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Atlanta is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, but what makes it unique is the way it feels like a collection of tight-knit neighborhoods rather than a sprawling metropolis.
For local business owners, thriving in Atlanta means tapping into these close-knit communities. “It’s a big city with a lot of really small, independent neighborhoods that all have a different vibe,” said Neal Idnani, co-owner of NaanStop. “So where you go, and where you open up, and what your vibe is, it really has to fit the community around it.”
Square data from January through July 2025 highlights interesting shifts in local consumer behavior: Compared to the same timeframe in 2024, average transaction volume is up during breakfast hours across most neighborhoods throughout the city, but particularly in Midtown. And overall transaction volume grew at beauty business on the Eastside compared with other neighborhoods. By understanding how consumer behavior is shifting locally, business owners can make stronger decisions about how to reach more customers, and ultimately grow their businesses.
Transaction volume along the Eastside Beltline is up 12% year-over-year
Ask any Atlantan and they’ll tell you: The Beltline is the place to be. The old railroad tracks that were revived and repurposed connect 45 Atlanta neighborhoods, bringing people together from all over the city to enjoy art, dining, and recreation opportunities. “All along it, amazing restaurants and bars and places to hang out have sprung up,” said Neal Idnani, co-owner of NaanStop.
To understand how this area’s energy translates to spending, we looked into Square transaction data from businesses near the Eastside Trail of Beltline, a well known area for high restaurant and retail foot traffic. Square data backs this up: While second quarter 2025 transaction volume across Atlanta grew 6% year over year, businesses just off this section of Beltline saw a 12% increase in the same period.
From retail to beauty and dining, businesses on Atlanta’s Eastside saw a boom in transaction volume between July 2024 and July 2025, compared to the previous year. Midtown, meanwhile, saw an especially sharp rise in retail spend activity, with transactions up 55% year over year. The neighborhood is a commercial hub known for its arts district (the High Museum of Art and the Museum of Design Atlanta are both located there) and its one of the few walkable areas in the city.
What this means for business owners: Follow the foot traffic. The Beltline is a dining and entertainment hub — and its growth is undeniable. As Idnani puts it, “It has amazing restaurants, and bars, and just places to hang out. You really feel the vibe of the city and the different neighborhoods that you’re walking through.” For retailers, though, it doesn’t have to be Beltline or bust. West Midtown and Midtown have also seen increases in retail spending.
If your business depends on walk-ins, consider pop-ups near high-traffic corridors like the Beltline or Midtown. At the same time, don’t overlook emerging hotspots. Keep tracking where spend is accelerating and consider mapping your expansion against those growth zones.
Lunch hours are most popular for dining, but peak dining times are getting earlier
Atlanta’s appetite is on full display, especially at lunchtime (11:01 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.), when Square transaction volume across neighborhoods outpaced breakfast, dinner, and late-night hours for the first half of 2025.
But breakfast is having a moment. Transaction volume during the morning meal (8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.) has grown more than lunch across nearly every neighborhood. In Midtown, where you’ll find a mix of office high rises, condos, historic homes, art museums and the Fox Theatre, breakfast transactions in the first half of the year were up 31%. On the West Side, an area comprising some of Atlanta’s hottest restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries, they rose 13% during the same time period.
As Atlantans return to the office, it makes sense that morning traffic is rising again. Breakfast is once more a setting for quick bites, commuter fuel, and early morning meetings.
What this means for business owners: Atlantans may be trading dinner meals out for breakfast. Transactions during dinner (5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) shrunk everywhere between the first half of 2024 and the first half of 2025, with Downtown (-20%) and Midtown (-15%) seeing the sharpest drops. To bring in more diners during dinner, consider incentivizes such as loyalty and rewards programs, or adjust operations to serve customers more casual daytime meals, particularly in neighborhoods with high commuter traffic.
Coffee classics continue to outshine seasonal specials
Atlanta is undoubtedly a coffee city, with new shops and cafes elevating their brews through carefully sourced beans and expert preparation. While seasonally-driven specials draw attention, classic drinks consistently perform.
Square data from July 2025, shows how preferences vary by neighborhood. In Buckhead, consumers favored lattes (23% share of total total spend on coffee beverages), followed by flat whites and iced coffees (2% each). In this upscale neighborhood filled with posh cafes and bakeries, coffee is less about grab-and-go and more about the experience.
On the East Side, lattes also dominated at 18%, but cold brew (3%) and drip (1%) outperformed other neighborhoods. While the latte clearly reigns supreme, the data suggests local consumers are drawn to drinks that are both portable and refreshing — fitting for a neighborhood defined by the Beltline foot traffic.
What this means for business owners: Seasonal specials may attract spikes in spending, but your classic offerings may drive consistent revenue. Perfecting classics like lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos can be a smart long-term strategy, while using your business’ point-of-sale data to monitor when seasonal trends spike.
Georgia peach desserts and fried chicken find favor citywide
Atlanta’s dining scene reflects its global population; people move here from all over the world, bringing their flavors and traditions with them. The result is a metro area where, on any given night, voracious eaters can chow down on anything from Korean barbecue and Japanese ramen to Venezuelan arepas and Chinese soup dumplings. Yet even with such breadth of choice, Southern food continues to hold a spot in diners’ hearts.
Take desserts, for example. Peach treats are gaining popularity this year. According to Square data, Downtown spending on peach desserts rose from 0.12% in July 2024 to 0.41% of all food and beverage spending in July 2025, the prime peach season in Georgia. Buckhead saw a similar surge: Order share last July was at 0.03% and in June 2025 it was up to 0.11%. It’s a reminder that while diners enjoy variety, they also want a dessert with a sense of place and comfort — think crisps, cobblers, and galettes.
Fried chicken, another Atlanta staple, has held steady across the city, with one exception. In Midtown, sales began climbing in March 2025, with spending reaching 0.6% after hovering around zero the first part of the year, signaling a renewed appetite. The timing may point to seasonal menu changes or simply a wave of demand from office workers and residents looking for comforting, reliable meals.
What this means for business owners: Classic Southern dishes don’t need to be reinvented to succeed — their staying power may be their strength. Whether it’s peach desserts being ordered by convention goers Downtown or fried chicken that anchors a Midtown menu, these staples continue to perform because they’re tied to Atlanta’s identity.
MedSpa spending is up (as is demand for Russian manicures)
Desserts aren’t the only thing consumers are treating themselves to in Atlanta – personal care is on the rise, too. MedSpa spending averages $260 higher than the national average, a gap that widened notably in January 2025. That’s when Atlanta’s average monthly spend jumped up to around $600, while the national spend remained around $350, underscoring how willing Atlantans are to invest in services like Botox, fillers, and contouring. It also shows how Atlantans value personal care and appearance, especially as the city becomes home to more young professionals. Atlanta’s growing beauty economy, which includes MedSpas and skincare studios, shows that self-care isn’t just a fad here but is fully woven into the city’s economic fabric.
Prioritizing personal care extends to manicures, too. Trendy Russian manicures have gained ground and are catching up to dip manicures. The service saw a 252% increase in spending between December 2024 and June 2025. Buckhead is the destination for the service, with customers there willing to spend around $118 — an investment that aligns with the affluent reputation. Don’t count out the gel manicures, though; they still reign supreme among Atlantans, particularly on the East Side.
What this means: If you’re looking to open a nail salon that offers trendy services and people are likely to pay for them, consider Buckhead, which has the audience to support it. People are also willing to spend more money on services like dip and gel in that neighborhood.
Data-centered decision-making has never been easier
Trends come and go, so tools like Square Dashboard Analytics can give a real-time view of what’s happening in and around the city. Whether it’s manicures or mimosas, understanding what’s on the minds of the city’s consumers can translate into big opportunity for those paying attention.
This piece is part of the Square content collection, Around the Corner: Atlanta Edition. It’s packed with community-first advice and hyper-local data, just like this article.
