Foodservice operators in the United States should be prepared for better than normal business on November 22, because more consumers than ever will supplement their traditional Thanksgiving feast with restaurant-prepared foods, says the National Restaurant Association (NRA). According to a recently conducted survey, 9% of adults aim to eat their holiday meal at a restaurant. In addition, 4% of those planning a festive meal at home intend to purchase it from a restaurant.
Among the adults who told NRA pollsters they plan to visit a restaurant this Thanksgiving, 31% said they would go to the same establishment they traditionally go to on the holiday. Another 30% said the eatery in which they will dine is the one they only go to on special occasions. Twenty-one percent of respondents said they would patronize a restaurant that is one of their favorites, while 18% said they would go to one they’d never been to before.
Then, on Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving and one of the busiest shopping days of the year – it’s going to be a game changer for both retailers and restaurateurs. NRA research indicates that 43% of adults plan to head out to stores in shopping malls and elsewhere on those days, and 72% intend to patronize either a full-service or QSR restaurant while they’re out shopping.
