CONSUMER TRENDS
In a takeout world, some dine-in benefits still matter Consumers may be getting their food to-go more often, but they still demand music and free Wi-Fi. They also want their restaurants to be innovative, sustainable and provide good value.
who say music selection is important increased from 43% in 2022 to 50% this year. Free WiFi increased to 45% from 41%. “It’s all about takeout and off- premise these days, but those are on-premise elements,” Robert Byrne, director of consumer insights for Technomic, said at the National Restaurant Association Show. “Consumers still want on-premise elements that are enhanced when they go out to eat.” The survey can help explain certain strategies at chains like Starbucks, which gets most of its visits now through drive-thru and mobile order but has focused as much on the in-store experience since the arrival of CEO Brian Niccol last year. Byrne was talking during a session on strategies for winning in a tough environment. The session
was moderated by Technomic Managing Principal Joe Pawlak, and also featured Foodservice Director Editor-in-Chief Tara Fitzpatrick along with Nation’s Restaurant News Executive Editor Alicia Kelso. The restaurant industry has been “pretty sluggish” for the past 15 months or so, Pawlak noted. Total chain sales rose 3% last year, meaning the industry lost customers after accounting for menu price increases and unit growth. Costs are going up. The industry has seen a rash of bankruptcies. This year, weather hurt sales further. And talk of tariffs have hurt consumer sentiment. “The whole uncertainty around tariffs from a consumer standpoint has really spooked them,” Pawlak said. When consumer sentiment declines, he added, “that makes consumers think about spending more judiciously”
BY JONATHAN MAZE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RESTAURANT BUSINESS
N early three-quarters of the time consumers get food from a restaurant, they are consuming the food somewhere else, be it in their car or at home or at work or on a picnic table in a park. But that doesn’t mean they’re not concerned about what the restaurant gives them when they do decide to stay. To wit: According to consumer data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic, two notable items consumers say they want more of are music and free Wi-Fi. The percentage of consumers
Chili’s proved that casual-dining restaurants can succeed on value. | Photo: Shutterstock
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