Consumers Changing Fast-Food Perception

CHICAGOA new report from Technomic revealed that consumers are changing their perception of fast food from quick-service, drive-thru restaurants and convenience stores to a dual concept of traditional fast food, and food fast, served quickly with a greater emphasis on flavor, quality and ambiance. Additionally, 41 percent of consumers report that their idea of places offering fast food has expanded recently to include fast-casual restaurants and full-service restaurants offering carryout and curbside service.

The report, Status and Future of Fast Foods: Consumer Trend Report, examines how consumers are seeking faster, more convenient service from all types of foodservice establishments, including convenience stores, food trucks and grocers offering retail meal solutions.

Based on data from a November 2009 survey of 2,000 consumers, the report integrates industry data from the Top 500 U.S. restaurant chains, select secondary sources and menu analysis from Technomics proprietary MenuMonitor database. Appendices include menu and concept profiles of 10 innovative food-fast concepts, and comprehensive demographic breakdowns for fast-food and fast-casual restaurant user groups and consumer clusters.

As Americans continue to trade down from full-service concepts, more restaurants are competing for the fast food/food fast customer, says Darren Tristano, EVP at Technomic. Both quick-service and fast-casual restaurants are borrowing elements from the other to drive traffic. This represents a host of challenges to operators rethinking their brands. Understanding consumers changing perceptions of fast food, as well as competitors responses, will be central to success.