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Eating Out: The Decision Making Process - UK - August 2018

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Products covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Confidence holding up but many remain cautious
Rising costs remain a huge concern
Low unemployment could boost eating OOH
‘One You’ campaign likely to boost healthier choices
Companies and brands
Brands setting an ethical example
New on menus - lighter dishes or snacks
New retail opportunities
Promotions that drive re-visits
The consumer
More Brits eat in at a restaurant than order a takeaway
Figure 1: Participation in eating out, May 2018
Frequent takeaways on a par with frequent restaurant visits
Figure 2: Frequency of eating out, May 2018
Retirees unfazed by spending squeeze
Figure 3: Changes in frequency of eating out-of-home, May 2018
Reformulating recipes to improve diets
Figure 4: Healthy factors to encourage usage, May 2018
Too expensive for most
Figure 5: Attitudes towards eating out, May 2018
Opportunities to target over-45s and rare users
Figure 6: Interest in eating out concepts, May 2018
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Visits are driven mostly by discounts
The facts
The implications
So, what makes eating out special?
The facts
The implications
How do chains win back customers?
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Confidence holding up but consumers remain cautious
Rising costs put pressure on operators
UK unemployment could boost eating OOH
OOH meals less appealing to ageing population
‘One You’ campaign aims to switch diners on to healthier eating
MARKET DRIVERS
Confidence holding up but many remain cautious
Figure 7: Trends in how respondents would describe their financial situation, June 2009-June 2018
Rising costs continue to put pressure on operators
Business rates
National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage
UK unemployment levels remain low
Figure 8: Employment and unemployment, by gender, 2012-22
OOH meals less appealing to ageing population
Figure 9: Change in age structure of the UK population, 2012-17 and 2017-22
Britain’s new diet goals
Figure 10: Attitudes towards eating out, by healthy factors to encourage usage, May 2018
Deposit return scheme
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Brands setting an ethical example
New on menus - lighter dishes or snacks
New retail opportunities
Promotions that drive re-visits
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Moral brands
E-bikes for food deliveries
Paperless digital billing
Plastic free eateries
Figure 11: Food packaging made from recycled material, by Vegware
Figure 12: Reusable coffee cups and takeaway containers made from rice husk by Eco to go™
Commitment to food hygiene
Figure 13: Trend in selected food attitudes, April 2016-November 2017
Menu focus
Lighter dishes or snacks
Opportunities in retail
Start-up trials
Food courts and food hubs
Partnerships
Self-serve stations
Figure 14: Example of a self-serve drinks bar
Using promotional activities to build engagement
Gaming
Discounts
Loyalty
Cash back
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
More Brits eat in at a restaurant than order a takeaway
Frequent takeaways on a par with frequent restaurant visits
Retirees appear unfazed by spending squeeze
Reformulating recipes to improve diets
Too expensive for most
Opportunities to target over-45s and rare users
PARTICIPATION IN EATING OUT 
Restaurant visits lead in terms of frequency of use
Figure 15: Participation in eating out, May 2018
FREQUENCY OF EATING OUT 
Frequent takeaways on a par with frequent restaurant visits
Figure 16: Frequency of eating out, May 2018
Out-of-home meals are a rare treat for over-45s
CHANGES IN FREQUENCY OF USAGE
Core groups are boosting out-of-home sales
Figure 17: Changes in frequency of eating out-of-home, May 2018
Retirees appear unfazed by spending squeeze
Consumers with a tight budget have cut back on out-of-home spending
HEALTHY FACTORS TO ENCOURAGE USAGE
Industry steps up efforts to tackle growing obesity levels
Figure 18: Healthy factors to encourage usage, May 2018
Plant-based eating grows in popularity
Figure 19: Trends in healthy food factors, April 2016-November 2017
Reformulating recipes to improve diets
Majority of diners do not embrace free-from products
Figure 20: Trend in selected food attitudes, April 2016-November 2017
Affluent diners are drawn to natural produce
Figure 21: Attitudes towards eating out, by healthy factors to encourage usage, May 2018
ATTITUDES TOWARDS EATING OUT
Seasonal and aspirational menus likely to prompt repeat visits
Figure 22: Attitudes towards eating out, May 2018
Chains are trusted by under-45s when in an unfamiliar place
Targeting opportunities around value
Figure 23: Attitudes towards eating out, by healthy factors to encourage usage, May 2018
Potential for independents to reign the market
Figure 24: Attitudes towards eating out, by healthy factors to encourage usage, May 2018
Big spenders drive demand for sustainable packaging – CHAID analysis
Figure 25: Eating Out: The Decision Making Process – CHAID – Tree output, May 2018
INTEREST IN EATING OUT CONCEPTS
Opportunities to target over-45s and rare users
…with options to customise their own meals
Figure 26: Interest in eating out concepts, May 2018
…fixed-price set menus
…and all-you-can-eat
Figure 27: Interest in eating out concepts, by changes in frequency of eating in at restaurants, May 2018
Opportunities to retain core customers
…with loyalty schemes
…and meal deals
Power sockets can help increase dwell time
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
CHAID Methodology
Figure 28: Eating Out: The Decision Making Process – CHAID – Table output, May 2018

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