The credit card network calls the age we live in the “couch economy.”. In it, people order food, watch movies, and buy groceries without ever leaving their homes. Visa has just released a report showing how much that habit has grown, and the figures are striking. Seven years ago, most U.S. Visa card spending took place in physical stores outside the home. Now, 58% of Visa’s payment volume happens remotely, online or on apps.
How remote spending grew
Before the pandemic, the change began. As late as 2019, 52% of U.S. Visa card spending took place inside physical stores. But by 2025, the balance had turned: 58% of spending now happens remotely. The explanation is straightforward. Mobile phones, stored payments and growing comfort with online shopping have made digital purchases more convenient, which has made them more common.
The shift is not simply about a growing number of Americans purchasing goods and services online. Visa’s data shows that consumers are also conducting these transactions with increased regularity. The proportion of credit cards carrying 10 or more online transactions per month has nearly doubled, rising from 13.1% in 2018 to 25.4% in 2026. This increase in how often people buy online forms the basis of what Visa calls the couch economy.
Food delivery went from novelty to normal
Food delivery apps capture the idea perfectly. Visa found that the share of cards active on food delivery apps was hovering around 1% in 2018. It began to rise in 2019, spiked to more than 5% in 2020 and then 10% in 2021. After that, it plateaued at around 10% until this year, when it dipped by about a point.
It is the shape of the data itself that makes the case. Ordinary shoppers, not the affluent few, make up the bulk of food delivery traffic. Visa’s conclusion is that this points to delivery having moved past its days as an occasional convenience for a select group and into the realm of a standard service woven into everyday spending habits, much like online shopping and streaming.
Streaming outpaces movie theaters
More than one trend is driving people toward a sedentary lifestyle. The share of Visa cards carrying streaming subscriptions has risen to roughly 17.5%, well ahead of card spending at movie theaters and concerts, which sits at around 5.5%. Data from Visa card transactions on pet spending shows that owning pets is also increasing.
The document states that the report says “As more consumers bring pets into their households, the home naturally becomes a more important center of daily life, spending and leisure,”.
Delivery spending slows while restaurants outperform
While the couch economy paints a partial picture, Visa data indicates that delivery spending has slowed this year. There is also mounting evidence that a rising number of people are seeking out meals at actual restaurants rather than ordering in.
Over recent months, full-service restaurant chains have been outpacing fast-food chains when it comes to sales growth. Among the publicly traded full-service brands that have reported results, median same-store sales rose 1.6% last quarter, while limited-service chains saw a rise of just 0.8%. At the same time, consumers are increasingly directing their dining dollars toward independents rather than chains, and independents tend to be full-service restaurants.
What the couch economy really means
According to Visa’s report, the key takeaway from the expansion of the couch economy is that customers now demand a particular standard of ease whenever they purchase goods or eat out. “The couch economy is not simply about consumers staying home; it is about how rising expectations for convenience are reshaping how they spend,” the report states.
How something is described makes a difference. The couch economy is not about individuals picking to remain at home. Instead, it reflects convenience settling into a standard, with the home serving as the setting for that convenience.
How the couch economy has reshaped daily life
The couch economy has altered daily routines in a number of ways, according to the report.
- Remote payment volume now exceeds in-person spending.
- Online transaction frequency has nearly doubled since 2018.
- Food delivery adoption jumped from 1% in 2018 to over 10% in 2021.
- Streaming subscriptions now cover about 17.5% of Visa cards.
- Movie theater and concert spending lags at about 5.5% of cards.
- Pet spending data shows more households bringing animals home.
What comes next for restaurants
What stands out in the report’s closing section is a key point: the couch economy isn’t simply about people choosing to stay home. Instead, it is driven by shifting consumer expectations around convenience, which are changing how people allocate their spending.
The industry is caught between two forces. Delivery apps have grown substantially. Yet the numbers reveal that some customers are returning to restaurants, particularly those offering full-service dining. The open question is whether that return continues.
Delivery apps are not going away. They are simply changing shape. The desire for convenience stays steady, and the home is where it settles down. It is unknown whether these apps will keep growing or if restaurants can match that ease within their own walls.
The current data point to a distinct shift. E-commerce purchases, home-delivered meals, and streamed entertainment have all risen sharply, with people staying put rather than going out. The dining-out business must respond to this change, or it risks being left behind by the customer who now takes delivery as the norm.
Source material: “Where restaurants fit into the growing ‘couch economy’,” Nation's Restaurant News.
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