Consumer Trends: Page 23
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Deep Dive
New York City 1 year later: Restaurants faced a 'one-two punch'
Restaurants in the Big Apple dealt with constantly shifting dining room regulations and a tough winter climate on top of declining sales related to the pandemic.
By Julie Littman • March 17, 2021 -
Restaurant job growth, sales boost from stimulus checks hint at recovery
The $1,400 stimulus checks that are part of President Joe Biden's COVID-19 relief package could lift restaurant sales by low- to mid-single digits for up to seven weeks, per Bloomberg Intelligence.
By Alicia Kelso • March 9, 2021 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Diamond Dogs via Getty ImagesTrendlineLoyalty & Rewards Strategy
Capturing — and keeping — loyal customers is more crucial than ever as diner price sensitivity puts pressure on restaurants.
By Restaurant Dive staff -
Sponsored by Mars Foodservices
In for a treat: Work these trends into your 2021 menus
From Spanish stews to infused seltzers, here are the top 2021 food trends and flavors you won't want to miss.
March 1, 2021 -
McDonald's, Yum Brands sign global partnerships with Beyond Meat
The word "exclusive" doesn't appear in either announcement, which could mean the door is open for other plant-based partnerships as the chains ramp up their offerings in the category.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 26, 2021 -
Retrieved from LinkedIn on February 11, 2021
Will Clubhouse be the next social media platform for marketers?
The parent company of Burger King and Popeyes jumped on the buzzy app last week, opening the possibility of another digital channel for brands to utilize.
By Chris Kelly • Feb. 18, 2021 -
Report: Loyalty customers spend more than twice as much on takeout meals
The spending disparity between loyalty members and non-members reflects why so many major brands, including Taco Bell, Wendy's and White Castle, have added or enhanced their loyalty programs during the pandemic.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 17, 2021 -
McDonald's escalates chicken sandwich wars with merch drop
A capsule collection for the new Crispy Chicken Sandwich includes a hoodie and a vinyl record with a track that will be in the chain's advertising.
By Robert Williams • Feb. 17, 2021 -
Retrieved from Starbucks on June 23, 2020
Starbucks is testing 100% plant-based menu at a Seattle location
The chain develops plant-based products at its R&D lab before testing them at the store, CEO Kevin Johnson said during the company's Q1 earnings call.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 3, 2021 -
McDonald's plans to open nearly 500 restaurants in US and IOM segments in 2021
The chain called new restaurant development an "important driver of our growth" during its recent Q4 earnings call. McDonald's will also spend $500 million to modernize 1,200 existing locations.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 1, 2021 -
Ward, Billie Grace. (2020). "Stylish Outdoor Dining, Tacombi" [photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
NRA: Restaurant sales will rise 11% in 2021 after 24% dip last year
Bars and taverns suffered the most in 2020 with a sales decline of 65%, while full-service decreased 30%, according to the National Restaurant Association's 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report.
By Julie Littman • Jan. 26, 2021 -
Survey: 26% of consumers currently comfortable dining indoors
A new report from HealthCare Insider finds that comfort levels about dining at a restaurant differ by gender and geographic location, with men 40% more likely than women to feel comfortable eating indoors by spring.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 25, 2021 -
Sponsored by Fyllo
Cannabis consumers and QSR: A love affair
Cannabis consumers are the ideal target audience for restaurant brands looking to drive traffic and grow revenue in a post-pandemic world.
Jan. 25, 2021 -
Retrieved from Chick-fil-A on May 07, 2020
Chick-fil-A scores highest 'brand intimacy' marks among QSRs during the pandemic
This MLBM ranking also comes as several brands, including McDonald's, KFC and Burger King, pull a page from Chick-fil-A's playbook by launching signature chicken sandwiches.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 19, 2021 -
Restaurants will see transition, not recovery, in 2021, experts say
Though 2021's performance will still be marred by dining room closures and capacity restrictions, there is still opportunity for the industry to take steps toward market improvement, panelists shared at ICR Monday.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 12, 2021 -
Alabama Extension. (2020). "The image" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Major gap exists between casual and QSR recovery, per NPD data
The full-service category experienced transaction declines of 30% in December versus an 8% decrease for quick-service restaurants.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 11, 2021 -
Sponsored by Perdue Foodservice
Menu claims help increase profit
Consumers are still interested in premium ingredients and transparency when choosing where to go and what to order when dining out.
Jan. 11, 2021 -
Del Taco bulks up off-premise channels with new prototype
The design can be adapted to fit within 1,200 to 2,400 square feet, which will expand site selection options outside of the QSR chain's traditional freestanding drive-thru model.
By Julie Littman • Jan. 6, 2021 -
Applebee's franchisee pilots drive-thru
A Texas operator is retrofitting a restaurant to include a mobile pickup window, and will gauge feedback to inform future store design plans.
By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 5, 2021 -
Retrieved from McDonald's on January 05, 2021
McDonald's stirs up chicken sandwich wars with 3 new entries
The sandwiches fulfill franchisees' demand for competitive new chicken offerings to better compete with Chick-fil-A, which the National Owners Association listed as a top priority in 2019.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 5, 2021 -
Deep Dive
6 restaurant trends that will shape 2021
Managing virtual brands and stabilizing labor forces could be challenging in the new year, but curbside, drive-thru and ghost kitchens hold strong growth potential, analysts say.
By Emma Liem Beckett , Julie Littman • Jan. 4, 2021 -
2020 Trends: Expectations vs. reality
The restaurant industry had great expectations this year, but the pandemic completely changed the market's competitive landscape. Here's how the crisis impacted the trends we originally predicted for the year.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 23, 2020 -
How Sonic Drive-In swapped its iconic pitchmen for a 'pandemic-proof' campaign
Chief marketing officer Lori Abou Habib explains how the QSR shifted its focus from its long-running "Two Guys" to real families — right before COVID-19 upended the year.
By Chris Kelly • Dec. 23, 2020 -
Consumers want curbside, outdoor dining to stay in 2021, survey says
Diners also want to see more creative offerings from restaurants next year, including dinner and movie packages, cooking classes or virtual wine tastings.
By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 21, 2020 -
Pandemic increased urgency to adopt 'transformational' tech, survey finds
One in four food services and food retailers believe they are an early adopter of technology compared to one in eight in 2019, according to Panasonic research published in December.
By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 16, 2020 -
New York to provide restaurants a free digital ordering platform through April
As part of New York's Empire State Digital Initiative, restaurants can use Ritual's commission-free e-commerce system for pickup and delivery.
By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 14, 2020