Moms drive restaurant decisions: study

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Moms drive restaurant decisions: study
A new study by Technomic and C3 finds that regardless of ethnicity, American moms are the most likely members of their families to make decisions on restaurant patronage.

Aug. 9, 2011, Chicago – A new study by Technomic and C3 finds that
regardless of ethnicity, American moms are the most likely members of
their families to make decisions on restaurant patronage.

The study also found that, despite their diverse tastes, many moms share similar motivations and attitudes about food.

"The mom of today is represented by more diversity than ever, and is also faced with a wider variety of foodservice choices than ever before," said Sara Monnette, Technomic's director of consumer research. "Despite this, healthy choices, value and restaurants that provide a comfortable environment for their family are all very important across every demographic."

"Today's family has moved past a one-size-fits-all demographic," said Jenny Ferguson, C3's director of consumer insights. "Family dynamics are different and the strategic role that moms play in their families continues to grow. By understanding the landscape and changing target audience, foodservice suppliers and operators can be positioned for future success and growth."

Select findings from the study include:

• The recession has affected the decisions made by moms, with 96 per cent saying they are spending more cautiously today. Nineteen per cent of moms say they are struggling to make ends meet, and 56 per cent report managing their money more carefully.
• The leading priorities for moms across all demographic groups are health and value. Just under one-quarter (24 per cent) of all moms view health as their primary motivation, while 22 per cent say value is the primary consideration when making foodservice choices.
• Diverse attitudes and behaviours exist within Asian and Hispanic mothers, based on the national origin of their family. For example, a mom whose family's national origin is China is less likely to use fast food restaurants than moms whose families were from most other Asian countries included in the survey.

Detailed findings are published in the Today's Moms: Understanding the Foodservice Attitudes and Behaviours of Major Ethnic Groups report, available for purchase from Technomic.