Busy Americans Are Turning More to Quality Takeout Food

Food & Drink Weekly, August 14, 2000

As the number of dual-income families increases and individuals continue to work longer hours or juggle multiple tasks, a National Restaurant Association survey finds that more people are making takeout meals from tableservice restaurants a major part of their dining experience.

According to the National Restaurant Association's Tableservice Trends 2000, the trend is particularly evident among casual-dining establishments with average check sizes between $8 and $24.99. Among these establishments, which largely have been traditionally sit-down restaurants, 57 percent of operators indicate that their customers are ordering more takeout food than they were two years ago.

Approximately 60 percent of tableservice operators indicated that their customers are more interested in higher quality takeout foods, compared with two years ago. As a result, restaurant operators have responded to the trend by providing more takeout options and meeting the consumers' growing desire for convenience and value.

Overall, 22 percent of adults indicated they are ordering more takeout items than they did two years ago. And the trend is considerably more common among younger adults: more than one-third of adults age 18-24, and 31 percent of those aged 25-3 4 said they are ordering more takeout.

The findings also indicate that nearly two-thirds of adults agree that food purchased for takeout is worth the cost, another contributing reason to the growing number of consumers utilizing restaurants for the convenient takeout option.