Author: Mintel Group Ltd.
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Families Dining Out - US - September 2014

SCOPE AND THEMES
What you need to know
Definition
Data sources
Mintel Menu Insights
Consumer qualitative research
Consumer survey data
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market drivers
The consumer
Parents believe their family deserves to go out to eat
Figure 1: Top drivers for families dining out, ranked 1st, June 2014
Families are spending more time at home, and less time at restaurants
Figure 2: Increases in dining behavior, June 2014
Figure 3: Decreases in dining behavior, June 2014
Parents expect kids’ meals to include healthful items
Figure 4: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, June 2014
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Restaurants are being utilized for convenience, as well as for special occasions, which can mean limited visits for some families
The issues
The implications
Price remains a barrier for more frequent restaurant visits from families
The issues
The implications
Health remains an issue for families dining out, especially in regard to kids’ meals
The issues
The implications
TREND APPLICATION
Trend: The Nouveau Poor
Trend: Immaterial World
Trend: The Real Thing
MARKET DRIVERS
Key points
Childhood obesity has parents and the country concerned with overall health and eating habits
Price and health are barriers for families dining out
Women in the household are heading up the dining decision for the family
INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATORS
Brands are collaborating with other brands or mediums in order to attract families
Restaurants are opening up their doors to kids, when some restaurants are shutting them out
Helping families eat together
COMPETITIVE CONTEXT
Key points
At-home eating will remain the biggest competitor to families dining out
Healthier foods for home are getting a big marketing push
MARKETING STRATEGIES
Overview
Bigger, better, and bundled deals
Taziki’s Café
Grocery stores
KFC promotes its chicken bucket meals with #HowDoYouKFC campaign
Figure 5: KFC, “Two Free Sides” ad, 2014
Pizza Hut’s Dinner Box meals
Kids LiveWell program at restaurants focuses on healthier, natural foods
Zoës Kitchen takes healthy Mediterranean fare to kids’ meals
The second annual Kids LiveWell Recipe Challenge shows how restaurants can offer kid-friendly foods that are healthy and natural
In the defense of kids’ meals
Applebee’s tiered kids’ menu allows for hundreds of healthy combinations
New York Councilman Ben Kallos seeks to remove free toys and incentives in kids’ meals
Kids grow up too fast, according to McDonald’s new Happy Meal ad
Figure 6: McDonald’s, “All Grown Up” ad, 2014
Restaurants are promoting kids eat free meals in order to entice price-weary parents
KIDS’ MEAL ANALYSIS
Kids’ meals are departing from quick service and casual dining menus and moving to fine dining menus
Figure 7: Kids’ meal incidence on restaurant menus, by restaurant segment, Q2 2011-Q1 2014
Chicken fingers remain the top menued item on kids’ meals, but operators need to think about the big picture in regard to children’s menus
Figure 8: Top 10 menu item dishes on kids’ meal restaurant menus, by incidence, Q2 2011-Q1 2014
Figure 9: Age at which kids outgrow/may outgrow individual kids’ meal items, June 2014
Ingredients included in kids’ meals are not as robust as total menus
Figure 10: Top 20 ingredients in kids’ meals on restaurant menus, by incidence, Q2 2011-Q1 2014
Figure 11: Top 20 ingredients on restaurant menus, by incidence, Q2 2011-Q1 2014
CONSUMER DATA – OVERVIEW
Immediate family members are more likely included in family meals, but when dining out, extended family members are often present
Figure 12: Family members present at in home and away from home meals, June 2014
Families believe that they deserve to go out to eat
Figure 13: Top drivers for families dining out, June 2014
Consumers are sourcing more of their meals to home occasions
Figure 14: Total changes in dining behavior, June 2014
Families with children are concerned about the healthfulness of kids’ meals
Figure 15: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, June 2014
Half of all parents decide where the family eats; restaurants are still an expensive visit for families
Figure 16: General attitudes regarding families dining out, June 2014
CONSUMER DATA – BY GENDER
Key points
Men dine with their families more often compared to women
Women dining with their family use restaurants when it is convenient, while men think about nutrition and the cravings of their kids
The price of restaurant meals is still a deterrent for family visits, but men have increased orders of bundled and healthier meals
Women are concerned about beverage offerings for children, while men are focused on nutrition
Figure 17: Usage of restaurants, by segment, by gender, June 2014
Figure 18: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 1st, by gender, June 2014
Figure 19: Top drivers for families dining out – Any rank, by gender, June 2014
Figure 20: Increases in dining behavior, by gender, June 2014
Figure 21: General attitudes regarding families dining out, by gender, June 2014
Figure 22: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, by gender, June 2014
CONSUMER DATA – BY INCOME
Key points
Extended families are included in meals for consumers with incomes under $50K
Restaurant visits are driven by celebratory reasons for consumers earning $100K+
The price of dining with a family is a factor among all income-based demographics
Natural foods and bigger portion sizes are key attributes for kids’ meals
Kids are interested in ethnic foods
Figure 23: Relatives away from home meals, by household income, June 2014
Figure 24: Top drivers for families dining out – Any rank, by household income, June 2014
Figure 25: Increases in dining behavior, by household income, June 2014
Figure 26: General attitudes regarding families dining out, by household income, June 2014
Figure 27: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, by household income, June 2014
CONSUMER DATA – BY RACE
Key points
Black families look for nutritious meals, while other race families dine out to celebrate
All-natural ingredients and better beverages are top of mind
Parents decide where to dine away from home; bundled meals are popular with Black families
Figure 28: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 1st, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 29: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 30: General attitudes regarding families dining out, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
CONSUMER DATA – BY HISPANIC/NON-HISPANIC
Key points
Hispanic families include extended families when dining
Hispanic families enjoy celebrating milestones and giving into their cravings at restaurants
More meals are prepared at home among Hispanic families, but when they dine out, portions are important
For kids’ meals, healthy options and better beverages are important among Hispanic families
Figure 31: Relatives in home meals, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 32: Relatives away from home meals, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 33: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 1st, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 34: Increases in dining behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 35: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
CONSUMER DATA – BY GENERATION
Key points
Baby Boomers visit restaurants to celebrate with the family, while Generation X and younger consumers use foodservice for convenient meals for the family
Older generations indicate that their kids are ordering regular entrées; Millennials and their families are utilizing deals, delivery, and drive-thru
Older Millennials want healthier foods for their kids
Figure 36: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 1st, by generations, June 2014
Figure 37: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 2nd, by generations, June 2014
Figure 38: Increases in dining behavior, by generations, June 2014
Figure 39: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, by generations, June 2014
CONSUMER DATA – BY PARENTS
Key points
Parents with younger children look to restaurants for quick meals
Parents of younger children are eating more at home; deals and regular-sized entrées are important for older children
Kids’ meal contents matter for parents with children under 4 years old
Figure 40: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 1st, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 41: Top drivers for families dining out – Any rank, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 42: Increases in dining behavior, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 43: Attitudes regarding dining out with the family, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 44: General attitudes regarding families dining out, by parents with children in household, June 2014
APPENDIX – KIDS’ MEALS DATA
Figure 45: Kids’ meal price, by restaurant segment, Q2 2011-Q1 2014
APPENDIX – DATA BY GENDER
Figure 46: Relatives away from home meals, by gender, June 2014
Figure 47: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 2nd, by gender, June 2014
Figure 48: Decreases in dining behavior, by gender, June 2014
APPENDIX – DATA BY INCOME
Figure 49: Usage of restaurants, by segment, by household income, June 2014
Figure 50: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 1st, by household income, June 2014
Figure 51: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked second, by household income, June 2014
Figure 52: Decreases in dining behavior, by household income, June 2014
APPENDIX – DATA BY RACE
Figure 53: Relatives away from home meals, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 54: Usage of restaurants, by segment, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 55: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 2nd, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 56: Increases in dining behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 57: Decreases in dining behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
APPENDIX – DATA BY HISPANICS
Figure 58: Usage of restaurants, by segment, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 59: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 2nd, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 60: Decreases in dining behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
Figure 61: General attitudes regarding families dining out, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2014
APPENDIX – DATA BY GENERATION
Figure 62: Relatives away from home meals, by generations, June 2014
Figure 63: Usage of restaurants, by segment, by generations, June 2014
Figure 64: Decreases in dining behavior, by generations, June 2014
APPENDIX – DATA BY PARENTS
Figure 65: Relatives away from home meals, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 66: Usage of restaurants, by segment, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 67: Top drivers for families dining out – Ranked 2nd, by parents with children in household, June 2014
Figure 68: Decreases in dining behavior, by parents with children in household, June 2014
APPENDIX – TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

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