After a strong 2023, in which the National Restaurateurs Association forecasts over $1 trillion in sales in a yr. With expected sales will increase by 5.4% compared to 2023, the industry’s revenues will significantly exceed inflation.
Maybe you are an entrepreneur in the restaurant game. You could also be considering it. Or possibly you are just someone like us at StartupNation who likes to eat. But consumer research provides some intriguing data about who drives that revenue and how Americans eat out today.
The data and intelligence platform uses surveys and cell phone location data Near We have compiled a list of the three most significant trends in quick service restaurants over recent years.
The findings provide insightful knowledge for restaurant entrepreneurs and seekers franchise opportunities.
- There shall be loads of takeaway and delivery options.
- Loyalty programs are more essential than ever.
- Generational differences are becoming more and more visible.
The excellent news for the industry is that folks are eating out again, almost as often as before the Covid-19 pandemic: now 9.1 times a month compared to 9.7 times before the pandemic, according to the survey results.
So what are these guys looking for?
Well, takeout and delivery, no wonder. People now expect these services to be widely available.
However, according to customers who plan to dine there, they now expect more from the experience Near study.
Eating out has grow to be more of an either/or selection. Either it is fast and convenient, with many selections, or it is more of an experience, with more complete service, more atmosphere and “different personalized, human touches”.
The report shows that some restaurants are successfully adapting to trends. They are investing in loyalty programs, digital technologies resembling mobile apps, and solutions that convert indoor space into more outdoor space and reorganize foot traffic for more efficient pickup and delivery.
The report is calling Chick-fil-Aamong others, as particularly effective in beating the competition by combining “a positive dine-in experience, seamless customer service and a first-class mobile app ordering system.”
When it comes to generational divisions, they are deepening:
- Guests over 44 years of age value the traditional waiter service experience much more (83%) than guests aged 18-44 (59%)
- Younger guests are more receptive to the QR code/kiosk ordering system than older guests, although few in either age group actually enjoy the experience
- A restaurant’s presence on a delivery app is more essential to younger diners
- In turn, restaurant loyalty programs are much more essential for younger customers, who on average join for 4 loyalty programs.
“There is no longer one single dining experience,” the report concludes. “The most successful restaurants over the last few years are simply those that know their customers best.”