertaining and gathering.Â
Designing for Entertaining
The market for outdoor entertaining infrastructure has grown alongside the behavior. Grand View Research data cited by This Old House found that the global market for outdoor kitchens was $24.45 billion in 2024, up from $22.7 billion in 2023, with the segment expected to grow 8.9% annually through 2030.
Shade structures are part of that wave. The International Casual Furnishings Association reported that 59% plan to purchase new outdoor furniture or accessories for their space in 2025, with pergolas and umbrellas among the most-wished-for items.
Brands in the outdoor structure category, like The Luxury Pergola, have seen growing demand for permanent installations. The company's custom aluminum pergolas reflect a broader move toward weather-ready outdoor living spaces that work past the summer months.
The Bigger Picture
The numbers point in one direction. Americans are hosting more, putting more money into the spaces where they host, and quietly moving discretionary dollars out of restaurants and into their own homes. Higher earners and older homeowners are out in front, but the behavior cuts across demographics.
The dinner party isn't going anywhere. It just moved outside and got better.
