Entrée Options Affected by Economy
By FE&S Staff -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 1/21/2009 12:05:00 PM
A weakened economy, in addition to declining restaurant traffic overall, has also influenced diners’ choices in entrées, with many consumers bypassing beef for less expensive proteins like chicken, according to a report by Chicago-based research firm Technomic.
In the cases when consumers do order beef, particularly steak, they are looking for better quality, better cuts, aging and seasonings; essentially a better bang for their buck, according to the report, which is based on a survey of more than 3,000 consumers, and an analysis of about 500 restaurant brand menus.
More than three out of five consumers (64 percent) think that turkey and chicken (61 percent) are healthier than beef and pork, the report said. In addition, the report found that students in particular still showed an interest in beef, specifically in spicy, ethnic flavors such as chili pepper, chipotle and hot sauce, and they showed less interest for traditional flavors such as garlic and black pepper.
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