Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26
- Impact of COVID-19 on fast casual restaurants
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- Figure 2: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on fast casual restaurants, 2021
- Challenges and opportunities
- Fast casual falls short of QSR and casual visitation
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- Figure 3: Restaurant visitation in the past three months, 2021
- Make it easy for Gen Zs, Millennials to stay connected
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- Figure 4: Fast casual restaurant attitudes, by generation, 2021
- Break the mealtime habits
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- Figure 5: Restaurant visitation occasions in the past three months, by generation, 2021
- Enhance the parent experience
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- Figure 6: Interest in fast casual concepts , by parental status, 2021
- Get young adults craving with cuisine exploration
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- Figure 7: Fast casual cuisine interest, by age, 2021
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- LSRs boom post-pandemic
- Fast casual struggles with pandemic fallout
- Supply of food and workers are running low
Market Size and Forecast
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- LSRs expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2021
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26*
- Figure 9: Total US revenues and forecast of limited-service eating places*, at current prices, 2016-26
Market Factors
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- Foodservice faces a worker’s rights reckoning
- Gearing up for another Roaring ’20s
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- Figure 10: COVID-19 Tracker, 2021
- The fast casual identity crisis
- Supply chain fallout
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- Figure 11: Changes in consumer food price indexes, 2020-21
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Digital sales incentivize ongoing digital investment
- Fast casuals blur segment lines
- Off-premise opportunities remain
Competitive Strategies
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- Digital strategies level the competitive landscape
- Comfort foods and quality options
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- Figure 12: Menu innovation, 2020
Market Opportunities
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- Virtual food halls tap experience, value to extend fast casual reach beyond on-premise
- Fast casual favorites can differentiate retail foodservice programs
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- Figure 13: Fast casual innovative concept interest, 2021
- Fast casual menus still have room to go global
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- Figure 14: Cuisine interest, 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Fast casual recovery sluggish
- Show non-parents some love
- Turn a healthy reputation into an experience
- Diversify menus beyond meals
Restaurant Visitation
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- Fast casual recovery sluggish
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- Figure 15: Restaurant visitation in the past three months, 2020-2021
- Premium upgrades can extend the opportunities
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- Figure 16: Restaurant visitation in the past three months, by income level, 2021
- Millennials, parents are the primary fast casual diners
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- Figure 17: Restaurant visitation, fast casual, by key demographics, 2021
- Hispanic consumers are important fast casual diners
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- Figure 18: Restaurant visitation, by Hispanic origin, 2021
Fast Casual Restaurant Occasions
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- Move beyond lunch and dinner to satisfy younger palates, occasions
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- Figure 19: Restaurant visitation occasions in the past three months, by generation, 2021
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- Figure 20: Restaurant visitation occasions in the past three months, by parental status, 2021
Fast Casual Restaurant Occasion Interest
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- Help facilitate the next Roaring ’20s
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- Figure 21: Restaurant occasions interest, by age, 2021
- Draw even more parents in for dinner and drinks, family style
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- Figure 22: Restaurant occasions interest, by parental status, 2021
Fast Casual Restaurant Factors
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- Figure 23: Fast casual restaurant factors – NET any rank, 2021
- Younger generations drive the need for updated convenience
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- Figure 24: Fast casual restaurant factors – NET any rank, by generation, 2021
- Location, cuisine drive non-parent choice
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- Figure 25: Fast casual restaurant factors – NET any rank, by parental status, 2021
- Help Hispanic consumers looking for healthier options
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- Figure 26: Fast casual restaurant factors – NET any rank, by parental status, 2021
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Interest in Fast Casual Restaurant Concepts
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- Tap into the power of retail partnerships
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- Figure 27: Fast casual innovative concept interest, 2021
- Promotions, products, partnerships can build loyalty with parents
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- Figure 28: Fast casual restaurant innovative concept interest, by parental status, 2021
- Increase Gen Z engagement through healthy convenience
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- Figure 29: Fast casual restaurant innovative concept interest, by generation, 2021
Fast Casual Restaurant Cuisine Interest
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- Fast casual fans hungry for more varied tastes
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- Figure 30: Fast casual cuisine interest, 2021
- Young adult palates cravings go beyond mainstream
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- Figure 31: Fast casual cuisine interest, by age, 2021
- Hispanic consumers are hungry for cuisine growth
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- Figure 32: Fast casual cuisine interest, by Hispanic origin, 2021
Fast Casual Restaurant Attitudes
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- Turn a healthy reputation into an experience
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- Figure 33: Fast casual restaurant attitudes, 2021
- Fast casuals can be the third space, and then some
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- Figure 34: Fast casual restaurant attitudes, by generation, 2021
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 35: Total US revenues and forecast of limited-service restaurants*, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
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