Independent Operators

Study: Consumers eager to dine out, support local restaurants

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August 12, 2020

Fatigued by cooking at home, consumers are anxious to dine at their favorite restaurants, according to research commissioned by Oracle and fielded by Untold Insights examing dining preferences and behaviors of 2,000 consumers in the U.S. and U.K. prior to and during stay-at-home-orders.

The survey found that 59% of U.S. and 47% of U.K. consumers plan to eat out as soon as mandates expire in their cities. Nearly 26% of U.S. respondents and 14% of those in the U.K. plan to return in the first week, according to a press release on the study's findings.

Diners are still looking for reassurance on cleaning procedures and technology to reduce contact with employees, however, 40% in the U.S. and 39% in the U.K. said they would feel safer if they could view the menu from their mobile devices. About 35% in the U.S. and 31% in the U.K. would also like to be able to pay in the same manner.

Support local

The study also found customers wanted to support independent restaurants with 39% of those in the U.S. and 36% in the U.K. saying they ordered more frequently from their local restaurant than before the crisis.

"Throughout the globe, we have seen communities rallying around local independents to ensure they make it through to the other side of this crisis," Simon de Montfort Walker, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Food and Beverage, said in the release. "But while consumers are anxious to get back out there to eat, they come with new expectations on everything from menus to the technology used to increase safety. Execution will play a pivotal role in building customer trust and ensuring today's diners remain loyal."

Mixed take-out bag

Most Americans (95%) and 87% of those in the U.K. said they often ordered take-out before stay-at-home orders began. That number dropped, however, to 88% in the U.S. and 65% in the U.K. during stay-at-home orders. As restrictions ease, 69% of overall respondents plan to order take-out at least once a month, with 36% of planning to do so at least once a week.

The U.S. and U.K. also varied on how they wanted to retrieve take-out orders. Americans preferred to pick-up their food (38% U.S. vs. 22% U.K.), while the UK preferred home-delivery (57% U.K. vs. 33% U.S.). Both sides agreed that a negative take-out experience — ranging from a reduced menu to poor service — was a deal-breaker. Twenty-three percent of people in the U.S. stopped ordering from an establishment due to a bad experience during stay-at-home-orders, compared to 30% in the U.K.

Can't touch this

As noted, contactless technology was high on the list for customers to feel comfortable dining out again. On top of the ability to view menus and pay via a personal device, 30% of overall respondents also preferred to pay remotely via kiosks or tablets that could be easily cleaned by servers.

Restaurants vs. delivery services

Despite the popularity of third-party delivery apps, many consumers preferred to interact directly with the restaurant itself. The survey found 86% of overall respondents preferred to order directly from a restaurant, rather than using a third-party app or other platforms. Of those, 35% said they liked to order directly over the phone, while others preferred to order digitally either through the restaurant's website (35%) or a restaurant app (18%).

Generational divides

Restaurants are seeing the strongest comeback from the millennial generation (25-39) and the largest decline from the boomer generation (55+). Fifty-six percent of millennials overall reported that they dined out on a weekly basis prior to stay-at-home-orders and 41% intended to dine out every week after restaurants reopened. In contrast, 28% of boomers previously dined out weekly and only 12% intended to continue that frequency upon reopening, representing a 57% decrease.

Supporting local

Consumers rallied to support local restaurants, as nearly 40% of respondents in the U.S. and 36% in the U.K. said they purchased more frequently from independent brands during stay-at-home-orders. This is compared to only 23% of the U.S. and 17% of U.K. consumers reporting an increase in purchasing from national chains.

A consumer's brand loyalty was also impacted during recent events, with 33% of overall respondents citing an increase in loyalty to the brands they frequented during stay-at-home-orders. This sentiment was most prevalent with millennials, with 43% reporting an increase in loyalty.