Information and news for chain restaurant executives involved in consumer research, market trends, data collection and analysis.
Consumer Pulse: Paying Through the Pain By Mary Boltz Chapman, Editor-in-Chief, 5/1/2008
Sure tightwads spend less money. The question is why, and what to do with that knowledge. A recent academic article examines how the pain of paying drives them to spend conservatively, even more than they would ideally like to. More
Technomic Finds Tax Rebates Unlikely to Boost Slumping Restaurant Industry (Press Release) 05/08/2008
In its most recent consumer sentiment survey, researchers from foodservice consultancy Technomic, Inc., found that very few consumers plan to spend their economic stimulus checks at restaurants. Rather, the evidence suggests that consumers will be far more likely to save/invest the money, use it to pay off debt and/or go shopping for necessities.
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Innovation Puts Chains Ahead of the Curve By Lisa Bertagnoli, Contributing Editor - 05/01/2008
Whether they're new menu items, service enhancements or online offerings, all innovations serve the same purpose: to bond customers closer to the brand. Chain Leader has found several chain-restaurant innovations that let customers have a say in how they’re marketed to, what they buy and how they experience a brand.
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Traffic Trends: No Bones About It By Mary Boltz Chapman, Editor-in-Chief - 04/01/2008
On their last QSR occasion, 19.6 percent of all fast-food users ordered chicken—in the form of a sandwich, nuggets or strips, wings or on the bone—as their main meal item, according to Quick-Track, a quarterly study by San Clemente, Calif.-based research firm Sandelman & Associates.
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How to Survive a Recession By David Farkas, Senior Editor - 04/01/2008
Casual dining is feeling the brunt of the economic downturn. To combat weak sales and declining guest counts, casual-dining chains are marketing value over discounting and networking with their most loyal customers via e-mail newsletters and special events at the units.
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Consumer Pulse: Language Barrier By Mary Boltz Chapman, Editor-in-Chief - 03/01/2008
Consumers do care about sustainability; they just use different words than the media or business to describe their concerns.
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Editorial: Stealing Ideas By Mary Boltz Chapman, Editor-in-Chief - 03/01/2008
Award winners get ideas from customers however they can, from mystery shoppers and interviews to watching what gets thrown away.
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Traffic Trends: Window of Opportunity By Mary Boltz Chapman, Editor-in-Chief - 02/01/2008
Quick-service customers prefer to sit in the car, especially when they are alone. More than 40 percent of fast-food goes through the drive-thru.
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With college tuition costs rising at most public and private universities across the country, more and more students are relying on ...
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Dave's Dispatch David Farkas, Senior Editor, Chain Leader April 21, 2008 Pricing with impunity?
Raising prices again? In this week's "MK Table Scraps," Morgan Ke... More
Dave's Dispatch David Farkas, Senior Editor, Chain Leader April 16, 2008 "Repeat patronage intentions"
Far be it from moi to knock the expertise of people with Ph.Ds. (No way, my wife is o... More
Dave's Dispatch David Farkas, Senior Editor, Chain Leader April 8, 2008 Starbucks or char-bucks
A tall, bearded Starbucks employee wandered about the room carrying a tr... More
The Next Big Thing Lane Cardwell, Partner, The Chain Gang April 2, 2008 New Tricks for Old Dogs
I was describing the foot long hot dog that I had eaten at Dave Anderson's Key Lime C... More
Fresh-Brewed News: Current articles from national media outlets on coffee topics. Consumption Trends: 37% of adults aged 18 to 24 drink coffee, up from 31% the prior year.
Pick a Pairing: Many coffee aficionados are curious to learn how their favorite blends match up with food. Restaurants have the opportunity to teach them.
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Fresh-Brewed News: Current articles from national media outlets on coffee topics.
Full Coverage: Coffee Trends
