Kids' and Teens' Restaurant Eating Habits - US

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: Jun. 1, 2009 - 81 Pages

Table of Contents

SCOPE AND THEMES

What you need to know

Definition

Data sources

Mintel Menu Insights

Consumer survey data

Abbreviations and terms

Abbreviations

Terms

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Recession causes consumers to dine out less

All segments affected

Change is everywhere—forcing restaurants to adapt

The family dynamic

Kids population to grow through 2014; teen growth expected to be flat

Teen spending

Health on the kids’ menu

The value of entertainment

Little variety on the kids’ menu

Focus: McDonald’s—the power of the brand

Dining out with kids and teens

Where kids dine

Who they dine with

Parent’s perspective on why and where they take kids

What the parents say about dining out

What the kids say about dining out

Decision-makers and influencers

Keeping kids’ attention at restaurants

MARKET FACTORS

Restaurant industry recession continues, but the bottom may be in sight

Figure 1: Restaurant Performance Index, current situation, and expectations, November 2007-April 2009

Consumer confidence undermines willingness to spend at restaurants

Figure 2: Consumer Sentiment Index, by quarter, 2001-09

Figure 3: Restaurant spend compared to last year, February 2009

Families pull back on restaurant spend—all segments affected

Recession reshapes the family dynamic

Increasing number of potential child diners in the U.S.

Figure 4: Population by age, 2004-14

Fewer jobs for teens means less spending

RESTAURANT INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS: HEALTHY MEALS

Key points

Spinning health on the children’s menu via freshness

Removing the “bad” fats for better health positioning

Figure 5: Incidence of fat claims on children’s menus, 2005-Q1 2009

Nutritional choices… please!

Figure 6: Incidence of nutritional claims on children’s menus, 2005-Q1 2009

Casual restaurants offering more choices but fast casual tops with healthy offerings

Figure 7: Incidence of nutritional claims on children’s menus, by restaurant segment, Q1 2009

RESTAURANT INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS: ENTERTAINMENT VALUE

Key points

Fast food operators have strong kid appeal

“Happy Meals” attract kids with toys and licensing tie-ins

The “Playplace”

Cheap eats provide time to socialize

Innovators in full-service targeting families

Engaging table activities

Playtime

RESTAURANT INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS: VARIETY

Key points

It’s the same old thing on kids’ menus

Figure 8: Top 10 dishes on children’s menus, 2005-Q1 2009

Fast casual and fine dining offer some “different” types of kids’ dishes

Figure 9: Top five dishes on children’s menus, by restaurant segment, Q1 2009

BRAND QUALITIES: WOOING KIDS

McDonald’s: The evolution of becoming the restaurant for kids

McDonald’s: The Power of the Brand

Figure 10: Children’s self-reporting restaurant usage, by restaurant, by age, March 2009

The question:

The answer:

RESTAURANT USAGE: PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

Key points

Adult restaurant usage and mean usage

Figure 11: Adults usage and usage frequency of restaurant segments in past month, March 2009

Figure 12: Adults usage and usage frequency of restaurant segments in past month, by gender, March 2009

Figure 13: Adults usage and usage frequency of restaurant segments in past month, by selected HH income

groups, March 2009

Number of times children brought to restaurant: usage and mean usage

Figure 14: Usage/usage frequency of bringing child/children to restaurant segments in past month, March 2009 . 36

Figure 15: Usage/usage frequency of bringing child/children to restaurant segments in past month, by gender,

March 2009

Figure 16: Usage/usage frequency of bringing child/children to restaurant segments in past month, by HH

income, March 2009

RESTAURANT USAGE: KIDS’ PERSPECTIVE

Key points

Overview

Figure 17: Children’s self-reporting restaurant usage, by restaurant, by age, March 2009

By age of child

Figure 18: Children’s self-reporting restaurant usage, by restaurant, by age groups, March 2009

Figure 19: Children’s self-reporting restaurant usage, by restaurant, by gender, March 2009

Teen and kid usage of restaurants by day part

Figure 20: Teen use of family restaurant/steakhouses and fast food restaurants, by daypart and race/ethnicity,

October 2007-December 2008

Figure 21: Kids’ use of family restaurant/steakhouses and fast food restaurants, by daypart and race/ethnicity,

October 2007-December 2008

WHO GOES WITH KIDS TO RESTAURANTS: KIDS’ PERSPECTIVE

Key points

Overview

Figure 22: Who kids aged 6-12 go to restaurants with, by restaurant, March 2009

Figure 23: Who kids aged 13-17 go to restaurants with, by restaurant, March 2009

WHY PARENTS BRING KIDS TO RESTAURANTS

Key points

Overview

Figure 24: Reasons parents bring child/children out to a fast food restaurant, by age of child, March 2009

Figure 25: Reasons parents bring child/children out to a full-service restaurant, by age of child, March 2009

Reasons parents bring kids to fast food restaurants: demographic analysis

Parents of kids aged 1-5

Figure 26: Reasons parents bring child/children aged 1-5 out to a fast food restaurant, by gender and parents’

age, March 2009

Parents of kids aged 6-11

Figure 27: Reasons parents bring child/children aged 6-11 out to a fast food restaurant, by gender and parents’

age, March 2009

Parents of kids aged 12-17

Figure 28: Reasons parents bring child/children aged 12-17 out to a fast food restaurant, by gender and parents’

age, March 2009

Reasons parents bring kids to full-service restaurants: demographic analysis

Parents of kids aged 1-5

Figure 29: Reasons parents bring child/children aged 1-5 out to a full-service restaurant, by gender and parents’

age, March 2009

Parents of kids aged 6-11

Figure 30: Reasons parents bring child/children aged 6-11 out to a full-service restaurant, by gender and

parents’ age, March 2009

Parents of kids aged 12-17

Figure 31: Reasons parents bring child/children aged 12-17 out to a full-service restaurant, by gender and

parents’ age, March 2009

KIDS’ DINING OUT ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS: PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

Key points

Overview

Figure 32: Kids’ dining out attitudes and behaviors, by age of child, March 2009

KIDS’ DINING OUT ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS: KIDS’ PERSPECTIVE

Key points

Overview

Figure 33: Dining out attitudes and behaviors: Children’s perspective, by age, March 2009

Figure 34: Dining out attitudes and behaviors: Children’s perspective, by gender, March 2009

LIMITING KIDS’ FOOD CHOICES: PARENTS’ AND KIDS’ PERSPECTIVES

Key points

Overview

Figure 35: Parents’ food choice limitation rationales, by age of child, March 2009

Figure 36: Children’s self-reporting ordering behavior, by age, March 2009

Figure 37: Children’s self-reporting ordering behavior, by gender, March 2009

KEEPING KIDS’ ATTENTION AT RESTAURANTS: PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

Key points

Overview

Figure 38: Keeping children’s attention at restaurants, by age of child, March 2009

Demographic analysis

Figure 39: Keeping attention of children aged 1-5 at restaurants, by gender, March 2009

Figure 40: Keeping attention of children aged 6-11 at restaurants, by gender, March 2009

Figure 41: Keeping attention of children aged 12-17 at restaurants, by gender, March 2009

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CONSUMER TABLES

Parents of kids aged 1-5

Figure 42: Kids’ aged 1-5 dining out attitudes and behaviors, by gender, March 2009

Parents of kids aged 6-11

Figure 43: Kids’ aged 6-11 dining out attitudes and behaviors, by gender, March 2009

Parents of kids aged 12-17

Figure 44: Kids’ aged 6-11 dining out attitudes and behaviors, by gender, March 2009

APPENDIX: TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Abstract

Healthy menu items must be available on kids’ menus; otherwise, families may not consider that restaurant as a viable option.

Menu transparency on the kids’ menu needs to start with a point of reference, so parents can help kids make appropriate food decisions based on their daily intake requirements.

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