It has been almost a whole year since our lives were completely altered by Covid. During this time many things have changed, including consumers' behaviours, attitudes, and eating habits. Those developments present hospitality brands with an opportunity to consider how their marketing and restaurant accounting services can be tailored to align with recent trends and ultimately fulfil consumers' changing requirements.
In order to gain a better understanding of not only what is occurring in the hospitality sector, but also what consumers are searching for, what consumers are eating, and maybe what food delivery's future might look like, a client survey was recently conducted by Deliveroo. Some interesting findings were produced.
Eating Habits
65% of surveyed customers stated they were spending more money on takeaways so there would be something they could look forward to. 50% of surveyed customers said that restaurant meal kits were ordered as a treat. The most popular time for these orders was Friday night.
With a lack of child care and home schooling, 43% of parents stated that they had less free time now compared to before the pandemic. Therefore, delivery services were critical.
Although most of the orders made during the lockdown were Chinese, Indian, pizza, fried chicken, and burgers, there was a demand as well for cuisines commonly found in urban areas and cities - such as Mexican, Vietnamese, and Korean among those living in suburban areas where the delivery of these types of meals isn't always available.
Increasingly, consumers have been moving toward food delivery. During 2020's third quarter, £46.4m of food delivery orders were made in the UK. This represented a 43% increase compared to the same time frame in 2019. There are many brands that seem to be making the most of it. Deliveroo reports that during 2020 their platform was joined by 20,000 new UK restaurant partners.
Although take-out has experienced a boom, dining indoors at a bar or restaurant was revealed to be one of the top three activities that consumers are eager to return to based on a McKinsey survey that was conducted in November 2020, which highlights that bars and restaurants are truly missed.
Healthy Attitudes
Over the past year, health has understandably weighed heavily on people's minds. Global Web Index (GWI) recently conducted a study that revealed that 48% of respondents said they were eating healthier during the pandemic to help with their wellbeing and mental health. Mintel saw similar findings that revealed that 30% of adults were emphasising healthy eating more since the outbreak started and more people have become interested in drinks and food that help to promote good immune health. So should healthier dishes be highlighted on restaurant menus?
Mindful Behaviour
In addition to health, consumers also seem to be thinking a lot about the environment. In GWI's 2021 Connecting the Dots reports, they state that 51% of global respondents said they would like brands to become more eco-friendly. 59% plan to reduce their food waste and 46% are planning to purchase from brands that are more eco-friendly and sustainable.
During these difficult times, consumers would like to support businesses. 80% of Deliveroo's customers said they were eager to support local businesses. However, consumers also want brands to care. For example, over 50% of GWI respondents said they were interested in brands supporting people during Covid, while 41% wanted brands to support social causes. It is more critical than ever to show consumers that you truly care about the environment as well as what is occurring within it.