Why Do Fast Food Restaurants Account for Most Restaurant Meals in America

Year after year The NPD Group reports that fast food outlets account for 82+% of all meals sold at restaurants in the United Sates. Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® has informed regular readers of this blog that 65.3% of US household consist of one or two people and that it is simply easier to eat fast food than cook for one or two people night after night.

Recently Unilever reported that a whopping 40% of U.S. households are ‘cash strapped’ and represent $1.6 trillion in spending power. By some definitions, those struggling to make ends meet could be larger—and growing. So, it’s no wonder that as restaurants continue to raise prices customer counts will continue to drop according to Johnson. The Battle for Share of Stomach is a PRICE in 2019. 

Battle for Share of Stomach

Consider this from the Unilever report consumers making about or just less than 400% of the federal poverty level—criteria to be eligible for federal healthcare assistance, for example—comprise more than half of U.S. households and include consumers one might otherwise consider “middle class,” says Sarah Marion, director of syndicated research for the Hartman Group, Bellevue, Wash.

Marion continued “It reaches into the middle class a little bit,” ... “but once we saw the data, the shopping patterns are really different once you cross that line. Those households have to make difficult budgeting decisions every day. It’s, ‘Are we going to have health insurance or are we going to send Johnny to camp this year?’”

 It appears that non-traditional fresh food retailers that can say consumers time and money will win the heart and minds of consumers.  Those retailers are focused on selling grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared foods a competitive price according to Johnson.  

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869