CHICAGO – More than 40% of
consumers say they are loyal to their favorite restaurants and will go there
whether or not the establishment has a promotion, reports The NPD Group.
Although there are still over one-third of consumers looking for bargains when
choosing a restaurant, this large group of “loyal” restaurant consumers defines
value as more than price, according to a recently released NPD foodservice
report.
Quality is a key driver
for the “loyalist” restaurant consumers and quality remains the most important
value driver for most consumers when choosing restaurants, even bargain hunters
want quality for the price, according to the NPD report entitled “Defining
Value Today: How Consumers Choose to Eat Out.” The report finds that in
addition to loyalists and deal/price seekers among the other consumer segments
identified are those that look for quantity of food.
“Consumers choosing where
to dine is subject to some of the same pricing and deal pressures as other
retail categories, but there remains large segments of the population for whom
“value” is much more than the lowest prices,” said Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant
industry analyst, in a press release. “Given this, operators will want to
execute different marketing campaigns to appeal to a broad base, while
remaining relevant to those seeking out the lowest price and best deals.”