High gas prices could lead consumers to make tough decisions about where to cut back their spending to make ends meet. Benzinga recently polled viewers of our morning stock show to see where the spending habits could be most impacted.



<h2>Higher Gas Prices Impact on Benzinga Viewers</h2>



When it comes to higher gas prices at the pump, the impact may not be impacting everyone yet.



Benzinga asked viewers of the &#34;PreMarket Playbook&#34; show on Friday about making changes to spending. Hosted by Ryan Faloona, &#34;PreMarket Playbook&#34; airs Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. ET.



&#34;With higher gas prices, which best describes you?&#34; Benzinga asked.



Here are the results:



<ul>
<li>Scaling back on takeout spending: 27%</li>



<li>Adjusting travel plans for summer: 15%</li>



<li>Scaling back on grocery spending: 8%</li>



<li>None of the above: 50%</li>
</ul>



The poll showed that 50% of viewers said they're not adjusting spending habits when it comes to groceries, summer plans or restaurant spending.



Of the three other options, takeout spending saw the biggest impact at 27%, followed by summer plans at 15%. Grocery spending got the lowest vote percentage, which could mean consumers are cutting spending elsewhere.



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<h2>Consumer Spending Habits</h2>



Benzinga recently reported that data from Placer.ai suggest consumers visited fast-food restaurants less in March and April, when gas prices spiked. This could be bad news for McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) and other fast food companies.



The data also showed that sit-down restaurants were experiencing fewer visits year over year.



The Benzinga poll shows similar data that restaurant spending could be among the first areas cut to offset higher gas prices at the pump.



Patrick De Haan, known on social media as GasBuddyGuy, recently tweeted that higher gas prices could lead consumers to reconsider summer vacation plans, especially if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.



“Lawmakers have a narrow window to reverse course and fully restore the Strait. If that doesn’t happen soon, Americans will start changing their summer travel plans,” De Haan tweeted.



Some travel companies have hinted that higher gas prices could hurt revenue and bookings in the summer months.



Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) recently reported quarterly financial results and said it would not update its guidance due to “macroeconomic uncertainty.” The airline also said it needs lower fuel prices and stronger revenue to offset “higher fuel expense.”



Online travel company Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:BKNG) recently reported quarterly financial results and hinted that rising gas prices are having an impact.



“We expect the impact of the situation in the Middle East will be higher in the second quarter than it was in the first quarter,” Booking CEO Ewout Steenbergen said.



The Booking CEO said March had the “highest concentration of cancellations.”



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Image via Shutterstock

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EATZ

A recent Benzinga poll reveals that 50% of viewers are not changing their spending habits despite rising gas prices. Among those who are adjusting, 27% are cutting back on takeout, and 15% are altering summer travel plans. The data suggests that higher gas prices may lead to reduced visits to fast-food and sit-down restaurants, impacting companies like McDonald's and Southwest Airlines, which are facing revenue challenges due to macroeconomic uncertainties.

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EXCLUSIVE: High Gas Prices Force 50% Of Benzinga Viewers To Cut Spending — See Where