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As restaurants face increasing competition from supermarkets – including their prepared foods – a recent Food Marketing Institute study provides insights into some of the factors in consumers’ decisions about dinner. According to the study, three principal variables play into the decision about whether to cook or eat out and, if so, where: healthfulness, cost, and time.
The study reports that in the minds of consumers, eating at home equals eating healthier. Almost all (91%) interviewed said they eat healthier with food prepared at home, of whom 39% believed it is “much healthier” and 52% “somewhat healthier.” Participants also said that cooking at home is cheaper. (The average cost for cooking at home was reported as $5 per person compared to $12 per person eating out.) When eating at home, 93% said they cook at least once a week (up from 89% last year); 82% at least three times a week.
An area of opportunity will be the consumers who eat meals at home that aren’t prepared there, currently 18% at least once a week. The competition with supermarkets will also be strong for the business of an increasing number of singles (who shop less and eat out far more than multi-person households) and women working full time. By 2030, the study reports, 83% of American households will be dual income, searching for solutions to cut the time spent on meal preparation.
*The primary source for takeout/delivery is non fast food such as pizza and Chinese (38%), followed by fast food restaurants (25%), supermarkets (14%), fullservice restaurants (10%), and gourmet or specialty stores (2%).
