Independent Operators

Americans won't return to pre-pandemic dining habits

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December 9, 2021

Almost two-thirds (64%) of consumers do not plan to return to their pre-pandemic habits of dining in restaurants within the next six months, according to a Deloitte research report.

The good news is spending at QSRs also is up more than 100% year-over-year.

The report, The Restaurant of the Future: A Vision Evolves, surveyed 1,000 Americans in Sept. 2021 who had ordered from a restaurant in the last three months.

Among the findings:

• Takeout and delivery are surging even though dining rooms have reopened, with 61% of consumers ordering takeout or delivery from restaurants at least once per week, up from 29% one year ago and 18% prior to the pandemic.
• Quality and speed counts. Three in five consumers expect the same quality and freshness from delivery and takeout orders that they would find in a dining room; similarly, 68% of diners say they don't want to wait more than 30 minutes for their food, whether they are dining in or at home
• Consumers order from quick service restaurants most often at 62.6%, followed by fast casual restaurants (52%) and casual dining establishments (40.5%).
• In addition, an overwhelming 79% of consumers say they are likely to order from ghost kitchens, a trend which is 20% greater than a year ago and 32% higher than two years ago.
• Amid numerous options for restaurant ordering, drive-through is the most preferred method, with 37% of respondents ranking it as a first choice.

"It's been said that the only constant is change, which holds true for the restaurant industry today," Jean Chick, principal Deloitte Consulting LLP and U.S. restaurant and food service leader, said in the release. "The pandemic has accelerated the progress of the restaurant of the future, calling for fundamental shifts in business models to meet new demands. Now, amid continued pressures in areas like supply chain, safety-related costs, and labor availability costs, restaurants should work strategically to build loyalty among on-premises and off-premises diners. Those that can quickly adapt and meet diners' evolving demands for convenience, frictionless digital experiences and safety can be poised to not only survive, but thrive."

Also in the report:

• More than half of consumers (57%) use a digital app to order restaurant food for off-premises dining, up from 54% in 2020. However, digital ordering in-restaurant is growing at an even faster pace: nearly two-thirds of consumers (64%) prefer to order their food digitally (versus 53% in 2020), even if it means less interaction with waitstaff.
  When considering the channel from which to order their food, 40% of consumers prefer to use a restaurant's own branded website or app, compared to 11% who prefer a third-party food ordering and delivery platform.
• Technology is permeating kitchens to improve order accuracy, efficiency and cost control. More than half of the survey respondents (54%) would order from a partially or fully automated kitchen.
• Food payments are also evolving, with one-quarter of customers preferring a digital or contactless payment method to a physical one.
• Loyalty programs are another area in which technology plays a role: the average consumer participates in two restaurant loyalty programs, and 79% of survey respondents said their participation impacts where they dine.