Eating out frequency fell to an all-time low in Q3 2017 after a double-digit decrease in visits, the latest MCA data has shown.
The latest Eating Out Panel report shows the average of 14.3 visits per head per month recalled by consumers in Q3 was the lowest ever reported by the Eating Out Panel, after a 13% decrease from the same period last year.
Following year-on-year frequency decreases of 3% in Q1 and 6% in Q2, the decline has got progressively deeper over the calendar year so far.
There has been a 16% fall in the average number of snack visits and 15% decreases at breakfast and dinner, with the 2.2 breakfast frequency the lowest in three years and the 2.3 dinner frequency the lowest in the six years on record. Lunch has been the most resilient day-part, but frequency levels have fallen by 8% to 4.3.
The research shows that consumers are not only eating out less often in 2017, but have greater price and value requirements when they do. With a 3% rise in average visit spend, primarily due to menu price inflation, the only consumer needs to significantly grow in importance at each day-part have been cheap prices and good value food & drinks.
No channel is visited more often for its good value than pub restaurants and it has benefitted from this with a growing share of breakfast, dinner and snack visits. Sandwich shops are more likely than average to be visited for both their good value and food quality, with the result a growth in visit share at all key day-parts.
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