A study by business consultant AlixPartners LLC was released yesterday indicating that restaurant customers say they plan to spend about 20 percent less per meal in 2010 than they did this year. The study surveyed 1,000 consumers, who said they plan to spend an average of $11.49 per meal next year. In a similar survey the company performed nine months ago, respondents reported spending an average of $13.25 per meal.

But here's an interesting thing: Even though people anticipate spending less, the NUMBER OF RESTAURANT VISITS is actually up. The study found that 63 percent of those polled had dined out at least weekly over the past 12 months, up from 52 percent in the March survey. Fine dining takes it on the chin again, high-end visits dropping 36 percent according to the survey.