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Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.
Published: Aug. 1, 2007 - 123 Pages
Table of Contents
- Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Resources used for consumer sections
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- Executive Summary
- A robust market with room for growth
- The players
- Bread-based chains
- Traditional chains
- Ethnic chains
- Factors to growth
- Fast casual positioned to weather negative economic pressures
- Wholesome health appeal
- Cross-cultural appeal
- Challenges to growth
- Fast food
- Day part expansion and retail encroachment
- Strategy: entice with surprise
- Converting the less frequent user
- Strategy: entice curiosity seekers and provide tangible health benefits
- Market Drivers
- Cross-cultural appeal a hallmark of fast casual—and a key to its success
- Figure 1: Fast casual menu items, 2006
- Figure 2: Fast casual menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Figure 3: Change in international destinations of American travelers, 2001-05 and 2004-05
- Figure 4: Culinary-cultural representation of Panera Bread menu, 2007
- Figure 5: Culinary-cultural representation of Buffalo Wild Wings menu, 2007
- Fast food chains compete and encroach
- Competing on premium
- Figure 6: Average amount spent per person on last visit, by household income, April 2007
- Battling for tastebuds
- Figure 7: New Mexican-style menu introductions, by dining type, Q1 2006-Q1 2007
- Figure 8: Cuisine types of new menu items, by dining type, Q1 2006-Q1 2007
- Grinding it out over coffee
- Duking it out over day parts
- Competing on conscience and perception
- Figure 9: Nutritional marketing claims accompanying new menu items, Q1 2006-Q1 2007
- Figure 10: Top ten marketing claims, by dining type, Q1 2006-Q1 2007
- Competition from new décor
- Competition from RTE meals
- Figure 11: Price per serving for representative meals at Dinners Ready, July 2007
- Figure 12: Average price range for fast casual menu items, July 2007
- Lunch
- Fast casual positioned to weather negative economic pressures
- Rising gas prices may dampen motivation to dine out
- Figure 13: Impact of fluctuating gas prices on consumer expenditures, May 2007
- Mortgage rates, foreclosure and debt weigh on the consumer
- Figure 14: Historical trending in mortgage rates, 2005-07
- A silver lining for fast casual
- Figure 15: Mean number of fast casual meals ordered in past month, by HH income, July 2007
- Not a matter of income at all?
- Market Size and Trends
- Market size
- Figure 16: Total U.S. systemwide sales of leading fast casual chains, at current and constant prices, 2004-06
- Figure 17: Fast casual as a share of population, by age, 2007
- Market trends
- The health trend
- Wholesome health appeal
- Focus on fish and chicken
- Figure 18: Fast casual menu items featuring fish, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Figure 19: Fast casual menu items featuring chicken, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Vegetarian overtakes trans fat-free
- Figure 20: Fast casual general menu claims, by restaurant type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007 inclusive
- Organic and all-natural increase traction
- Increased focus on hospitality
- Market Segmentation and Supply Structure
- Introduction
- Figure 21: U.S. systemwide sales of leading fast casual chains, segmented by menu type, 2004 and 2006
- Figure 22: U.S. systemwide sales of top fast casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Bread-based chains
- Figure 23: U.S. systemwide sales of top bread-based casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Figure 24: U.S. systemwide units and sales per unit of leading bread-based fast casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Panera Bread Co.
- Einstein Bros. Bagels (New World Restaurant Group)
- Figure 25: Einstein Brothers menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Bruegger’s
- McAlister's Deli
- Cosi
- Traditional chains
- Figure 26: U.S. systemwide sales of top traditional fast casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Figure 27: U.S. systemwide units and sales per unit of leading traditional fast casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
- Steak n Shake
- Boston Market
- Zaxby’s
- Figure 28: Zaxby’s menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Fuddruckers
- Ethnic chains
- Figure 29: U.S. systemwide sales of top ethnic casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Figure 30: U.S. systemwide units and sales per unit of leading ethnic fast casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Figure 31: Chipotle menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Baja Fresh
- Qdoba
- Pei Wei
- Figure 32: Pei Wei menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Advertising and Promotion
- Summary of common themes
- Creation of streaming media as a platform for brand visibility
- Giving to the cause
- Creating stand-apart value from QSR cousins
- Figure 33: Boston Market real food
- Figure 34: Steak n Shake service
- Panera Bread
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Figure 35: Buffalo wings blow out
- Boston Market
- Steak n Shake
- Figure 36: Steak n Shake fruit and yogurt milkshakes
- Bagel Moves
- El Pollo Loco
- Moe’s Southwest Grill
- Zaxby’s
- The Consumer: Eating Outside the Home
- Summary
- Eating outside the home
- Dinners eaten at restaurants and retail, on weekends and weekdays
- Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month
- Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month
- Eating outside the home
- Figure 37: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, July 2007
- Figure 38: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by gender,
- Figure 39: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by age, July 2007
- Figure 40: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by HH income, July 2007
- Figure 41: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Dinners eaten at restaurants and retail, on weekends and weekdays
- Figure 42: Dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, on weekends and weekdays, July 2007
- Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month
- Figure 43: Frequency of weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by channel, July 2007
- Figure 44: Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by age, July 2007
- Figure 45: Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by HH income, July 2007
- Figure 46: Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month
- Figure 47: Frequency of weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by channel, July 2007
- Figure 48: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by age, July 2007
- Figure 49: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by HH income, July 2007
- Figure 50: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- The Consumer: Usage of Fast Casual Restaurants
- Summary
- Usage and frequency of use
- Usage of fast casual restaurants, by type
- Usage of fast casual restaurants
- Figure 51: Mean number of times fast casual ordered in past month, by gender, age, HH income and race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Frequency of fast casual orders in past month
- Figure 52: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by gender, July 2007
- Figure 53: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by age, July 2007
- Figure 54: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by HH income, July 2007
- Figure 55: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Usage of fast casual restaurants, by type
- Figure 56: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by gender, July 2007
- Attitudes Towards Fast Casual Restaurants
- Summary
- Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants
- Cross-tabbing by frequency of fast casual use
- Attitudes toward fast casual
- Enjoyment of cuisines, by type of cuisine
- How consumers discover the restaurants they frequent or plan to visit
- Beverage choices and preferences
- Eating and dining out habits
- Restaurant preference factors
- Attitudes towards food and dining out
- Reasons for not eating at fast casual restaurants more often
- Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants
- Figure 57: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by gender, July 2007
- Figure 58: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by age, July 2007
- Figure 59: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by HH income, July 2007
- Figure 60: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Cross-tabbing by frequency of fast casual use
- Attitudes towards fast casual
- Figure 61: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Enjoyment of cuisines, by type of cuisine
- Figure 62: Enjoyment of various cuisine types, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- How consumers discover the restaurants they frequent or plan to visit
- Figure 63: How respondents find out about nearby restaurants, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Beverage choices and preferences
- Figure 64: Attitudes toward beverages, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Eating and dining out habits
- Figure 65: Eating and dining out habits, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Restaurant preference factors
- Figure 66: Factors to restaurant decision-making process, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Attitudes toward food and dining out
- Figure 67: Attitudes toward food and dining out, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Reasons for less frequent use of fast casual restaurants
- Figure 68: Reasons for less frequent use of fast casual restaurants, by gender, July 2007
- Figure 69: Reasons for less frequent use of fast casual restaurants, by age, July 2007
- Future and Forecast
- Future trends
- Room for growth
- Fast, casual, small and authentic
- Top chefs jump on fast casual
- Expanding the box and diverting the palate
- Outreach and efficiency through takeout, catering and technology
- Commodity prices may pose price point hurdles
- Figure 70: Whole chicken spot price, Georgia docks, by month, January 2006-June 2007
- Market forecast
- Leading fast casual chains
- Figure 71: Forecast of total U.S. systemwide sales of leading fast casual chains, at current and constant prices, 2006-08
- Forecast factors
- Appendix: Trade Associations
AbstractThis report provides the reader with statistics and insights about the fast casual category that can help a market player do the following: stave off competition from other foodservice segments; retain core customers, increase their frequency of use; attract new customers; make new product development decisions; and create meaningful marketing messages and dynamic ad/promotional campaigns.
Some specific issues and questions addressed in the report include:
- Which fast casual segment (bread-based, traditional, or ethnic) is growing the fastest and why?
- Has the segment connected with the Hispanic consumer and why?
- Which of the top chains is setting trends, and how does its menu reflect growth potential?
- Which chain carries momentum in terms of unit growth or sales per unit?
- How well is fast casual positioned to weather negative economic pressures?
The report also offers analysis and strategies to:
- Grow sales in the face of QSR premium menu and décor upgrades
- Leverage expanding late-afternoon and evening meal presence
- Address the threat of ready-to-eat meals
- Convert the less frequent user
This report is the result of synthesizing multiple resources including sales data, consumer data from an exclusive Mintel study, and Mintel Menu Insights, which provides flavor, ingredient, preparation, and price trend analysis, drawing from the largest 350 chain restaurants, as well as 150 independent restaurants, 50 restaurants run by top chefs, and 25 beverage-focused restaurants.
With a 2004-06 compound annual growth rate of 16.2% in current prices, the fast casual restaurant segment has positioned itself as the growth leader within the restaurant industry. Sales have been driven by the segment’s cross-cultural appeal, its healthful image, trend-setting décor, and menu innovation.
For the purposes of polling respondents, Mintel described a fast casual restaurant as “a restaurant where you order at the counter, but whose menus and ingredients often differ from those at a traditional fast food restaurant (such as McDonald’s, Burger King, or Subway). A fast casual restaurant can be an independent restaurant or a chain.”
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