Christmas eating out drops

The latest QuickBite survey from foodservice analysts Horizons shows a sharp fall in the number of people eating out over Christmas 2012, compared with Christmas 2011.

The survey, undertaken by YouGov, shows that 31% of consumers had not eaten out during the two week Christmas period of 2012, compared with 28% who hadn’t in the same period last year. Expense was cited by respondents as the main reason for the drop in Christmas eating out, meaning that families are opting for cooking at home.

While those that did eat out spent more than they did previously, a 5.4% rise on last year’s average spend, the figures come as bad news for the foodservice sector which relies heavily on sales over Christmas.

Other findings include:

  • Average spend on meals out over the festive period was £14.55
  • Consumers ate out an average of 1.83 times in the two-week Christmas period
  • Pubs accounted for 20% of all eating out occasions
  • Habit is the key reason for choosing a particular restaurant
  • Only 8% of respondents chose a restaurant because of a money-off voucher or deal
  • Of those choosing a restaurant based on recommendation, websites and reviews accounted for only 12% of those recommendations.
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