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Consumer Closeness in the

Age of Social Distancing

Week of June 1st: Restaurant Dine-in

Making plans to go out is keeping Canadians in a good mood this week

%

Stressed

%

⬆ Peaceful

%

Optimistic

%

⬇ Relaxed

%

Happy

(⬆& ⬇ arrows indicate change in emotions vs previous week)

As markets continue to open up, most remain optimistic, but caution still lingers.

“How are you feeling that things are starting to open back up soon?”

Cautiously Optimistic

Worried

Unsure

Excited

Not Happy

%

Cautiously optimistic / Excited about businesses opening up

Canadians are planning to go out soon and parks and restaurants top the list

Top activities done in the PAST 2 weeks

  • Fast Food Restaurants ? 33% 33%
  • Parks ? 33% 33%
  • Coffee Shop ☕ 20% 20%
  • Banks ? 19% 19%
  • Retail Clothing Stores ?? 10% 10%
  • Salons ?‍♀️ 7% 7%
  • Dine-in Restaurants ? 7% 7%

Other: Gyms 1%, Pubs/Clubs 4%, Community Centers 1% None of these 27%

Top Activities planned for the NEXT 2 weeks

  • Fast Food Restaurants ? 28% 28%
  • Parks ? 45% 45%
  • Coffee Shop ☕ 28% 28%
  • Banks ? 21% 21%
  • Retail Clothing Stores ?? 17% 17%
  • Salons ?‍♀️ 16% 16%
  • Dine-in Restaurants ? 12% 12%

Other: Gyms 4%, Pubs/Clubs 6%, Community Centers 2%, None of these 23%

Most plan to visit tried and tested local restaurants and expect basic social distancing measures to be in place

Plans For Visiting A Dine-in Restaurant

Those planning to eat at restaurants are looking forward to a break from their cooking and cleaning routines

  • I’ve already eaten at a restaurant 5% 5%
  • I plan to go within the next week 5% 5%
  • In the next 2 to 4 weeks 19% 19%
  • More than 4 weeks from now 37% 37%
  • I will not eat in a restaurant in the forseeable future 34% 34%

 Type of Restaurants Canadians Plan To Visit

Most will prioritize ‘tried and tested’ restaurants that are local 

Among those who plan to visit a restaurant in the next month

  • Local Family Restaurants ?? 65% 65%
  • Local Fine Dining Restaurant ?? 41% 41%
  • National Sit Down Chains ?? 27% 27%
  • Fast Food / Quick Service Restaurants ?? 27% 27%
  • Quick / Fast Casual ?? 21% 21%

Somewhere else (15%), None of these (1%)

Top Decision Factors For Choosing A Restaurant

 

 

%

Tried n' True Spot I know

%

Local Restaurant

%

Best Value for Money

Other: New place/never tried 32%, Healthy choices 28%, New flavors 19%, International cuisine 19%

 Food Related Outings In The Next Month

Restaurant visits in the coming month are mostly focused on buying breakfast and eating out locally with friends and family 

%

Buy Breakfast from a Fast Food Restaurant

%

Shop at a Local Farmers' Market

%

Dinner with Friends and Family

%

Go to your Favorite Local Restaurant

Other: Meet friends at a coffee shop/cafe (12%), Restaurant date (8%), Celebrating Birthday/Anniversary in a restaurant (6%), Bar/lounge (6%), Take kids to restaurant (5%)

Safety Considerations For Dine-in Restaurants

Type of Restaurants Considered Safe

%

Local Family Restaurant

%

Local Fine Dining Restaurant

%

Fast Food / QSR

%

National Sit Down Chains

%

Quick / Fast Casual

Other: None of these (45%)

Safety Expectations For Ordering At The Counter

  • Tables 6 feet apart 81% 81%
  • Removal of all multi-use items (eg: condiments, salt, pepper) 66% 66%
  • Touch-less payment 62% 62%
  • Waiters wearing masks 60% 60%
  • Plexiglass partitions between tables 44% 44%
  • Posted and visible cleaning supplies 43% 43%
  • Customers wearing masks when not at their table 34% 34%
  • Waiters wearing gloves 32% 32%
  • Temperature checks when entering the restuarant 22% 22%

Other: Something else (8%), None of these (11%)

Safety Expectations When A Waiter Takes Your Order

  • Tables 6 feet apart 81% 81%
  • Waiters wearing masks 66% 66%
  • Removal of all multi-use items (eg: condiments, salt, pepper) 65% 65%
  • Touch-less payment 64% 64%
  • Plexiglass partitions between tables 42% 42%
  • Posted and visible cleaning supplies 42% 42%
  • Waiters wearing gloves 35% 35%
  • Customers wearing masks when not at their table 34% 34%
  • Temperature checks when entering the restuarant 23% 23%

Other: Something else (9%), None of these (10%)

Impact of COVID-19 On Restaurant Industry Trends 

Avoiding Single Serve Packaging

  • More important 32% 32%
  • The same 48% 48%
  • Less important 20% 20%

Compostable Packaging

  • More important 29% 29%
  • The same 57% 57%
  • Less important 14% 14%

Use Your Own Container

  • More important 16% 16%
  • The same 51% 51%
  • Less important 33% 33%

Plant Based Options

  • More important 10% 10%
  • The same 66% 66%
  • Less important 24% 24%

Tea and coffee routines in the new normal mostly revolve around brewing at home which has also increased consumption among some

%

Made coffee at home MORE OFTEN during COVID-19

Catch up on past reports: Click here.

A word on our approach

This research is not just another COVID-19 survey. This study was conducted using immersive mobile messaging-based conversational exercises that capture robust quant data and emotive qual inputs in real-time from our mobile COVID-19 community members in one seamless experience. Take a look at the video to see a demo of how our technology works…

Fine Print:
Field dates 5/29-6/3, Base: n=349

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