Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Resources used for consumer sections
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- 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
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- Cross-cultural appeal a hallmark of fast casual—and a key to its success
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- Figure 1: Fast casual menu items, 2006
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- 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
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- Figure 4: Culinary-cultural representation of Panera Bread menu, 2007
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- Figure 5: Culinary-cultural representation of Buffalo Wild Wings menu, 2007
- Fast food chains compete and encroach
- Competing on premium
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- Figure 6: Average amount spent per person on last visit, by household income, April 2007
- Battling for tastebuds
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- Figure 7: New Mexican-style menu introductions, by dining type, Q1 2006-Q1 2007
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- 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
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- 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
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- Figure 11: Price per serving for representative meals at Dinners Ready, July 2007
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- 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
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- Figure 13: Impact of fluctuating gas prices on consumer expenditures, May 2007
- Mortgage rates, foreclosure and debt weigh on the consumer
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- Figure 14: Historical trending in mortgage rates, 2005-07
- A silver lining for fast casual
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- 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
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- Market size
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- Figure 16: Total U.S. systemwide sales of leading fast casual chains, at current and constant prices, 2004-06
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- Introduction
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- Figure 21: U.S. systemwide sales of leading fast casual chains, segmented by menu type, 2004 and 2006
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- Figure 22: U.S. systemwide sales of top fast casual chains, 2004 and 2006
- Bread-based chains
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- 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)
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- Figure 25: Einstein Brothers menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Bruegger’s
- McAlister's Deli
- Cosi
- Traditional chains
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- 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
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- Figure 28: Zaxby’s menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Fuddruckers
- Ethnic chains
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- 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
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- Figure 31: Chipotle menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
- Baja Fresh
- Qdoba
- Pei Wei
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- Figure 32: Pei Wei menu items, by cuisine type, Q2 2006-Q1 2007
Advertising and Promotion
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- 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
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- Figure 33: Boston Market real food
- Figure 34: Steak n Shake service
- Panera Bread
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Buffalo Wild Wings
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- Figure 35: Buffalo wings blow out
- Boston Market
- Steak n Shake
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- 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
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- 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
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- Figure 37: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, July 2007
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- Figure 38: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by gender,
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- Figure 39: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by age, July 2007
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- Figure 40: Number of meals eaten per week that are prepared outside the home, by day part, by HH income, July 2007
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- 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
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- 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
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- Figure 43: Frequency of weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by channel, July 2007
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- Figure 44: Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by age, July 2007
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- Figure 45: Weekday dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by HH income, July 2007
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- 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
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- Figure 47: Frequency of weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by channel, July 2007
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- Figure 48: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by age, July 2007
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- Figure 49: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by HH income, July 2007
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- Figure 50: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
The Consumer: Usage of Fast Casual Restaurants
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- Summary
- Usage and frequency of use
- Usage of fast casual restaurants, by type
- Usage of fast casual restaurants
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- 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
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- Figure 52: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by gender, July 2007
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- Figure 53: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by age, July 2007
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- Figure 54: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by HH income, July 2007
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- Figure 55: Frequency of fast casual orders in past month, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Usage of fast casual restaurants, by type
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- Figure 56: Weekend dinners eaten at restaurants and retail in past month, by gender, July 2007
Attitudes Towards Fast Casual Restaurants
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- 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
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- Figure 57: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by gender, July 2007
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- Figure 58: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by age, July 2007
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- Figure 59: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by HH income, July 2007
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- Figure 60: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by race/ethnicity, July 2007
- Cross-tabbing by frequency of fast casual use
- Attitudes towards fast casual
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- Figure 61: Attitudes toward fast casual restaurants, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Enjoyment of cuisines, by type of cuisine
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- 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
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- Figure 63: How respondents find out about nearby restaurants, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Beverage choices and preferences
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- Figure 64: Attitudes toward beverages, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Eating and dining out habits
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- Figure 65: Eating and dining out habits, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Restaurant preference factors
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- Figure 66: Factors to restaurant decision-making process, by frequency of fast casual restaurant visits, July 2007
- Attitudes toward food and dining out
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- 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
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- Figure 68: Reasons for less frequent use of fast casual restaurants, by gender, July 2007
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- Figure 69: Reasons for less frequent use of fast casual restaurants, by age, July 2007
Future and Forecast
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- 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
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- Figure 70: Whole chicken spot price, Georgia docks, by month, January 2006-June 2007
- Market forecast
- Leading fast casual chains
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- 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
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