Of the suburbs analysed by terminal provider Square, The Gap, Eagle Farm, Virginia and St Lucia ranked among the areas with the highest concentration of repeat customers, followed by Ashgrove, Bardon and Yeronga.
Cafes and restaurants in those suburbs saw between 18 and 20 per cent of their clientele three or more times in the first half of 2025, higher than the CBD rate of 16.2 per cent.
Businesses in some southern suburbs, including Camp Hill, Greenslopes and Mount Gravatt, saw between 11 and 13 per cent of their customers three or more times during the same period.
And suburban customers are spending more in each transaction.
The average outlay per transaction at cafes, restaurants and bars was $10.29 in Brisbane’s CBD, compared to $15.22 in the inner suburbs, including New Farm, Fortitude Valley, Newstead, West End and South Brisbane, $13.64 in the southern suburbs, and $12.57 in the northern suburbs.
The transaction data was collated from businesses in selected clusters of suburbs across eight regions of Brisbane by Square, which provides technology and payment terminals to cafes and restaurants.
The Square data included the findings of an August survey of just over 1000 respondents, indicating Australians were actively choosing to spend more locally.
On average, respondents said they chose to spend 73 per cent of their monthly dining budget at local venues, with 27 per cent in the CBD.
The survey also found people gravitating towards suburban hubs, with two in five respondents saying they visited the CBD less than once a month, and almost one in five saying they avoided going into the city centre entirely.
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“These insights make one thing clear: people want to feel connected to their local communities, and that’s where the real opportunity lies for businesses,” said Square’s head of business development, Colin Birney.
“The sellers who thrive will be the ones who build deep, long-term relationships in their neighbourhoods. It’s not just about selling more, it’s about becoming part of people’s daily lives.”
Spending on food and beverages increased 34.7 per cent in the CBD in the first half of the year, but that was outstripped by growth of more than 40 per cent in nearly all other regions of Brisbane.
But the biggest boom has been in the northern suburbs, including Chermside, Aspley, North Lakes, Everton Park and Stafford, where spending on food and beverages jumped 53.2 per cent.
Anna Lumsden has owned North Lakes coffee spot Told You So for the past nine years. She estimates that 70 per cent of her clientele are repeat customers, with more of them choosing to sit down and enjoy a bagel, a toasted crumpet, or a sweet treat with their coffee.
Anna Lumsden with her husband, son and daughter at their North Lakes coffee shop, Told You So.
“Takeaway coffees were the bread and butter of our business … but I would definitely say that I’ve seen a big shift since COVID, and then again in the past 12 months, where people are putting more value on the dining experience,” she said.
While the focus is very much on making an excellent cup of coffee, Lumsden also encourages her staff to connect with customers.
“With where the world is at the moment, people value us knowing their name, knowing their coffee order, and then something else random about their life,” she said. “It just feels genuine.”
Square’s analysis confirms spending at CBD venues peaks during weekday lunchtimes, while suburban and inner-city venues are busiest on weekends, particularly Saturday mornings.
Tomorrow morning, Goodwin will send a text message to Blackbird Espresso with her coffee order, even though they already know it.
They will have her coffee pulled and her milk warmed, waiting for her to arrive with her keep cup.
“If I send a text when I’m in my driveway, I know my coffee will be ready when I arrive,” she said.
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