According to Restaurant DemandTracker, a recent survey of restaurant customers in the United States, treating employees well is more important than giving back to the community or utilizing sustainable food sources. The survey asked people who visit any type of restaurant at least per month what was important to them when choosing which restaurant to visit.
Overall, 48% of restaurant consumers said they prefer to visit restaurants that treat their employees well. This was slightly higher among women (50%) and among consumers whose household income is less than $40,000 per year (51%).
A lower percentage, 26%, said they prefer to visit restaurants that give back to their communities. This is more important among Hispanics (34%), 18-34 year olds (32%), and women (30%).
And about 25% of restaurant consumers said they prefer to visit restaurants which source the food they serve from sustainable sources. This is also particularly important to Hispanics (31%), 18-34 year olds (30%) and women (28%).
“As many restaurant companies seek to strengthen their brand images by engaging in responsible business practices, it’s important to understand which practices are the most important to consumers when deciding which restaurant to visit,” said David Decker, President, Consumer Edge Insight. “While protecting the environment and supporting the community are important to some restaurant-goers, the most beneficial thing a restaurant company can do is treat its own employees well. This has the added benefit of contributing to a better service experience for customers if employees are happier and better-motivated. And a good service experience is critical for keeping customers coming back.”
Restaurant DemandTracker, a new syndicated consumer research service from Consumer Edge Insight, provides an in-depth analysis each quarter of how key economic and secular factors impact restaurant demand and which brands are best-positioned to succeed. Data for the most recent Restaurant DemandTracker was collected in April 2013 via an online survey of over 3,100 US consumers, age 18 and over, designed and weighted to be representative of the US adult population that visit restaurants at least once per month. Some of the topics covered include economic factors driving changes in restaurant patronage, impact of health trends on overall patronage and by segment, changing demographic profiles of restaurant segment users, and numerous brand performance metrics. The research covers the quick-service, fast-casual, family-dining, casual-dining, fine-dining, and pizza-takeout segments in detail.
Consumer Edge Insight LLC is a market research and consulting firm that helps clients who want to have deeper insight into how consumer behavior is changing around the world and how to profit from those changes. We help companies monitor key trends and develop strategies to enhance shareholder value. In the restaurant industry we have marketing partnerships with GuestMetrics and BlackBox Intelligence. For further information, contact David Decker, ddecker@consumeredgeinsight.com, or visit www.consumeredgeinsight.com.
