Latest research shows that consumers are reserving eating out for special occasions only as they make seek to rein in spending with pub restaurants the winners.
Consultancy Horizons commissioned YouGov to carry out its QuickBite survey that polled more than 2,000 respondents at the end of December 2011.
A third of them cited a special occasion as their reason for
eating out in the previous two weeks, including Christmas, up from 23 per cent in July 2011.
Convenience accounted for 30 per cent of meals out, the same percentage as for meeting friends and not wanting to cook was the other key reason for deciding to eat out.
The survey, which quizzed people on their eating-out habits over a two-week period at the end of 2011, showed a marked decline in the frequency consumers ate out - down to 2.1 occasions in December 2011 from 3.3 times in a similar survey 12 months previously.
Some 27 per cent said they had not eaten out at all in the previous two weeks, with cost being the most commonly cited reason.
However, Horizons found that while consumers may be cutting back on the number of times they eat out, they continue to spend more when they do - up from £10.29 a year ago to £13.80.
Emma Read, director of marketing and business
development at Horizons said: “We have noted the tendency of consumers to eat out less, but spend more for sometime and this appears to be an ongoing trend. It also seems consumers now need a good reason to eat out - such as a special occasion - and are less inclined to eat out as a matter of course or on impulse.”
Read conceded that heavy snowfall in the previous year makes comparison difficult. “But even so the frequency of eating out shows a significant decline, something we don’t expect to change throughout 2012,” she said. “It is also clear from this research that cost is the key reason behind this fall.”
The QuickBite survey also found that pub restaurants are the most common places to visit, accounting for 18 per cent of all meals eaten out - up from 17 per cent last in the previous year.
Takeaway and delivery are the second most popular option, accounting for 14 per cent of all eating out.
But it seems that habit remains the strongest factor when choosing an eating out venue with 35 per cent of respondents opting for a familiar venue.
Average spend through the restaurant sector (including drinks) was £17 a head with pub restaurants coming in slightly cheaper at £15.80 per head. Average spend in a takeaway or delivery outlet is £11.
“Pub restaurants are slowly taking market share from other restaurants as consumers seek good value for money, a convenient location and a more casual eating out experience,” said Read. “We have also seen a huge improvement in the food offering
of many pubs, particularly the big brands, which is proving popular with consumers. What’s clear in this market is that diners are becoming more demanding, but are loyal to their favourite outlets.”
