We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently — and included the quote that got us talking the most.
Family Matters in the Fast Casual World
As a working mom with two, busy, school-aged kids, the fast-casual dining experience is a frequent entrant in my meal-time routine, and I am not alone – the segment is one of the fastest growing in the dining industry.
Come to Your Coffee Senses: Part Two
How did Full Contact follow up last year’s wildly successful campaign for Cumberland Farms Farmhouse Blend coffee? By tapping into the awesome and skyrocketing star power of comedian, writer and TV radio host Nikki Glaser. This fully integrated campaign continues to position the delicious 99¢ Farmhouse Blend as the Great No Brainer in the coffee world. Have a look…
What We Found: Reviving age old medium, Taco Bell meets Chipotle, Sex sells to monkeys
We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently — and included the quotes that got us talking the most.
Putting the “New England” in New England Honda
There are a lot of megabrands who do a phenomenal job marketing themselves to a national, even global audience. The challenges occur when these same brands try to connect with consumers on a more local level. Anyone who lives in the Boston market has seen evidence of this: the baked bean references, Tea Party jokes, and of the course obligatory “pahk the cahh” headline. In some ways it is no different when you see a famous Hollywood actor butcher the local dialect. It is anything but genuine and fails to make a connection with the local audience. Not to mention it just sounds godawful. Read more
The Casual Conundrum: Diners Expect More from Fast Casual
Sidewalk Cafe Menu Blank for Writing
Call me old fashioned (or just old), but I remember when I was growing up we had four options for dining out – a local pizza place, McDonald’s, the “fancy restaurant” with the real tablecloths and the diner. Being picky or having high expectations for the dining experience wasn’t really an option. You just went where you went and ate what you ate.
Good Lord have things changed.
My kids now have upwards of 40 dining options in a 10 mile radius – and I live deep in the suburbs. Last night, we literally had a fifteen minute debate over which Hibachi place we wanted to go to (of the 4 local options – FOUR. LOCAL. HIBACHI. OPTIONS!).
I provide the above as context for some research we conducted here at Full Contact on the fast casual restaurant space. As a working mom with two kids, fast casual is a frequent savior for me. It’s the go-to when there is no time to make a meal, when we need a break from the weekday meal monotony, or when we are running between errands and just need a quick bite. I think many people view fast casual as a savior for the reasons I note above, but according to our research, that does not mean that people don’t still have high expectations for what fast casual restaurants should provide.
According to our survey* of 751 adults, diners seek benefits more often associated with a sit-down restaurant experience from their fast casual counterparts. For example:
- 58% of those surveyed want better customer service and 48% were looking for a “more comfortable restaurant experience.”
- In addition, 39% said they are seeking seasonal menu items and 38% said they would like to see more “unique food offerings to try for a limited time.” So, while they value the reliability of your standard menu offerings, they want you to give them new and interesting options to consider when they visit.
In the coming weeks we will share further findings about the restaurant landscape but for now, if you manage any sort of restaurant brand in this hyper-competitive category (FOUR HIBACHI OPTIONS!), I suggest you consider not just the brands you compete against but also how the increase in competition has fueled the expectations of today’s diner.
[Note: Survey hosted by ProdegeMR. Responses gathered from 751 Adults age 18+; balanced to US Census on age, gender, region and household income]
Three Resolutions for Connecting with Mom
If you watched any TV over the holiday season, then you’ve likely seen the same 1.5 billion ‘warm and fuzzy’ holiday ads that I saw. You know the ones: dimly lit fireplaces, perfectly set tables, matching holiday sweaters, overly staged kisses, gently falling snow and…well, you get it. Read more
What We Found: 45,000 Pounds of Added Sugar, a Solar Eclipse, and Klondike Nostalgia
We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently – and included the quotes that got us talking the most.
Craft Beer Confusion, Facebook TV, and All-Female Agency Teams
We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently – and included the quotes that got us talking the most.
What We Found: Breathable Underwear, Millennial Snacks, and New Facebook Groups
We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently – and included the quotes that got us talking the most.