Recession Specials Making a Comeback: Businesses Respond to Declining Consumer Confidence

Recession Specials Resurface as a Sign of Waning Consumer Sentiment

August 23, 2025 — Uncertainty grows as the economy stalls. Concern spreads. Many US businesses do simple acts. They bring back recession specials. These offers help them hold on to buyers who worry. In this way, the mood of shoppers now seems like that during the Great Recession nearly twenty years ago.

The Return of Recession Specials

During the Great Recession in the late 2000s, many bars and restaurants used low-price menus or “recession specials” to fight hard times. Media and online talk placed these deals in the spotlight. A 2008 Grub Street write-up called it “Your Definitive Guide to Recession Specials.” A 2009 New York Times story listed special deals at New York City restaurants.

Now, in 2025, similar acts appear. Worry grows over tariffs and a slowing economy. Several spots in cities like New York and San Francisco now run budget-friendly deals that they call recession specials:

Clever Blend, a coffee shop in Brooklyn, tags a "$6 gelato and espresso recession special."
Wicked Willy’s, a bar in Manhattan, runs a "Recession Pop Party" where guests join in despite economic stress.
Market Hotel, a Brooklyn concert hall, hosts events that play with economic themes. Their invite reads: "dress like rent’s due and you’re dancing through it."
In San Francisco’s Bay Area, the Super Duper burger chain sells a “Recession Combo.” This combo gives a seasonal Oklahoma-style smash burger, fries, and a drink for $10. It saves buyers $5 compared to the normal price.

Why the Recession Burger?

Ed Onas, the Vice President of Operations at Super Duper, tells us the name is not born from fresh fear. He points to the burger’s old roots in the Great Depression. Back then, adding sliced onions to beef made the meal stretch further. The name fits the discount. It shows a response to high inflation and gives real worth for money.

This deal grew fast. It topped lists on a local San Francisco forum, with many votes and talks. The trend grew so strong that Super Duper now plans to keep the Recession Burger on its menu.

Consumer Sentiment: A Growing Concern

Hints of the public mood show low consumer trust. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 58.6 in August 2025 from 61.7 in July. This drop builds on a waning trend seen over the year.

Joanne Hsu, who leads consumer surveys at the University of Michigan, lists causes:

Many see an economy that slows further, with rising prices and poor business work.
The labor market may weaken, and job loss may rise.
These fears touch all age groups. Young Americans feel the weight of economic risk as much as older ones.

Hsu warns that low trust and worries over steady income may make buyers spend less. This drop in spending matters for the health of the economy.

What This Means for Businesses and Consumers

The return of recession specials is more than a simple sales trick. It marks the state of the economic mood. Shops and venues in fast-changing areas, such as food and fun, may use these deals more as buyers keep close watch on cash and budgets.

For shoppers, these deals give some ease. They provide cheap choices when funds worry. The trend also shows we must keep a sharp eye on the economic road ahead.

As plans shift and fear of financial strain grows, the "recession special" may come back again in many spots—a sign that both sellers and buyers prepare for hard times.

For more clear facts and live tips on economic moves and buyer mood, keep watching CNBC’s coverage.

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