Insights
Consumers are hesitant about returning to their pre-lockdown eating out habits, but there are signs that take up on the government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme may be strong. The research by guest experience management experts HGEM reveals that only 16% are eating out as regularly as they used to, but 25% still don’t feel safe enough to eat out at all. Of the more than half that fell between these two extremes, 30% said they had got used to not eating out and were not really bothered, while 28% have eaten out once or twice for the novelty but don’t plan to very often. There was a very strong gender influence in these figures, with women significantly more hesitant than men. In terms of age, millennials emerged as by far the most confident – but while confidence slides gradually with age, Gen Z bucked the trend and showed a similar profile to those in their 50s. But now for the good news – nearly 9 in 10 respondents said they would definitely (48%) or possibly (39%) take advantage of Eat Out to Help Out on Monday to Wednesday in August. HGEM managing director Steven Pike said: “Many operators will recognise the degree of hesitation expressed by our respondents – there is a big group in the middle waiting to be tempted out. But the statistics on likely take up of Eat Out to Help Out suggests that habits are not yet set in stone and people will come out if given a reason to do so. The age and gender profiles may signal to marketers where the greatest opportunities lie for conversion.”
