Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Mintel Menu Insights
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: U.S. casual dining sales and fan chart forecast of market, at current prices, 2008-18
- Market drivers
- Opportunities
- Menu strategies
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- Figure 2: Top 10 appetizers in casual dining, by number of incidences, Q1 2010-13
- Figure 3: Top 10 menu items in casual dining, by number of incidences, Q1 2010-13
- The consumer
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- Figure 4: Reasons why consumers visit casual dining restaurants, by percentage, May 2013
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- Figure 5: Types of services consumers want to see at casual dining restaurants, by percentage, May 2013
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- In a slowly recovering economy, consumers are still budget-conscious when eating out
- The issues
- The insights
- Consumers do not associate casual dining with health or fast service
- The issues
- The insights
- It’s hard to appeal to both Millennials and families
- The issues
- The insights
Innovators and Innovations
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- Competing with fast casual
- Focusing on lunch
- Late evenings offer new opportunities
- Renovating to compete in new spaces
- Health concerns
- Luring in consumers with specials
- Alcoholic drinks
- Fare goes upscale
Trend Application
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- Trend: Minimize Me
- Trend: Help Me Help Myself
- Mintel Futures: Human
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Casual dining restaurants sales and the market forecast
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- Figure 6: Total U.S. casual dining sales and forecast of market, at current prices, 2008-18
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- Figure 7: Total U.S. casual dining sales and forecast of market, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2008-18
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 8: U.S. casual dining sales and fan chart forecast of market, at current prices, 2008-18
Market Drivers
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- Economic indicators
- The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Overweight and weight-related diseases
- Chicken takes the spotlight
Competitive Context
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- Preparing food at home
- The lure of fast food
- Learning from fast casual
- Experimenting with new dayparts
- Leveraging alcoholic drinks
A Look at Casual Dining Menus
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- Key points
- Top 10 casual dining menu items: Steak is tops
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- Figure 9: Top 10 casual dining menu items, by number of incidences, Q1 2010-13
- Top 10 menu claims: Gluten-free growth
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- Figure 10: Top 10 casual dining menu claims, by number of incidences, Q1 2010-13
- Top 10 appetizers: Sharing comes on strong
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- Figure 11: Top 10 casual dining appetizers, by number of incidences, Q1 2010-13
- Top 10 cocktails: Latin libations lead
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- Figure 12: Top 10 cocktails in casual dining, by number of incidences, Q1 2010-13
- Mocktails: More mixing could be in order
Competition: Consumers Eating at Home and Trading Down to Fast Food
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- Key points
- Eating at home is an option for almost a quarter of casual dining patrons
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- Figure 13: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, by those eating more than last year at casual dining restaurants, May 2013
Consumer Considerations in Choosing Casual Dining Restaurants
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- Key points
- In the end, consistently good food brings them in
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- Figure 14: Reasons consumers choose to go to casual dining restaurants, May 2013
- Hispanics support social and environmental causes
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- Figure 15: Reasons consumers choose to go to casual dining restaurants, by Hispanic origin, May 2013
- Those with children lean on online reviews and look for social and environmental causes
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- Figure 16: Reasons consumers choose to go to casual dining restaurants, by presence of children in household, May 2013
Types of Casual Dining Restaurants Consumers Visit
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- Key points
- American cuisine is the type of restaurant most frequented
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- Figure 17: Types of casual dining restaurants frequented in the past month, May 2013
- Those with children more likely to use casual dining
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- Figure 18: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, by presence of children in household, May 2013
- Men are more likely than women to visit casual dining restaurants
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- Figure 19: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, by gender, May 2013
- A younger demographic enjoys eating at casual dining restaurants the most
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- Figure 20: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, by age, May 2013
- Millennials average almost five visits a month
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- Figure 21: Frequency of visiting casual dining restaurants, by age, per month, January 2012-March 2013
- Only the top half can afford to eat out
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- Figure 22: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, by household income, May 2013
Lunch Tendencies in Casual Dining
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- Key points
- Those aged 18-36 are the most frequent visitors
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- Figure 23: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for lunch, by generations, May 2013
- Surprisingly, casual diners with kids frequent sports bars
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- Figure 24: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for lunch, by presence of children in household, May 2013
- Men drawn to sports bars and burgers at lunch
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- Figure 25: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for lunch, by gender, May 2013
Dinner Daypart in Casual Dining
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- Key points
- Men like barbecue, sports, seafood, and steakhouses more than do women
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- Figure 26: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for dinner, by gender, May 2013
- The younger crowd likes going out to dinner, too
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- Figure 27: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for dinner, by age, May 2013
- Hispanics look for restaurants with family-friendly atmosphere
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- Figure 28: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for dinner, by race/Hispanic origin, May 2013
- Those with children more likely to visit casual dining concepts
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- Figure 29: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for dinner, by presence of children in household, May 2013
Usage of Casual Dining Restaurants
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- Key points
- Restaurant visits are a treat and women visit more than men
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- Figure 30: Occasions consumers visit casual dining restaurants, by gender, May 2013
- Appealing to an older crowd
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- Figure 31: Occasions consumers visit casual dining restaurants, by age, May 2013
- More casual diners eating at home
- Hispanics seek variety in ethnic cuisines ordered and “meal deals”
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- Figure 32: Usage of casual dining restaurants more often compared to previous year, by Hispanic origin, May 2013
- Those aged 18-24 more likely to try new menu items
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- Figure 33: Usage of casual dining restaurants more often compared to previous year, by age, May 2013
What Consumers Want in Casual Dining
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- Key points
- Loyalty programs interesting to women, while men want free Wi-Fi access
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- Figure 34: Types of services consumers want to see at casual dining restaurants, by gender, May 2013
- Marketers should focus on older demographic, in addition to Millennials
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- Figure 35: Types of services consumers want to see at casual dining restaurants, by age, May 2013
Restaurant Characteristics that Appeal to Consumers
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- Key points
- Healthier preparation methods
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- Figure 36: What consumers want more of in casual dining restaurants, May 2013
- Women are more focused on health
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- Figure 37: What consumers want more of in casual dining restaurants, by gender, May 2013
- Hispanics interested in healthier children’s meals
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- Figure 38: What consumers want more of in casual dining restaurants, by Hispanic origin, May 2013
- Those without children want reduced-sodium meals and discounts for seniors
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- Figure 39: What consumers want more of in casual dining restaurants, by presence of children in household, May 2013
Marketing Strategies
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- Overview of the brand landscape
- Strategy: Attracting the lunch crowd
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- Figure 40: Olive Garden, “New Lunch,” TV AD, 2013
- Strategy: Boosting bar sales
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- Figure 41: Red Robin, “Multitasking Cocktail,” TV AD, 2013
- Strategy: Late-night hours
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- Figure 42: Hooters, “I’m Going,” TV AD, 2013
- Strategy: Healthier, fresher fare
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- Figure 43: Applebee’s, “Field of Beans,” TV AD, 2013
- Strategy: Two-meal combo
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- Figure 44: Chili’s, “Eat Lighter,” TV AD, 2013
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- Figure 45: Red Lobster, “Share a Feast,” TV AD, 2013
Appendix – Additional Tables
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- Figure 46: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for lunch, by race/Hispanic origin, May 2013
- Figure 47: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for lunch, by presence of children in household, May 2013
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- Figure 48: Type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month for dinner, by household income, May 2013
- Figure 49: Types of services consumers want to see at casual dining restaurants, by type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, May 2013
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- Figure 50: Types of services consumers want to see at casual dining restaurants, by type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, May 2013
- Figure 51: Occasions consumers visit casual dining restaurants, by type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, May 2013
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- Figure 52: Occasions consumers visit casual dining restaurants, by type of casual dining restaurant visited in the past month, May 2013
- Figure 53: Reasons consumers choose to go to casual dining restaurants, by household income, May 2013
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- Figure 54: Occasions consumers visit casual dining restaurants, by household income, May 2013
- Figure 55: Frequency of visiting casual dining restaurants, by race/Hispanic origin, in the past month, January 2012-March 2013
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- Figure 56: Frequency of visiting casual dining restaurants, by household income, in the past month, January 2012-March 2013
- Figure 57: Demographics, January 2012-March 2013
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- Figure 58: Demographics, January 2012-March 2013
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Appendix – Market Drivers
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- Consumer confidence
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- Figure 59: University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment (ICS), 2007-13
- Unemployment
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- Figure 60: U.S. Unemployment Rate, by month, 2002-13
- Figure 61: U.S. unemployment and underemployment rates, 2007-13
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- Figure 62: Number of employed civilians in U.S., in thousands, 2007-13
- Food cost pressures
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- Figure 63: Changes in USDA Food Price Indexes, 2011 through June 25, 2013
- Obesity
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- Figure 64: American adults, by weight category as determined by body mass index (BMI), 2008-June 20, 2013
- Childhood and teen obesity – highest in decades
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- Figure 65: Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 2-19, 1971-2010
- Racial, ethnic population growth
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- Figure 66: U.S. population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2008, 2013, and 2018
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- Figure 67: Households with children, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2012
- Shifting U.S. demographics
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- Figure 68: U.S. population, by age, 2008-18
- Figure 69: U.S. households, by presence of own children, 2002-12
Appendix – Trade Associations
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