Good value of greater importance to pub customers

The value of food and drink is of much greater importance to visitors of pubs than other of operators in the eating out market, across all three day-parts, according to the latest MCA Pub Brand Monitor.

Data covering the wider eating out sector – MCA’s Eating Out Panel Q2 2019 – recently revealed that the need for good value had declined in importance as a mission for consumers.

For breakfast it’s of most importance for 26.5% of consumers in the overall eating out market, but for 39.4% of customers at pub restaurants. For lunch the comparative figure is 26.6% vs. 34.4%, and for dinner it’s 23.6% vs. 31.6%.

In contrast, food quality and taste is of less importance to customers in pub restaurants – rated as the most importance factor for a breakfast visit by 30.9% in the overall market and 26.2% in pub restaurants, with a similar pattern seen for the lunch and dinner occasions.

The pub brand with the greatest value perceptions was Toby Carvery, according to the Monitor, up 0.1 to score 8.7 out of 10 (Q2 2019 vs. the same period in 2018), followed closely by Wetherspoon, whose score remained level at 8.7. This compared to the sector average of 8.4 out of 10.

Other brands who have increased their perception of value in the customers’ eyes are Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery – up 0.3 to 8.6, Table Table, also up 0.3 to 8.5, and All Bar One – up 0.4 to 8.2.

However, the biggest increase was achieved by BrewDog (+0.5 to 7.7), which also improved its customer ratings for food and drink quality by the largest amount (up 0.4 to 7.9, against a sector average of 8.4), which the report suggests is an impressive feat, albeit from a lower base.

To find out more about the MCA Pub Brand Monitor, email insight.enquiries@mca-insight.com