Some revolutions start with riots.
This one? It started with toilet paper.
When the world shut down in 2020, people scrambled—not just for Clorox wipes and pantry pasta—but for some sense of normalcy. And now here we are, five years later, standing in checkout lines again, sipping overpriced iced lattes, and still pretending to understand QR code menus.
But what if I told you we didn’t just go “back to normal”?
What if normal packed its bags and moved to a new zip code while we weren’t looking?
Thanks to a deep-dive report from Placer.ai (hat tip to them), we’ve got hard numbers on how consumer behavior has evolved. The gist? People still shop. People still eat out. But they’re doing it in ways that are quietly—but profoundly—reshaping entire industries.
Let’s unpack it.
1. Offline Ain’t Dead—It’s Reborn
Let’s kill this myth once and for all: brick-and-mortar retail didn’t die during the pandemic.
It went through puberty.
Retail visits in the first half of 2025 are higher than they were in 2019. Higher.
Same goes for dining. Turns out, people still like walking into places, grabbing carts, and getting that dopamine hit when they find the pair of jeans or devour a crispy chicken sandwich.
What changed? The why. The urgency. The intention behind every visit.
2. One-Stop Shops? Cute Idea. But Nah.
Gone are the days when shoppers wanted “everything under one roof.”
Now it’s more like: “What’s this store best at? Great. That’s all I want from them.”
We’ve entered the era of mission-driven shopping. You’ll see someone hit Trader Joe’s for frozen orange chicken, then sprint to Aldi for bulk eggs, and finish with a trip to Costco just for the gas.
In short: they’re hunting for the perfect product match, not convenience.
And they’ll zig-zag all over town to get it.
3. Value is King—But So is the Perception of Value
Here’s the kicker: it’s not just about being cheap. It’s about feeling smart while spending.
Dollar stores, off-price retailers, and discount grocers? Crushing it.
Luxury brands? Weirdly enough, also thriving.
But that murky middle—mid-tier retailers, casual dining, average-priced apparel? That’s where the struggle lives.
Consumers are flocking to the two extremes:
- The “I’m saving money” camp, where walking out of a store with 6 items for $20 feels like a win.
- The “I treat myself because I can” tribe, where spending $400 on sneakers isn’t brag-worthy—it’s Tuesday.
That middle lane? Feels like a strip mall from 2008. Fading fast.
4. Experiences Sound Cool… But Retail Feels Safer
Here’s where it gets interesting—and maybe a little sad.
People say they want memorable experiences. Travel, entertainment, cultural outings.
But their wallets? Telling a different story.
Airport visits from casual travelers are down. Museums are seeing less foot traffic than five years ago. Even movie theaters are riding a roller-coaster—highs when a blockbuster hits, but otherwise… quiet.
Eatertainment spots (think Top Golf, Dave & Buster’s, etc.) are faring better. Why? Because they mash food, fun, and value into one night out. That combo? Gold.
5. Offices? Still Ghost Towns (Mostly)
Despite all the “return to office” chest-thumping from big corporations, visits to office buildings are still a third below pre-pandemic levels.
Translation: hybrid work isn’t a phase. It’s the new blueprint.
And while New York and Miami are inching back, the office comeback story feels more like a slow crawl than a Rocky-style comeback.
6. So, What Does All This Really Mean?
Here’s what I think (and maybe you feel this too):
We’re not in a “post-COVID” world. We’re in a post-illusion world.
The illusion that people shop a certain way. Eat a certain way. Spend in predictable patterns.
COVID shattered that, and now? People are selective, intentional, and—frankly—kinda savage with how they spend their time and money.
If you’re running a business, the message is clear:
Either you clearly stand for value or you boldly offer premium.
Anything in between feels like beige wallpaper in a world craving either grit or glamor.
Final Thought:
Consumers haven’t disappeared. They’ve just evolved.
And they’re telling us—loud and clear—“Show me something that matters. Or I’m moving on.”
Are you listening?
