| Restaurant Industry: Facts at a Glance |
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http://www.restaurant.org/research/ind_glance.cfm ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: According to new Association research, healthy kids’ meals will be among the hottest trends in 2009. Out of nearly 210 culinary items listed on the Association’s “What’s Hot” survey of more than 1,600 American Culinary Federation member chefs, nutritionally balanced children’s dishes came in as the No. 4 trend, and fruit/vegetable side items for kids ranked sixth. In a separate survey, quickservice operators named healthy options in kids meals as the No. 1 food trend in the quickservice segment in 2009. As American adults buy a meal or a snack from a restaurant 5.8 times per week on average, restaurants will keep their finger on the pulse of consumer trends. Restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record $566 billion in 2009. The nation's 945,000 restaurant-and-foodservice outlets are expected to employ 13 million individuals, and add 1.8 million new career and employment opportunities in the next decade. Source: http://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/pressrelease.cfm?ID=1726 ------------------------------------------------------------- Forced by the economy to re-think their businesses, a growing number of restaurateurs are taking the radical step of ditching their menu prices and allowing customers to pay what they want. At the Blue Sage Cafes, where a pay-what-you-want promotion began March 12, traffic has grown between 5 percent and 10 percent, said Chris Hein, director of marketing for parent company The Dussin Group. In addition to the two cafes, Portland-based The Dussin Group operates The Old Spaghetti Factory and Fenouil. “It gives the guests the opportunity to set the price, and hopefully it will bring them back,” Hein said. “It’s better than a two-for-one coupon. If they want to make it a two-for-one deal, they can do that.” The promotion, which is scheduled to run through April, may be extended if it continues to be successful in driving traffic, Hein said. Source: http://www.nrn.com/landingPage.aspx?coll_id=702&menu_id=1436 ------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Green Restaurants Might Have an Edge – Even in the Recession According to a recent national online poll, the economy has not dampened the green commitments of most consumers, and restaurants with a clear green focus have an advantage over otherwise comparable dining choices. The poll, taken at the end of March during the ongoing recession, found that among the 73 percent of participants who reported they are buying "green," only 8 percent said they have reduced their green buying because of the economy while the rest reported their "green" purchasing has stayed the same or increased. When it comes to dining out, the poll showed that "green" can make the difference in dining choices. If Restaurant A and Restaurant B are identical in menu, food quality, service and price but A has a clear focus on being "green," 17 percent said they would pick A even with a longer wait time than at B. An additional 21 percent said they would choose A if the wait time was no longer than at B. Source: http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=8491 |
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