The age-old question, “What’s for dinner?” has evolved
dramatically over the decades, shaped by societal changes and consumer demands.
In a world where speed of service, affordability, portability, and dietary
preferences take center stage, families today are more interested in finding
meal solutions that satisfy everyone at the table without sacrificing quality
or convenience, according to Steven
Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.
Restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores have
risen to the challenge, adapting their offerings to meet these evolving needs.
Let’s take a look.
A Historical Shift in Dinner Dynamics
Once upon a time, the family dinner was an event where
everyone gathered around the table at home, enjoying a home-cooked meal
prepared with love. But as the pace of life quickened with dual-income
households, longer work hours, and more extracurricular activities for kids,
home-cooked dinners have become a luxury for many. The average time a person
spends preparing a home-cooked meal has dropped significantly—from over an hour
in the 1960s to just 37 minutes in recent years.
Enter the rise of the grocerant niche—where the lines between grocery store and
restaurant blur. Retailers offering grocerant meals and meal components,
along with fast-food chains and convenience stores, have become key players in
providing quick, affordable, and nutritious meals for busy families. But it’s
not just about speed; families now demand customization and mix-and-match
options to cater to varied tastes and dietary preferences. Let’s break down the
elements of today’s successful family meal solutions.
Speed of Service
Today’s consumers want their meals fast. In fact, speed of
service is a primary driver behind the rise of fast-food chains and grab-and-go
sections in grocery stores. The 2023 National Restaurant Association
report showed that the average drive-thru wait time across the top fast-food
chains has decreased by 20 seconds year over year, with the fastest chains
averaging around 4 minutes and 15 seconds. This might not seem like
much, but when you're juggling a busy schedule, every second counts.
Convenience stores are also catching up. According to the 2024
Supermarket News Fresh Foods Survey, nearly 55% of convenience store
operators now offer fresh, prepared meals that can be served in under five
minutes, a sharp contrast to their historic reputation for unhealthy snack
foods.
Price
Affordability is a key factor in the dinner equation,
especially for families with multiple mouths to feed. Grocery stores have been
particularly adept at keeping prices in check by offering ready-to-eat meals
that compete directly with fast food, but at lower price points. According
to a 2024 FMI study, the average cost of a prepared meal from a grocery
store is 15% cheaper than a comparable meal from a restaurant.
This price-conscious approach has made grocery stores a
go-to solution for families looking for affordable, quality meals that don’t
require a drive-thru.
Portability
Portability is a major consideration for modern families on
the go. Whether it’s soccer practice, after-school tutoring, or a late-night
work shift, today’s dinner often happens on the road. Fast-food chains have
long dominated in this area, offering portable meal options that can be
consumed on the go. But grocery stores and convenience stores have made
significant strides, with pre-packaged, heat-and-eat meals that can be easily
transported.
Families can pick up entire meals—complete with sides,
salads, and desserts—that are portable and ready to eat. The trend toward
portability is why 7-Eleven has seen a 10% increase in sales of its
portable fresh foods over the last two years. In fact, many convenience stores
are now offering meal kits that cater to specific dietary needs and can be
easily reheated or eaten cold, providing families with even more flexibility.
Healthy Options
The demand for healthier meal options continues to grow,
and the food industry has responded. Fast food chains are now offering
everything from salads to fruit cups, and even grocery store delis are
prioritizing health. According to the 2024 Supermarket News Fresh Foods
Survey, 68% of shoppers now seek out fresh, organic, or plant-based
prepared foods in their local grocery store.
Convenience stores, often dismissed as unhealthy food
havens, have made impressive leaps forward, with over 60% now offering fresh
fruit, salads, and sandwiches. These healthy, grab-and-go options offer
families more choices than ever before, allowing parents to feel good about
what they’re feeding their kids, even when they’re short on time.
The Perfect Family Meal: Mix-and-Match
Components
One of the biggest challenges of family dinners today is
finding something everyone will eat. The solution? Mix-and-match meal
components. Restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores alike are
excelling at offering customizable meals that cater to each family member’s
preferences.
1. Grocery Stores:
Grocery stores, particularly in their deli sections, have embraced the idea of
family-friendly mix-and-match meals. With options ranging from rotisserie
chicken to freshly prepared sides like mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, or
mashed potatoes, everyone can create their ideal plate. In fact, 42% of
families regularly rely on grocery stores for their dinner needs, according
to a 2023 FMI report.
2. Restaurants:
Fast food chains like McDonald's and Chick-fil-A have introduced family meal
bundles, where customers can choose from a variety of entrees and sides to
accommodate picky eaters. For instance, Chick-fil-A’s Family Meals let families
mix chicken nuggets, sandwiches, salads, and sides, so everyone gets what they
want.
3. Convenience Stores:
Convenience stores have also gotten creative, offering mix-and-match meal
solutions with healthier options. Wawa and Sheetz have made
significant strides in this area by allowing customers to customize their
sandwiches, salads, and sides with various ingredients, making it easier for
families to get meals that cater to everyone’s tastes.
Think About This: The Future of Family Meals
The modern dinner solution is all about convenience,
flexibility, and choice. Whether you’re grabbing a rotisserie chicken from your
local grocery store, picking up a family meal from a fast-food drive-thru, or
assembling a personalized dinner at a convenience store, the food industry has
successfully adapted to meet the needs of today’s busy families. By focusing on
speed of service, affordability, portability, healthy options, and
customization, restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores are excelling
at answering the “What’s for dinner?” question with delicious, family-approved
solutions.
The mix-and-match future is bright, and families can
continue to expect meals that are not only quick and affordable but also
perfectly suited to every family member’s preference.
Foodservice Solutions® specializes in
outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify
additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and
brand and menu integration strategy. Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche
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