One in four to spend less on eating out in next six months

One in four consumers will make spending less money on eating out a priority in the next six months, HIM/MCA Insight’s Recovery Report has found.

According to the report, 27% of consumers expect their personal finances to be worse off in the coming months, and as such occasions for eating out of home are likely to fall.

Through lockdown, 63% of consumers said they were actively trying to save money, with 57% choosing scratch-cooking as a means to do so.

This is a trend set to continue, with those surveyed attributing going out to restaurants in the next six months a net importance of -7%, a figure then fell further for delivery (-15%).

Despite this somewhat bleak picture, operators may be able to encourage consumers to return with a value for money offer, as consumers gave going out to restaurants offering promotions a net importance of +7%.

“Coronavirus has altered how consumers think about their money and their habits in general and eating out is going to be very different compared to this time last year,” said Blonnie Walsh, head of insight at HIM/MCA. “Consumers will be more cost-conscious after lockdown and they’ll ease this with deals and discounts.

“Digital promotions were already growing in the market, and app ordering and technology will become more wide-spread because of coronavirus.

“It’s a fact that out of home occasions will get sacrificed for more scratch cooking, but when consumers do go out it’s clear that they’ll also have a preference for quantity over quality.”