Survey: Restaurants to Take Lasting Hit

Sept. 18, 2020

Consumers are uncertain about their eating habits after the pandemic, but it looks like foodservice will suffer a lasting blow.

Consumers are uncertain about their eating habits after the pandemic, but it looks like foodservice will suffer a lasting blow, according to a new survey.

Acosta Inc. used its own research and that of others try to paint a picture of the post-pandemic consumer landscape. Among its findings:

While 25% of respondents said they were “sick of having to cook more,” 35% said they “found a new passion for cooking during the pandemic."
Most respondents said they planned to eat out after the pandemic as much as they did before. However, substantial portions said they planned to eat out less or not at all, for lunch (35%) or dinner (29%).
Foodservice sales and projections from Kantar predicted that, in the worse-case scenario of a second wave for the coronavirus, restaurant spending vs. 2019 would go down by percentages ranging from 16% for quick-service restaurants to a whopping 50% for fine dining.
Among the biggest challenges in meal planning, the most popular choice (48%) was “grocery shopping, because I risk exposure in public.”

Among Acosta’s recommendations are: taking advantage of increased food at home; offering value in a recessionary market; extending foodservice brands and “chef-forward ideas” into retail; and increasing labor-saving solutions.