The economy may be in the pooper, but Americans are still short on time, eating out, and want to support local businesses and brands. “Green” is no longer simply a trend, but a preference for many consumers, and studies show we’re willing to pay a bit more to venues that go the extra mile.
According to a recent Mintel report, just more than half (57%) of respondents are willing to pay more for local and sustainable fare; however, the majority of those are only willing to pay a mere 1-5% more.
“Green and sustainable attributes pale in comparison to the leading restaurant decision drivers of menu selection, prices and convenient location,” notes Eric Giandelone, foodservice director at Mintel. “However, these initiatives support the leading attributes to help a restaurant stand apart and will become more important as the green movement continues to progress.”
When selecting where to eat, 74% of patrons based their decision on menu options, followed by pricing and convenient location at 69% and 67%, respectively. Local/organic ingredients and sustainable ingredients followed, with only 7% of people saying that drove them to a restaurant.
Going green and using local ingredients aren’t the only issues restaurants are facing today. For corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, patrons place the greatest importance on living wages. When Mintel respondents were asked to rate their top three CSR initiatives they named living wages, local ingredients and company-provided medical insurance.
“Employee treatment is considered a leading CSR initiative in the restaurant industry,” adds Eric Giandelone. “Despite the fact that those aged 18-24 are generally more in tune with green and sustainable initiatives, living wages rank as more important for older consumers.”
So, which part of the US is the greenest? No surprise here. According to Mintel, the West is best. The West has traditionally been a hotbed for healthier lifestyles and related culinary trends. Although still a small percentage of patrons are impacted, local or organic ingredients are particularly of interest to those living in Western states (11% vs. 7% of the Northwest and only 4% of the Midwest).
What does this mean for your restaurant or local cafe? If you’re thinking about adding locally grown ingredients, and you’re not competing heavily on price at your location, it just might be the right move to ‘spice up’ your menu this holiday season.
[…] Friday was the first official day of #SOBEWFF. As crowds moved in, we picked up our passes and headed for the first of a session of panel events (sponsored by Bullfrog & Baum), with top Food Network chefs Michelle Bernstein, Michael Solomonov, John Kunkel, Marc Murphy, and Tony Maws talking about trends in dining and restaurants. […]
[…] Friday was the first official day of #SOBEWFF. As crowds moved in, we picked up our passes and headed for the first of a session of panel events (sponsored by Bullfrog & Baum), with top Food Network chefs Michelle Bernstein, Michael Solomonov, John Kunkel, Marc Murphy, and Tony Maws talking about trends in dining and restaurants. […]