CASUAL DINING SECTOR: DEMAND FOR SUSTAINABILITY?

CHALLENGE

In a crowded marketplace, our client identified the need for a foundational understanding of the casual dining market, with a specific focus on sustainability, in order to stand out and attract new customers (whilst not alienating a loyal customer base).

A core objective of the research was to understand whether there was a consumer demand for sustainable dining and, if so, how this should be communicated to diners. Does sustainability impact diners’ decisions on where to eat on a rational or emotional level? Are diners willing to pay more for a sustainable dining experience?

There was a clear need for further evidence before any commercial decisions or changes were made.

ACTION

We built a research programme focusing on the stakeholders which mattered most to our client and where there was the greatest potential for a positive change – their customers.

A large, robust study was conducted to profile the casual dining market and understand the emotional and rational motivations and drivers of dining decisions. Did this include sustainability?

Alongside this, we conducted a number of qualitative, face to face interviews with diners at our client’s restaurants to understand the ‘why’ behind these motivations.

OUTCOME

With the client’s objective to understand the impact of sustainability on dining decisions, we delivered insight on where sustainability sat alongside other emotional and rational drivers.

We provided clear, tangible direction and prioritised ideas on how our client could incorporate sustainability into their future operations and strategy, giving them a point of differentiation from competitors, without distracting from their core offer.