Consumers eating out less often, says Horizons

Published: 23 January, 2012

Eating out is becoming a treat reserved for special occasions, as the number of times consumers dine out is falling given the squeeze on spending.

Eating out is becoming a treat reserved for special occasions, as the number of times consumers dine out is falling given the squeeze on spending.

That's according to Horizons' QuickBite survey, where one third of respondents said a special occasion was their reason for eating out.

Convenience (30%), meeting friends (30%) and not wanting to cook (22%) were the other key reasons for deciding to eat out, according to the YouGov study of 2,034 respondents conducted earlier this month.

The survey showed a marked decline in the frequency consumers ate out - down to 2.1 occasions in December 2011 from 3.3 times last year.

Over a quarter (27%) said they had not eaten out at all in the previous two weeks, with cost being the main reason. But the silver lining is that when consumers do go out, they spend more on the meal - up from £10.29 a year ago to £13.80.

"We have noted the tendency of consumers to eat out less, but spend more for sometime and this appears to be an ongoing trend. It also seems consumers now need a good reason to eat out - such as a special occasion - and are less inclined to eat out as a matter of course or on impulse," said Emma Read, director of marketing and business development at Horizons.

Consumers are seeking out better quality food - 79% said food quality was the main reason for their choice of venue, followed by price (70%), cleanliness (64%), service (55%) and ambience (51%).

But habit remains the strongest factor when choosing a venue - 35% would opt for a familiar venue, up from 31% in July 2011.

Average spend through the restaurant sector (including drinks) was £17 per head with pub restaurants coming in slightly cheaper at £15.80 per head.