Attitudes towards Casual Dining - UK - April 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Products covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Pressure mounts on the out-of-home sector
Companies and brands
Site numbers in decline
Figure 1: Selected casual dining restaurants in the UK, by outlet numbers, 2016-19
Changes in distribution
Spin-off brands
Dark kitchens
The consumer
Pub restaurants appeal to all ages
Figure 2: Venues visited/ordered from, February 2019
Scope for romantic meals for two
Figure 3: Dining companions for eat-in versus takeaway/delivery occasions, February 2019
Consumers without kids are driving weekday takeaways
Figure 4: Days of the week usage for eat-in versus takeaway occasions, February 2019
More over-45s eat lunches at a casual dining restaurant
Figure 5: Eat-in/takeaway meal occasions, February 2019
Most are drawn to price promotions
Figure 6: Behaviours/interest in casual dining restaurant eat-in activities, February 2019
Younger Millennials drive grab-and-go meals
Figure 7: Behaviours/interest in casual dining restaurant takeaway/delivery activities, February 2019
Casual dining consumers have a strong moral judgement
Figure 8: Eating out attitudes, February 2019
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Tackling the blurring boundaries between dine-in and takeaway
The facts
The implications
Restaurant venues are becoming experiential destinations
The facts
The implications
Restaurants are expected to be accountable for ethical practices
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pressure mounts on the out-of-home sector
Hospitality recruitment is weak
Saving activity is strongest
MARKET DRIVERS
Saving activity is strongest
Figure 9: Trends in what extra money is spent on, June 2017-January 2019
Hospitality recruitment is weak
Figure 10: Occupation, by employment status, October 2015-September 2016 – October 2017-September 2018
Ethical practices are important
Pay
Figure 11: NMW and NLW rates
Tipping
Waste
Calorie content reduction
Sugar reduction targets
Salt reduction targets
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Site numbers in decline
Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group's changes in distribution
Prezzo the least innovative brand of all
Spin-off brands
Dark kitchens: off-site versus in-house
MARKET SHARE
Overview
Figure 12: Selected casual dining restaurants in the UK, by outlet numbers, 2016-19
BRG (Boparan Restaurant Group)
TRG (The Restaurant Group)
Fulham Shore
Turtle Bay
COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES
Refurbishment
Distribution changes
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Drinks-focused restaurants
Co-working spaces
Reservations technology
Feedback marketing
Grab-and-go
Kiosks
Spin-off brands
Figure 13: Example of ZA by PizzaExpress, March 2019
Click-and-collect
Figure 14: Examples of click-and-collect options
Dark kitchens
Off-site
In-house
BRAND RESEARCH
Brand map
Figure 15: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, February 2019
Key brand metrics
Figure 16: Key metrics for selected brands, February 2019
Brand attitudes: JD Wetherspoon is most trusted and offers most value for money
Figure 17: Attitudes, by brand, February 2019
Brand personality: JD Wetherspoon and Pizza Hut on a par as most boring
Figure 18: Brand personality – Macro image, February 2019
Wagamama is most authentic and healthy
Figure 19: Brand personality – Micro image, February 2019
Brand analysis
Wagamama has a premium image despite low participation
Figure 20: User profile of Wagamama, February 2019
Nando’s scores highest in customer satisfaction
Figure 21: User profile of Nando’s, February 2019
Wetherspoon is the most trusted and offers the best value
Figure 22: User profile of Wetherspoon, February 2019
Pizza Hut is the most family-friendly restaurant
Figure 23: User profile of Pizza Hut, February 2019
More needs to be done to improve GBK’s value perceptions
Figure 24: User profile of GBK, February 2019
Prezzo the least innovative brand of all
Figure 25: User profile of Prezzo, February 2019
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
87% of Brits have visited/ordered from casual dining restaurants
Scope for romantic meals for over-45s
Pub restaurants appeal to all ages
Burger/chicken restaurants fail to attract older diners
Consumers without kids are driving weekday takeaways
More over-45s eat lunches at a casual dining restaurant
Potential for bespoke celebratory food and drink packages
Casual dining consumers have a strong moral judgement
OVERALL USAGE
Five in six Brits have visited/ordered from casual dining restaurants
Figure 26: Overall usage of casual dining restaurants, February 2019
More Brits eat in at casual dining restaurants than order takeaway
Figure 27: Overall usage of casual dining restaurants, February 2019
DINING COMPANIONS
While women drive demand for sharing experiences…
Figure 28: Dining companions for eat-in versus takeaway/delivery occasions, February 2019
…more men are eating by themselves
Scope for romantic meals for over-45s
POPULARITY OF CASUAL DINING VENUE TYPES
Pub restaurants appeal to all ages
Figure 29: Venues visited/ordered from, February 2019
Under-45s more likely to visit other restaurant types
British cafés have become hip with under-45s…
Figure 30: Example of a British café – E.Pellicci (London)
…as have ethnic restaurants
EAT-IN VS TAKEAWAY USAGE
Burger/chicken restaurants lose its grip on older diners
Figure 31: Venues visited/ordered from, February 2019
Restaurant diners like to mix it up
Figure 32: Repertoire of types of casual dining venues visited to eat in, February 2019
Takeaway consumers are less adventurous
Figure 33: Repertoire of types of casual dining venues visited to order takeaway, February 2019
DAYS OF THE WEEK USAGE
Weekday takeaway: focus on consumers without kids
Figure 34: Days of the week usage for eat-in versus takeaway occasions, February 2019
Saturday eat-in: focus on young families
Friday takeaway: focus on full-time workers
Figure 35: Days of the week usage for takeaway occasions, by dining companions for takeaway occasions, February 2019
Weekday eat-in: focus on over-45s
Figure 36: Days of the week usage for eat-in occasions, by dining companions for eat-in occasions, February 2019
Friday eat-in: focus on Gen Z
MEAL OCCASIONS
Lunch eat-in: focus on over-45s
Figure 37: Eat-in/takeaway meal occasions, February 2019
Breakfast and dinner eat-in: focus on young professionals
Figure 38: Examples of casual dining breakfast, 2018-19
Figure 39: Eat-in meal occasions, by dining companions for eat-in occasions, February 2019
Breakfast and lunch takeaway: focus on city dwellers
Figure 40: Examples of meal deals, 2019
Figure 41: Takeaway meal occasions, by dining companions for takeaway occasions, February 2019
Dinner takeaway: focus on over-45s
INTEREST IN INNOVATIONS
Most are drawn to price promotions
Figure 42: Behaviours/interest in casual dining restaurant eat-in activities, February 2019
Potential for restaurants to specifically target at celebratory occasions
Figure 43: Behaviours/interest in casual dining restaurant eat-in activities, by dining companions for eat-in occasions, February 2019
Gender differences in innovations – Eat-in
Men drive non-food activities
Figure 44: Coffee Tasting with Curators Coffee, March 2019
Demand for non-food activities across the board
Figure 45: Behaviours/interest in casual dining restaurant eat-in activities, by dining companions for eat-in occasions, February 2019
Men drive digital feedback marketing
Figure 46: Examples of restaurants with test kitchens, 2017
Women interested in money-saving loyalty schemes
Women interested in tailored menus for special events
Generational differences in innovations – takeaway
Figure 47: Behaviours/interest in casual dining restaurant takeaway/delivery activities, February 2019
Younger Millennials drive digital feedback marketing
Younger Millennials drive grab-and-go meals
Younger Millennials drive food delivery to non-home locations
EATING OUT ATTITUDES 
Strong consumer sentiment toward ethical practices
Figure 48: Eating out attitudes, February 2019
Targeting over-45s
Size matters
Health matters
Turning up for their reservation
Quiet please
Make them feel exclusive
Targeting under-45s
Less is more
A third space
Cocktails for working mums – CHAID analysis
Figure 49: Attitudes towards casual dining – CHAID – Tree output, February 2019
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
CHAID Methodology
Figure 50: Attitudes towards casual dining restaurants – CHAID – Table output, February 2019
Figure 50: Attitudes towards casual dining restaurants – CHAID – Table output, February 2019 (cont)