The Foodservice Landscape in the U.S.: Restaurant Industry and Consumer Trends, Momentum and Migration

Published: May 1, 2010 - 209 Pages

Chapter 1: Executive Summary: Scope and Methodology; Macroeconomic summary; Consumer Outlook Tracker; Consumer Restaurant Spend Tracker; Share of Stomach: Sales Analysis; Health, budgeting and technology; Menu regulation; Restaurant & menu selection influencers; Restaurant & menu selection influencers: Restaurant attributes and recommendations; Restaurant & menu selection influencers: Restaurant and menu discounts & incentives; Share of Stomach: day part analysis; Psychographic groups: Budgeters, Health Seekers, and Big Eaters; Brand Analysis: selected insights
Chapter 2: Restaurant Macroeconomic Analysis: Consumers’ heavy burden will not lift soon; Food at home gains pricing edge
Chapter 3: Consumer Restaurant Outlook: Consumers’ burden will not lift soon: 2534s with $50K+ HH show promise
Chapter 4: Consumer Restaurant Usage & Spend Tracker: Triple threat: declining guest counts, guest checks, and sales
Chapter 5: Share of Stomach: Sales Analysis: Restaurant Performance Index on upswing but still exhibits contraction; Quarterly same-store sales comparisons, by brand and restaurant segment; Guest traffic count and frequency comparisons, 2007-09
Chapter 6: Health, Budgeting & Technology: Consumer Analysis: Note on reading charts; Consumer food, health and budgeting attitudes suggest challenge and opportunity; Graph 6-1: Food and Health Attitudes, February-March 2010, by HH Income; Graph 6-2: Food and Health Attitudes, February-March 2010, by Age; Graph 6-3: Food and Health Attitudes, February-March 2010, by HH Income; Appendix: Consumer Survey
Chapter 7: Health and Menu Regulation: A healthful America: whether we like it or not; Don’t forget: It’s about money; Graph 7-1: Prevalence of Adult Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity, 1988-2006; Graph 7-2: Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents, 1988-2006; Why pick on restaurants?; February 2010 report weighs impact of food away from home on diet quality; How to address menu labeling
Chapter 8: Restaurant & Menu Selection Influencers: an Overview: Convenience and familiarity more apt to influence decision than discounts
Chapter 9: Restaurant Selection Analysis: Attributes, Recommendations & Other Preferences: Practical but memorable, with a twist
Chapter 10: Discounting & Incentives, Food Attributes, and Menu Attributes: Influence of discounts and incentives on consumers; Yes, food matters; Menu item strategies that incent selection; Menu pricing strategy a top priority; Loyalty/rewards programs to pick up steam; Gift card programs expand; we see an oversaturated market ahead
Chapter 11: Day Part & Ordering Behavior Trend Analysis: Breakfast activity belies industry sales impact; Dinner ordering behavior: two menu items per person is the norm; Day part trends
Chapter 12: Psychographic Profile Analysis: Meet the psychographic groups
Chapter 13: Restaurant Brand Analysis: Recession response; McDonald’s Corporation; Burger King Holdings, Inc.; Wendy’s; Domino’s Pizza, Inc; Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.; Panera Bread Company; Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.; Denny’s Corporation; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; The Cheesecake Factory; Darden Restaurants, Inc.; Ruth’s Chris Steak House; Appendix on food lifestyle segmentation charts

Abstract

On the heels of more than two years of recession, the foodservice industry continues to feel the results of discretionary spending pullbacks, and while it has worked margin miracles, must nevertheless work its way out of a triple threat: declining guest traffic, declining average check, and declines sales. Going forward, foodservice operators across all segments will need a walk the fine line by balancing incentives and discounts with added value and brand enhancement, working toward weaning consumers from the downward spiral of price shopping.

The U.S. Foodservice Landscape 2010: Restaurant Industry and Consumer Trend Momentum and Migration provides unique insights into consumers’ evolving relationship with the foodservice industry, helping restaurant operators position their brands—and menus—accordingly. Highlights of the study include 1) directional consumer behavioral and attitude analysis via Packaged Facts’ proprietary Consumer Restaurant Outlook Tracker, which identifies the consumers who will lead near-term foodservice growth; 2) Via its Consumer Restaurant Usage and Spend Tracker, unique analysis of meal usage by restaurant type, party size, and party spend, to help target consumers who can bring in higher guest check averages; 3) Share of Stomach sales analysis that trends foodservice sales by segment against its retail counterpart, and provides quarterly same-store comparable trends and guest traffic frequency trends for more than 50 restaurant brands by segment—all of which provide a thorough sense of where the industry is heading; and 4) current and future menu pricing strategies and detailed consumer brand affiliations, to provide competitive insight.

Woven throughout U.S. Foodservice Landscape 2010, readers will also find granular consumer insight provided via “consumer drilldowns” that shed insight on a host of pertinent guest traffic and incenting themes. Themes addressed include the degree to which healthy and new menu items influence choosing a restaurant versus choosing a menu item; the benefits of positioning gift cards & loyalty programs to healthy eaters and online order placers; targeting party spend by budget and health attitudes; and psychographic analyses of male and female Budgeters, Health Seekers, and Big Eaters.

While the report forecasts foodservice industry sales in detail through 2012, simply put, the restaurant industry will face sales challenges through the reporting period. In an environment where growth—even stasis—means taking share, knowing where menu pricing trends, sales trends, menu selection trends, and convenience trends are going is paramount. This new foodservice report provides needed consultation on these themes, helping industry participants what position restaurant menus and services for tomorrow’s consumer.

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Data Methodology

Our methodology rests on a balance of data-centric expertise and holistic understanding, maximizing accuracy and depth of analysis. Report data is derived from thorough analysis of a host of sources, including the following:

Proprietary company interviews
Proprietary consumer surveys
The Experian Simmons National Consumer Study
The U.S. Census Bureau
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Retail Trade Survey
Company presentations
Trade associations and trade magazines
Academic journals
Industry conferences
Restaurant menus

Coverage areas

In addition to supporting analysis (such as an introduction, an executive summary, and terms & definitions), U.S. Foodservice Landscape 2010 covers the following major topics. Please note that the final published version of this report may contain addition information. Charts/graphs, as well as major header topics, are included.

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The Foodservice Landscape in the U.S.: Restaurant Industry and Consumer Trends, Momentum and Migration

Table of Contents

Abstract

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