About one-quarter of consumers are carrying out (27 percent) or eating drive thru (23 percent) more than they were pre-pandemic as motivation to cook at home decreases, show the findings of Acosta’s "The Why? Behind the Dine" research.
"It is no secret that COVID-19 upended foodservice, but the industry is expected to rebound within the next three to four years," said John Goodman, CEO of CORE Foodservice, which Acosta acquired in June, in a statement. "Research by Technomic indicates restaurants and bars are likely to recover as early as 2024, due in large part to diners' increased interest in finding high-quality, safe, and cost-efficient alternatives to home-cooked meals. The road to recovery will be difficult however, as restaurants now face significant operational challenges caused by widespread labor shortages and rising food costs."
Findings also include:
• Over half of consumers (51 percent) say they go out to eat when they do not feel like cooking. Most of those eating out do so at least twice a month (60-70 percent).
• When dining in restaurants, a majority of consumers order seafood dishes (35 percent). When ordering carry-out, most stick to classics like pizza and breadsticks (69 percent).
New Dining Experiences
• Seventy-five percent of shoppers say they have recently eaten carry-out, dined at a restaurant and/or eaten prepared foods from the grocery store. When ordering out, consumers are increasingly interested in experiential dining options.
Pandemic-Changed Dining Habits
• Consumers' overall dining experiences have changed as a result of the pandemic.
• Fifty-three percent of consumers are dining in restaurants less.
• Twenty-seven percent of consumers are ordering carry-out more.
• Twenty-three percent of consumers are eating drive thru more.
About half of consumers say they feel more comfortable eating out now that vaccines are readily available, but as COVID-19 infections continue to rise, nearly 50 percent of shoppers say they will either stop going out to eat entirely or switch to carry-out or delivery. Twenty-three percent of shoppers say they will dine out regardless.
Restaurant Industry Challenges
Restaurants are currently faced with pandemic-caused challenges including labor shortages and ongoing demand for safety protocols. Over half of diners say they want continued COVID-19 safety precautions in restaurants, including mask requirements for kitchen and wait staff.
• Seventy-five percent of diners want tamper-proof or safety-sealed packaging when ordering carry-out or delivery.
• Thirty-two percent of diners want single-serve condiments.
• Twenty-nine percent of diners want plastic-wrapped utensils.
• Rising food costs are also a concern for restaurants and consumers alike, with 44 percent of diners noticing higher menu prices.
Related: Consumers Resume On-the-Go Dining Habits: Report; Price Increases Change Customer Behavior