• Not wanting to cook is one of the key reasons for eating out
• Average spend on dining out (including drinks) rises to £12.69
• Money-off vouchers not a big influence on choice of venue
• Pub restaurants prove the most popular place to dine out
Consumers have cut back on the number of times they dine out, but despite the on-going economic gloom the British still love eating out and do so at least once every couple of weeks.
In a new QuickBite survey on eating out habits 70% of consumers say they had eaten out* at least once in the previous two weeks with 48% doing so at least twice. Some 32% of respondents considered it more convenient to eat out and 25% said they would rather not prepare food at home.
Over a quarter (28%) of consumers who have eaten out in the last two weeks say they did so to be sociable, 23% did so for a special occasion and 17% because it represented good value for money.
The survey, commissioned by foodservice consultancy Horizons, quizzed over 1,400 people about their eating out habits in the last two weeks. The results reveal that while consumers still dine out regularly, there has been a 26% year-on-year decline in the number of times people eat out. On average consumers now eat out just once a week compared with last year** when they were eating out 1.4 times a week (June 2010).
“The results of the survey demonstrate that while consumers may have cut back on their eating out spend, it is still a very strong habit for reasons of convenience, sociability and value for money. The fact diners are still eating out at least once a week demonstrates that eating out is entrenched in our way of life and is no longer necessarily seen as a treat,” commented Emma Read, director of marketing and business development at Horizons.
While 70% of people eat out at least once every two weeks, 28% do so more than twice and 11% ate out three times in the previous two weeks. Some 2% of respondents admit to eating out six times in the past two weeks.
Nor is the choice of dining venue dependent on clever marketing or money-off vouchers. A third (31%) of consumers said they chose a venue out of habit and 22% said their choice was spontaneous rather than planned.
Recommendation was the main factor in choosing a venue for 14% of consumers, while 11% were influenced by vouchers or special offers.
“This is an important finding for those operators currently caught in a price war of money-off vouchers and special offers. While 11% of respondents to our survey were influenced by offers, loyalty to a particular venue and recommendations seem more important in their choice of venue,” added Read.
Reflecting a rise in food prices the QuickBite survey found that consumer spending on eating out had risen 9% year-on-year** with an average meal in the last two weeks now costing £12.69 (including drinks) up from £11.53 in last year’s QuickBite survey. Men were more likely to spend more than women at £13.77 per head compared to £11.70 although 18% of consumers spend a fiver or less on a meal out. At the other end of the scale 8% of consumers spend up to £25 when they eat out.
Pub restaurants proved to be the most popular places to eat with almost a fifth of respondents choosing to dine out in pubs. Takeaways and home delivery were the second most popular choices, with quick service restaurants and Indian and Chinese restaurants coming equal third.
The younger generation eats out most often, with 82% of 18-24 year olds eating out at least once in the previous two weeks, spending an average of £12.67. However, it is the 25-34 year old age group that spends the most per head at £13.35 with 74% of this age group eating out at least once in the previous two weeks.
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*Eating out is defined as food prepared away from home, including fast food, takeaways, food eaten in restaurants, hotels and meals in a work canteen; but excluding crisps and confectionery, and meals eaten in other people’s homes.
**QuickBite survey 2010
For more details or comment please contact Linda Pettit at Tilburstow Media Partners on 01737 823721 /07973 789853 or email press@horizonsforsuccess.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Horizons helps its clients make better business decisions by providing accurate and detailed information about the foodservice market, its trends, and opportunities. The company provides consultancy services, workshops and statistical information based on its model of the sector and database of key accounts across Europe.
Please note: All figures in this survey, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1999 adults, of which 1,424 have eaten out in the last two weeks. Fieldwork was undertaken 8-11 July 2011. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
Website: www.horizonsforsuccess.com
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