Will Technology Replace the Drive Thru?

Consumers continue to migrate to complexity free foodservice increasingly it is technology that is driving that migration from traditional avenues of fresh to distribution to new avenues of food distribution and chief among them is Delivery and Pick-Up services according to Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson.

Foodservice Solutions® team asked consumers during Grocerant ScoreCard visits What’s for Dinner  and  found at 11:00 AM 82.6% of respondents don’t know What’s for dinner and at 4:00 PM 68.7% still don’t know What’s for dinner. When you don’t know What’s for Dinner consumers today are turning to technology more and more and the drive thru less and less accruing to Johnson. Let’s look at facts:

1.       Americans’ interest in driving has declined over the years. In 1983, 87% of 18-year-olds had driver’s licenses; more than 30 years later, that percentage has dropped to 69% (Nielsen)

2.       U.S. retail trips are down more than 1 million since 2012 15.8 billion last year, vs. 17.6 billion in 2012 (Nielsen Homescan)

3.       Since 2008, chain restaurants have experienced -14.8 percent same-store traffic growth (Black Box Intelligence)

4.       82 percent of meals are now consumed at home (NPD Group)

5.       75 percent of respondents to an NPD group survey said they are eating out less, with many citing prices as a reason.

6.       Meal Kit services have become Training Wheels for Millennials companies the ilk of Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, Plated (Foodservice Solutions) and are expected to increase tenfold in the next five years.

7.       Today 61 percent of casual and fast casual restaurant transactions are take out

8.       In 2019, Americans are expected to spend over $12.5 billion on delivery food

9.       Online ordering is expected by more than double to 58 percent over the next three years

Consumers today have an increased desire to save time, save money, and reduce the complexities of daily life according to our own Grocerant Guru®. The Grocerant niche filled with Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food is garnering the attention of consumers according the team at Foodservice Solutions®. 

Fresh prepared food is the fastest growing sector of every sector of foodservice including at Dollar Stores, C-stores, Grocery Stores, and Restaurant Pick-Up, Drive-Thru, and Delivery.  Is your retail operations evolving, growing year or very customer counts, driving top line sales, and bottom line profits?

Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions 5P’s of Food Marketing can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.