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Restaurants Sales at All-Time High as Recession Fades
Americans seem to be fed up with frugality.
As the recession ever so slowly recedes, an increasing number of Americans say they are less frugal than they were a few years ago. At the same time, sales at restaurants are at an all-time high and at least one survey says consumers expect to spend more eating out as soon as their pocketbooks allow. ...
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Five Common Restaurant Facebook Page Mistakes
Facebook is certainly NOT the "end-all, be-all" of online marketing. But, it sure can play an important role.
And, if it's not done well, a poorly managed Facebook page for a restaurant can result in missed opportunity, to say the least. Worst case...it could be providing wrong information or representing the brand in a bad light. ...
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Party of 100? No Problem. Fast-Casual Chains Gobbling Up Catering Biz
Time-Strapped Consumers Are Increasingly Turning to Panera, Others When They Entertain
Throwing a wedding shower? Call Panda Express to cater it.
Fast-casual chains are leading growth in the catering category, which has increased significantly since the recession. Even as pinched consumers slashed their restaurant spending, they invested more in catering -- and not just through local restaurants and delicatessens. Almost a third of consumers now cater through fast-casual chains. ...
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Competition Heats Up in 'Breastaurant' Category
As food franchises fight to stay afloat, there is a post-recession boom for restaurant establishments with added sex appeal.
"Breastaurants" are $1 billion-plus industry, and places like Twin Peaks, the Tilted Kilt, Bone Daddy's and others are in a heated fight to knock the reigning breastaurant king, Hooters, off its throne. ...
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Adult-Only Restaurant Visits on the Rise
While adults are starting to increase their visits to restaurants in the post-recession economy, parties with children are still shying away, The NPD Group finds.
Adult-only restaurant visits increased 1 percent in 2012 -- the first increase in four years -- but visits that included children remained flat for the second consecutive year. ...
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Top 500 Restaurant Chains Show Signs of Recovery
The 500 largest U.S. restaurant chains saw 4.9% sales growth in 2012, a marked improvement over 2011's 3.5% and a growth level not seen since 2007, according to foodservice consultancy Technomic.
Sales for these leading chains grew to an estimated $254 billion last year, up by more than $12 billion versus 2011, shows Technomic's latest annual Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. ...
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Report: Deals Not Driving Restaurant Traffic
Deals and discounts did not drive restaurant traffic in 2012 as much as they did in prior years, and operators need to re-engineer offers to appeal to younger diners, according to research released this week by The NPD Group.
Restaurant visits driven by a deal or discount declined 3 percent for the year ending in December 2012 compared with the prior year, according to Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD's foodservice market research. ...
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What Diners Look for in Family-Style Restaurants
Family dining occasions are naturally a trademark of the family-style segment; in fact, nearly half of parents polled by Technomic (49 percent) visit family-style restaurants at least once a week.
Even though parents and kids may be the primary target audience for family-style restaurants, opportunities exist to boost traffic and sales from other groups, including younger Millennial and Hispanic consumers. ...
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Casual-Dining, Fast-Casual Concepts Stealing Market Share
Fast-casual and casual-dining restaurants appear to be cutting into market share for quick-service and upscale-casual chains, according to a new report from Technomic Inc.
In its "Future of Casual Dining Consumer Trend Report," the market research firm found that 85 percent of consumers surveyed said they eat at fast-casual restaurants at least once a month, and 82 percent reported visiting a traditional casual-dining brand once a month. ...
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Great Food and Service Drive Loyalty to Fast-Casual Restaurants
In a recent survey of restaurant customers in the United States, when it comes to identifying what drives loyalty for restaurants, the most commonly-cited factors in determining which fast-casual restaurant is visited most often are best-tasting food (51%), good service (46%), cleanliness (45%), and highest-quality food (43%). ...
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Lower-Calorie Foods Driving Growth at Major Chains
Among some of the largest restaurant chains in the U.S., lower-calorie foods are increasingly key growth drivers.
That's according to a study released by policy research group Hudson Institute, funded by the Robert Johnson Wood Foundation. In other words, chains that serve more lower-calorie foods and beverages have better business performance. ...
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Research: Restaurant Customers Traded Down in 2012
Point-of-Sale Data from GuestMetrics Reveals Drop in Orders of Entrées, Bottles of Wine
Restaurant customers traded down in 2012 -- from entrées down to appetizers, from bottles of wine down to glasses, and from expensive entrées down to cheaper ones -- according to point-of-sale data analyzed by research firm GuestMetrics LLC.
GuestMetrics analyzed more than 250 million checks at full-service restaurants. During the course of 2012, the number of entrées ordered declined by 1.5 percent, while orders of appetizers and sides grew by 2.8 percent. ...
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Restaurants Counter Payroll Tax Hike with Service Boosts
Operators Feel Pressure to Inspire Loyalty as "Fiscal Cliff" Payroll Tax Increase Threatens Consumer Spending
Somewhat lost in the headlines that the recent legislative resolution to the "fiscal cliff" would permanently freeze income tax rates for households earning less than $450,000 is the fact that a two-year-old payroll tax holiday expired, which operators worry could mean less spending at restaurants.
Yet while many restaurants roll out cyclical promotions related to value, operators said the response to the 2-percent increase in the payroll tax in 2013 should not be a price-focused marketing blitz but renewed efforts to inspire loyalty through customer service. ...
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Why Eat Out?
Technomic Study Identifies Key Consumer Needs That Can Lead to Improved Restaurant Performance
Consumers decide to eat away from home for many different reasons. Maybe they're looking for a fun-filled environment or a family-friendly atmosphere. Or perhaps they crave a favorite menu item or simply a convenient, budget-friendly meal.
Often the decision to eat out stems from more than one reason. ...
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Holiday Parties Mean Extra Business for Restaurants
This Season's Party Bookings Are Seeing a Boost From Marketing Efforts, Customer Sentiment
This holiday party season looks to be a good one for restaurants, with many operators reporting an increase in bookings, in money spent per person, in repeat business, or all three. ...
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Thanksgiving Sales Indicate Strong Holiday Season for Restaurants
Some restaurant chains see the healthy flow of shopping and restaurant traffic during the Thanksgiving weekend as a positive indicator for the holiday season ahead.
The weekend began with strong Thanksgiving Day sales among those promoting holiday feasts for dine-in or take-out, operators said last week.
"Strong results for Thanksgiving usually provide an indication of a better-than-average December," said George Michel, chief executive of Boston Market. ...
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The Fifth Meal
The breakfast and post-dinner dayparts have proved to be successful business extensions for many fast casual and quick service restaurants the last few years.
Now, some operators are testing another daypart: brunch. ...
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Study: Subway, Wendy's Among QSRs Likely to Lure Casual-Dining Customers
Since the start of the Great Recession, limited-service restaurants have sought to entice casual-dining customers to trade down to their quick-service and fast-casual offerings, and a new report from YouGov BrandIndex has found that several limited-service brands are positioning themselves to successfully lure those guests away. ...
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Refranchising Gets Hot Again in the Restaurant Industry
Once-struggling restaurant chains like Arby's and Sizzler are building a new face for customers and pitching a new opportunity to successful franchisees through a process called refranchising.
As franchisors look to expand while slashing expenses and paying off debt, several brands in the restaurant industry are resorting to selling off corporate-owned stores to franchisees with the capital to give the neglected stores a boost. ...
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Consumers Trading Down from Fine Dining to Quick Service
Consumer Edge Insight Research Shows Some Cautious Customers are Skipping over Casual-Dining Options
Casual-dining chains may be missing an opportunity to capture patrons of fine-dining restaurants who are looking to cut back on spending, according to new consumer research by consulting firm Consumer Edge Insight. ...
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Differences Blurring Between Fast and Fast Casual
Limited-service restaurants (LSRs) are the driving force behind the commercial foodservice industry, according to a recent Technomic report.
LSRs account for more than half ($200 billion) of total industry sales despite their low check averages in comparison to full-service restaurants. ...
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How, When and Where America Eats
American mealtime habits are as diverse as the cultures that comprise the nation. Americans eat in their cars and at their dining tables; alone and with groups of friends and family; and early in the morning and late into the night.
Despite the diversity of American mealtime tendencies, food industry players still have many opportunities to target a wide range of consumers in a nation that remains united on three "inalienable" food principles: health, convenience and variety. ...
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Big Chain Restaurant Trends: Hot Menu Items, Hot Marketing Strategies
In recent years, the rise of better burger franchises and fast-casual chains such as Panera Bread and Chipotle has put pressure on sit-down chain restaurants and classic fast food joints alike.
As the competition for diner dollars evolves, here are some of the trends shaping the increasingly crowded marketplace. ...
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Chicken Surpassing Beef on U.S. Menus
Cows may be able to relax a little, but chickens should get nervous. New research from Mintel Menu Insights shows that chicken has grown in popularity in the foodservice scene, and is expected to continue growing as the beef industry faces bad press related to "pink slime" and a recent case of mad cow disease in California. ...
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Consumers Shift Restaurant Spending
After years of trading down to limited-service restaurants as a result of the recession, consumers appear to be ramping up their spending on casual dining, according to a new market research report.
For its Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, Dectiva asked diners where they were spending their money across the restaurant landscape, from limited service -- which includes quick-service and fast-casual players -- to casual and fine dining. ...
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Fast-Casual Brands Outpace Restaurant Industry Growth
Sales and unit growth at the country's largest fast-casual chains continue to outpace that for the overall restaurant industry, according to the latest Fast-Casual Top 150 Chain Restaurant Report from Technomic.
The Chicago-based industry research firm found that the 150 largest fast-casual brands combined to grow their sales 8.4 percent to $21.5 billion in 2011, compared with a year earlier. That rate of growth increased from a 6.6-percent gain in 2010. ...
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Factors Beyond Food Attract Millennial Diners
Restaurants have a huge opportunity to market to Millennials, generally encompassing all consumers aged 18 to 34 years old, but they must be prepared to appeal to younger diners with more than just food, according to new research from industry consultant Technomic.
The Chicago-based firm found that while Millennials are frequent restaurant guests, their loyalty to foodservice brands stems from not only their love of the food, but also from their perceptions of a restaurant's social responsibility and community involvement. ...
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The Restaurant Customers of Tomorrow
Three areas of the population -- those older than 55, kids under 11 and Hispanics -- offer extensive opportunities for sales growth in restaurants, an expert told attendees at the Research Chefs Association's recent 12th annual conference and exposition.
Trend watcher Liz Sloan, president of Escondido, Calif.-based Sloan Trends Inc., said that those demographics are showing growth in per capita spending and the potential for increasing foodservice sales. ...
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Annual Report Details Signs of Improvement in Chain Restaurant Growth Rates
The 500 largest U.S. restaurant chains registered a 3.4 percent annual sales increase in 2011, a sharp improvement over 1.8 percent the prior year.
According to data released last week by Technomic Inc. in its annual reporting on the top U.S. restaurant chains, the foodservice consultancy found that U.S. systemwide sales for the Top 500 chains grew to an estimated $242 billion in 2011, up more than $8 billion over 2010. ...
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Fast-Casual Segment Influences Restaurant Industry
Growth in the fast-casual sector is having a deep impact on the restaurant industry as operators in other segments try to imitate its successful strategies, the NPD Group said last week.
Fast-casual restaurant chains grew their unit counts by double digits over the last three years, according to NPD's Recount, a biannual census of restaurant unit counts. ...
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Super Bowl: Food Sellers Look to Run Up the Score
Catching up to Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July and Memorial Day, Super Bowl Sunday has become yet another day when Americans take a break from the call for healthy eating.
According to a survey by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA), 71.3 percent of respondents plan to buy food and beverages for game day, dwarfing the spending planned on team apparel or accessories (8.6 percent), decorations (6.4 percent), and furniture or a new entertainment center (2.4 percent). ...
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Top Growth Opportunities for Restaurants
NPD Report Shows Healthful Menu Options, Demands from Growing, Diverse Consumer Groups Will Drive Industry
Shifting consumer preferences for more healthful menu choices and changing demographics will shape the restaurant industry's growth in the year ahead, according to a new report from The NPD Group. ...
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Restaurant Operators Expect Better Sales, Profits in 2012
Survey Respondents Also Predict an Increase in Menu Prices
Restaurant operators are concerned about commodity costs and stalled consumer spending, but optimistically expect sales and profits in 2012 to beat last year's levels, according to an exclusive survey from Nation's Restaurant News. ...
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Top Restaurant Marketing Trends for 2012
Marketing Agency Predicts Ways to Tap 'Influencers' to Drive Traffic
With the battle for market share expected to get even tougher next year, restaurant operators will have to be smarter in how they target "influencers" -- people others turn to for restaurant advice -- to drive traffic.
So says Carin Galletta Oliver, president of the San Francisco-based world-of-mouth marketing agency Ink Foundry, who predicts six restaurant marketing trends for 2012 -- plus one trend she contends restaurant operators should rethink in the new year. ...
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Restaurants Will Benefit From New Year's Celebrants
An estimated 100 million Americans will ring in the New Year either by visiting a restaurant or bar or by ordering takeout or delivery from a foodservice establishment, according to a study released last week by the National Restaurant Association.
In addition, the study found that half of all adults are planning to celebrate the holidays by dining out with family or friends over the next couple of weeks. ...
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Breakfast Opportunities Increasing for Quick-Service Providers
Consumers want morning meal options that are healthful and convenient, a market research report said this week.
The breakfast daypart has been growing steadily in recent years and now accounts for about 12 percent of total restaurant industry sales, generating about $42 billion annually, according to the 2011 "Breakfast Consumer Trend Report" by Chicago-based Technomic Inc. ...
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Restaurant Industry Donates $3 Billion Annually
As part of its ongoing campaign to tell the story of America's restaurants, the National Restaurant Association has unveiled its latest "America Works Here" advertisement highlighting the industry's commitment to local communities through charitable giving. ...
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Restaurants Should Have Reason to Celebrate the Holidays
As businesses gear up for the holiday spending season, restaurant sales for the next few months are looking up.
Although most restaurants typically don't generate a disproportionate percentage of annual sales during the fourth-quarter holiday season -- typically around 27 percent of full year sales, according to analysts at Barclays Capital -- this year chains across all segments are expecting to see a boost in sales. ...
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Analyst: Innovation and Pricing Key for Restaurants in 2012
The recovery from the recession may have stalled in 2011, but there will be ways for innovative restaurant operators to gain market share during the coming year, said Warren Solochek, vice president of client development for The NPD Group.
Solochek discussed the state of the restaurant industry during a recent webinar, "A Look Back at 2011 and a Look Ahead to 2012." John Glass, restaurant industry analyst for Morgan Stanley & Co., hosted the event. ...
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Happy Hours Branch Out
Stretching a time-honored promotional gambit to new limits, some restaurant operators are getting creative with happy hour.
They're switching up the times when they offer special deals, focusing on products they're proud of, and otherwise reinventing this longstanding tradition. The reward is an influx of new, good customers and higher sales at formerly slow times. ...
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Restaurant Operators Adapt to New Dayparts
Linner. Brinner. Slunch.
Pre-ssert. Happy hour. Late-night.
Those are just some of the nontraditional meal dayparts that are growing fastest, according to Nancy Kruse, president of The Kruse Co. and moderator of a "Menu Hot Spots" panel during Nation's Restaurant News' recent Menu Trends & Directions conference. ...
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Customers Remain Loyal to Independent Restaurants
Independent restaurant operators may face a tough road these days, but they may have one advantage over chain restaurants: many consumers prefer them.
According to a report from market research firm Mintel Group, 43 percent of American consumers who have visited an independent restaurant in the past month said they make a point of seeking them out over chains. ...
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Lunch is Most Popular Daypart, But Habits Vary by Generation
Lunch remains the most popular time for patronizing restaurants, recent consumer research shows, but restaurants need to reach a diverse dining-out audience in different ways.
The first "Dining Out" study from group-buying service LivingSocial, released last week, found that consumers eat out at the midday meal more than at any other time.
The survey of 4,000 consumers in the United States found that, on average, Americans eat 2.6 meals at restaurants per week at lunchtime, compared with 1.4 average weekly sit-down dinners and 0.8 average weekly breakfast or brunch visits. ...
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Office-Based Breakfast and Dinner Catering Growing
Restaurants are finding more opportunities to cater breakfast and dinner at offices, new research from Technomic Inc. finds.
The Chicago-based market research firm reported in an update to its "Large Orders Off-Premise," or LOOP, study, that 19 percent of the 1,200 business and medical office managers surveyed ordered breakfast catering at least once a week, compared with 13 percent in 2007. Dinnertime catering orders have increased more during that period, rising from 18 percent in 2007 to 26 percent this year. ...
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Millennial Generation's Diversity Will Shape Foodservice
The Millennial generation -- 52 million people between the ages of 18 and 29, many of whom love to eat out -- continues to be a crucial demographic for the restaurant industry to serve.
But according to The NPD Group's "Reaching the Millennial Generation" report, immigration will cause this group to grow and become even more diverse in the next 10 years, necessitating greater menu variety at restaurants than ever before. ...
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Consumers Returning to Restaurants for Dinner Daypart
Consumers are slowly returning to restaurants for dinner after more than three years of declining guest visits for an evening meal, according to new findings from market research firm The NPD Group.
Since the recession's beginning in 2007, dinner traffic had been falling, especially at casual-dining restaurants. But NPD said last week that total visits have turned positive in the past three quarters. ...
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Don't Call It a Recovery for Restaurants, Yet
Outlook Not as Bright as Expected, but Opportunities for Growth, Differentiation Exist
Both restaurants and the consumers they serve have yet to feel the economic recovery many had expected, according to data and analysis from the research firm Technomic Inc., which presented new research last week at its 2011 Trends & Directions conference in Chicago. ...
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Billion-Dollar Boys' Club
Restaurants That Woo Men with Attractive Waitresses, Big Beer Selections & Giant TVs are Winning Loyal Customers -- and Raking in Revenues
Franchises inspired by the Hooters model -- such as Celtic-themed sports bar chain Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery and faux mountain sports lodge chain Twin Peaks -- have expanded rapidly over the last half decade, while corporate-owned chains like Brick House Tavern + Tap and Bone Daddy's House of Smoke are picking up steam regionally.
In fact, for the next couple of years, this segment (often referred to as "breastaurants") is poised to be one of the fastest-growing restaurant categories. ...
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Survey: Gas Prices Have Yet to Hurt Restaurant Sales
Rising gas prices, an increasingly-cited concern among restaurant operators, have yet to significantly impact sales, according to a recent survey.
The U.S. average price of regular gasoline was $3.93 per gallon during the middle of last week, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge report, up nearly $1.07 from the $2.86 a gallon a year ago. Restaurant executives have worried that these higher prices at the pump would put a damper on consumer spending.
However, most respondents to a survey conducted by Robert W. Baird & Co. reported high fuel costs had little to no effect on April sales, and the firm is projecting improving sales trends for May. ...
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Study Concludes That Recession Has Changed Long-Term Dining-Out Habits
The Great Recession officially has been over since June 2009, but the effects of that downturn and the slow economic recovery have altered the dining-out habits of consumers -- even affluent, optimistic ones -- for years to come, according to a study by The NPD Group.
The market research firm's recently released report, "The Changing Consumer Mind-set: What it Means to the Restaurant Industry," found that following the recession that began in 2007, restaurant customers now are divided into two groups: those who can spend freely and a much greater number of those who cannot. ...
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Restaurant Industry Has Long Road to Recovery
Product Innovation, Not Rapid Growth, Vital to Rebuilding Traffic, NPD Says
The restaurant industry is well on its way to recovery, but it has yet to rebuild traffic to pre-recession levels, according to The NPD Group, which said further gains will be spurred by product innovation, unit redesigns and a move away from discounting. ...
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The Fastest-Growing Restaurant Brands
Five Guys Burgers and Fries was the fastest-growing restaurant chain in 2010, a year marked by a return to sales growth by the nation's biggest brands, according to market research firm Technomic Inc.
Systemwide sales at the 500 largest chains in the United States rose 1.8% to $234 billion in 2010, after falling 0.8% to $230 billion in 2009, the firm found in its annual Technomic Top 500 report. ...
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Fast Casual Restaurants Poised for Further Growth
While the deep recession and grindingly slow recovery have battered many in the restaurant industry, leading fast-casual chains like Chipotle, Five Guys and Panera thrived during that period, says new research from The NPD Group.
The Port Washington, N.Y.-based research firm found that customer counts at the nation's largest fast-casual concepts rose 17 percent over the past three years, logging traffic gains of 7 percent in 2008, 4 percent in 2009 and 6 percent in 2010. ...
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Restaurants Score During March Madness
Survey Shows How Guests Choose Bars and Restaurants for Sports Viewing
March Madness, the annual men's and women's college basketball tournament to decide the national championship, can be a slam dunk for restaurateurs.
New research conducted by the National Restaurant Association said 20 percent of American adults expect to involve restaurants and bars in their March Madness plans this year. ...
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Restaurants Ready to Grow Again
Looking to take advantage of attractive rents, hit markets with lower-than-average unemployment rates and develop larger brand footprints, restaurant chains, especially those in the burger and Asian segments, are set up for growth in 2011. ...
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Customers Rank Top QSR Chains
New Survey Shows Regional Brands Top List
Regional quick-service chains once again scored highly in the Quick-Track Awards of Excellence, a consumer satisfaction survey by Sandelman & Associates released last week.
The fast-casual Mexican chain Café Rio Mexican Grill won the top rating for overall excellence in 2010. According to Sandelman, 67 percent of the Salt Lake City-based Café Rio's customers rated the chain as "excellent overall" based on their most recent visit. ...
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Things Are Looking Up for the Restaurant Industry
After a three-plus-year lull influenced by the Great Recession, the restaurant industry is expected to boomerang back to positive growth numbers in 2011. Research released this week by the National Restaurant Association predicts a record $604 billion in sales this year, an increase of 3.6 percent over 2010, or 1.1 percent in inflation-adjusted terms. ...
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Survey: Restaurant Customers Still Focused on Price
Menu prices will pose a dilemma for restaurants this year as operators struggle with rising commodity costs and consumers who remain focused on value, according to a new study by AlixPartners LLP.
In the turnaround firm's survey of 1,000 consumers in December, respondents said they expect to spend 5 percent less on each meal at restaurants this year, or an average of $12.90 per meal versus $13.60 last year. ...
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Restaurants Not Afraid of the Cold
Now that the feast-heavy holidays are over and Old Man Winter has arrived over much of the country, restaurants will use special promotions, gift cards, and even a reduction in customers' taxes to help heat up first-quarter sales. ...
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Modest Recovery Predicted for Restaurant Business
The NPD Group is forecasting a modest recovery in restaurant traffic, with 1-percent gains expected in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of next year. However, the firm's researchers say that until the national unemployment rate exhibits meaningful downward movement, a more robust turnaround remains a long way off. ...
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Food and Drink Tickets More Expensive in 2010
Although Americans' wallets may feel thinner because of the recession, consumers are apparently willing to spend almost a dollar more on lunch. A new study from Intellaprice, a pricing research firm serving the restaurant and beverage industries, concluded that most food items were more expensive in 2010 compared to 2009. ...
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Restaurants Offering Deals for Holiday Parties
Despite the economic Grinch threatening to steal corporate party business as it has over the past two holiday seasons, a number of operators say early incentive efforts have been helping them boost sales over last year. ...
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Restaurants Not Jolly About Christmas Weekend
Many Operators Fear Lost Sales Because of the Holiday's Timing
Ben Benson didn't need to look at a calendar to know Christmas 2010 was going to be on a Saturday. Everything seemed to go wrong this year. The economic recovery didn't happen, the hot New York summer kept him from getting much use of his patio. Why would he expect Christmas to fall on any day of the week but the worst one?
"For the first time in 28 years, we'll be open on Christmas and New Year's," said the owner of Ben Benson's Steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan. ...
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11 Restaurant Industry Trends to Watch For in 2011
Restaurant operators can't be certain about much for 2011, as recent improvements in guest traffic, same-store sales and hiring are far from guaranteed to continue. About the only thing they can expect as they hope for traction in the economy's wobbly recovery is that the industry will continue to look different than it does today.
In forecasting what changes may lie ahead, Chicago-based market research firm Technomic Inc. identified 11 restaurant industry trends for next year. ...
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Families Return to Restaurants
Families with kids visited restaurants in slightly greater numbers this summer, ending a three-year downward trend, the NPD Group said last week.
For the August-ended quarter, restaurant visits by parties with kids increased 1 percent over the year-ago period, according to the NPD Group's data. ...
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Restaurant Franchises Try Truckin' as a Way to Grow
Food franchises are taking to the road.
A small but growing number of chains -- such as Cousins Submarines Inc., Tasti D-Lite LLC and Toppers Pizza Inc. -- are following in the tire tracks of those local food-truck businesses popping up on city streets around the U.S. Many brick-and-mortar eateries have added mobile units in recent years, and more are expected to do the same, including national brands. ...
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Taking a Look at 2011 Restaurant Trends
Pies Top List; Mini Plates, Fried Vegetables Also Predicted to be Popular Menu Items
Pies, both sweet and savory, will be the top restaurant trend in 2011, a California consultancy predicts.
Andrew Freeman, whose Andrew Freeman & Co. of San Francisco consults on marketing for restaurants and hotels nationwide, detailed some top trends in a webinar last week. ...
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Analysts: Prepare For Higher Food Costs
As the economy shows signs of improvement and restaurant traffic begins to rebound, operators may face higher food costs in 2011 and will need to mitigate those increased expenses without hurting customer visits, according to industry analysts. ...
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