Nearly one in four households with children (24%) are dining out or
ordering food more frequently, according to a new report from
TransUnion (NYSE: TRU). Four in 10 households with children (40%)
indicated that returning to work in offices would lead them to
spend more on restaurants. Also, higher grocery prices, due to
continued inflation pressures, were a commonly cited reason for
dining out/ordering more often across households both with and
without children (37%).
Heading into the end of 2023, two-thirds of consumer households
(64%) planned to spend at the same levels with restaurants as they
did over the second and third quarters of the year. For more than
half of consumers (58%), that amounts to dining out or ordering
once or twice per week and spending less than $150 per week.
However, households with children were more likely to frequent
restaurants – three to four times a week – and more than half plan
to spend between $150 and $500 each week on dining out.
“Household composition is very influential on how often
consumers dine out or order in,” said Cecilia Seiden, vice
president of TransUnion’s travel and hospitality business.
“Consumers with children are much more likely to rely on
restaurants to help feed their families—and returning to offices is
increasing the need for easy and fast dinner options.”
The report details consumer attitudes and behaviors when
engaging with Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and dining
establishments, including preferences for ordering in-person or via
mobile apps, participation in loyalty programs, experiences with
fraud, and more. Full findings are available in the 2023
TransUnion QSR Report.
Traditional vs. Premium QSRsTraditional Quick
Service Restaurants, like McDonald’s and Wendy’s, proved to be the
top choice for households with and without children. Those with
children frequented these spots slightly more often, with 77%
patronizing traditional QSRs at least once per week, compared to
69% of households without children. However, this usage gap widened
across other dining categories.
Dining Experiences Chosen At Least Once
per Week by Households with and without Children
Household Types |
Traditional QSRs(e.g., McDonald’s and
Wendy’s) |
Premium QSRs(e.g., Chipotle and
Panera) |
Delivery |
Full-service Restaurants (with waitstaff) |
With Children |
77 |
% |
68 |
% |
66 |
% |
62 |
% |
Without Children |
69 |
% |
50 |
% |
51 |
% |
39 |
% |
The report also explored the various factors that help consumers
decide where to eat. Price was the top priority for all consumers,
followed by menu and location. Again, differences appeared when
segmented by households with and without children.
For example, attractive menu items are important to nearly 60%
of households without children but just 47% of households with
children. Conversely, speed of service was identified as a key
factor by 32% of households with children but only 21% of
households without.
“The overall hierarchy of factors determining where people
choose to eat remained true for both households with and without
children,” said Colleen Thiry, director of TransUnion’s travel and
hospitality business. “However, there were different emphases from
both groups, meaning it’s crucial for restaurants to understand
what qualities will draw households without children versus those
with children.”
How consumers order outOne surprising finding
from the report was that, even with the popularity of online
shopping and digital experiences, ordering in-person to carry out
ranked as the top choice across all generations. There is one
caveat: Gen Z consumers equally prefer using a restaurant’s mobile
app or website, an option firmly ranked in second place for all
other generations.
Convenience is the primary reason consumers of all generations
order through a restaurant’s mobile app. However, Millennials were
also more likely to cite loyalty points and special offers as a
reason for using this option.
Top Three Benefits to Using Restaurant
Apps, by Generation
Generation |
Convenience |
Special Offers |
Loyalty Points |
Gen Z |
46 |
% |
35 |
% |
30 |
% |
Millennial |
49 |
% |
46 |
% |
41 |
% |
Gen X |
59 |
% |
46 |
% |
33 |
% |
Baby Boomer |
60 |
% |
35 |
% |
38 |
% |
When ordering via third-party apps, Gen Z and Millennial
consumers were most likely to cite restaurant variety and the
ability to order delivery from restaurants that don’t offer it
directly as important reasons for using this option. Features such
as showing delivery time, allowing consumers to select the quickest
delivery option, and the ability to opt for pick up over delivery
to save time and money were also popular.
“Consumers most prefer to order food in person and take it home
for now; however, there is a generational shift leaning toward
mobile app usage,” said Thiry. “Understanding the rationale for why
consumers choose to order through a specific restaurant app versus
a third-party app will help both types of businesses better
position their benefits to maximize market share.”
For more information, read the 2023 TransUnion QSR
Report.
Restaurants and third-party app platforms can leverage tools
like the TransUnion TruAudience™ line of solutions to help model,
create and activate relevant audiences.
In addition, the TransUnion TruValidate™ line of solutions,
which includes identity and device proofing technologies, can
reduce friction for legitimate purchases while catching fraudsters
early with insight into device history, reputation and
behavior.
About the researchThis online survey of 1,564
adults was conducted in August 2023, by TransUnion in partnership
with third-party research provider, Dynata. Survey participants
included adults 18 years of age and older residing in the United
States- who have patronized a restaurant within the past 3 months.
Participants were surveyed using an online research panel method
across a combination of desktop, mobile, and tablet devices. Survey
questions were administered in English. All U.S. regions are
represented in the study survey responses. To ensure general
population sample representativeness across United States resident
demographics, the survey targeted respondents in line with the
census statistics on the dimensions of age, household income, and
region. Generations are defined as follows: Gen Z, born 1996- 2005;
Millennials, born 1981-1995; Gen X, born 1966-1980; Baby Boomers,
born 1945-1965; and Silent, born 1928-1944. These research results
are unweighted and statistically significant at a 95% confidence
level within ±2.5 percentage points based on calculated error
margin. Please note some chart percentages may not add up to 100%
due to rounding or multiple answers being accepted.
About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with
over 12,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make
trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in
the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an
actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our
acquisitions and technology investments we have developed
innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in
core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced
analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with
confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for
Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and
personal empowerment for millions of people around the
world. http://www.transunion.com/business
Contact |
Dave BlumbergTransUnion |
E-mail |
david.blumberg@transunion.com |
Telephone |
312-972-6646 |
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