Data shows the growing importance of Casual Dining restaurants in the British Foodservice market
The NPD Group has revealed how Casual Dining contributes to an increasing proportion of Foodservice traffic - accounting now for 4% of all visits. Although still quite small, their traffic has grown by 29% since 2009. Casual Dining now equates to 441 million visits in the year ending September 2015. Fiscally, Casual Dining generates 4.4 billion pounds to the Foodservice Industry. This channel has a much higher average ticket (£9.92) than QSR (£3.63).
Dinner is the main occasion for Casual Dining, representing 51% of the channel. Lunch is the second daypart, accounting for 27% of the traffic. Casual Dining shows some clear sign of diversification as morning meal represents 13% of the visits to the channel.
Casual Dining restaurants have developed an offer which appeals to both young adults and families, which is quite impressive as it is usually hard to attract these two opposite populations.
Cyril Lavenant, Foodservice Director in the NPD group, commented “The Casual Dining concept has been created to attract families for whom a traditional restaurant is too expensive and most of the times not fun enough for kids; as well as young adults who are willing to spend the few extra pounds on a quality meal and good experience that they were willing to in the more classic QSR channel. One can only admit that these 2 objectives are reached. However Casual Dining restaurants must constantly raise their game as the competition is now following quite closely”.
