The pandemic has been fraught with constant change, leaving us with very little we can count on. We don’t know if our go-to brands will be in stock, whether there will be meat on the table, or even if our favorite restaurants will be open or closed tomorrow. The lack of constants adds extra work to our days and more angst to an already stressful situation. It used to be easy to run to the store for a few things, but COVID has changed all of that. Safety concerns, social distancing and long lines has made pandemic grocery shopping stressful, so much so that many try to avoid it. Millennial’s and households with kids are most bothered by the experience. Due to this, it makes sense that many consumers want to return to dining-in and will continue to rely on takeout from restaurants reopening.

Even while restaurants are dealing with daily challenges, they still have some control to help make the dining journey more consumer-friendly and less stressful. Where possible, try to keep the flow of information dynamic and transparent about what’s happening at your restaurant. Stay current on websites, social media, or even phone recordings about changes in things like hours, delivery status, and menu items. If you don’t know where to start with your marketing efforts, Waypoint can help. Check out our marketing guide for tips on how you can optimize the various channels at your fingertips, multiply your reach, increase traffic and gain more customers than ever before.

It seems that Generation Z and Millennial’s, are the most likely to recognize the difficulties in getting current information about their favorite eateries. Restaurants have an opportunity to offer more communication around areas such as status of openings, current menu items, and availability of delivery. Even with more restaurants reopening, people are still concerned about their health but are longing to have a dining experience that can provide an escape from the current situation and offer some relaxation.

In this report, you’ll find data and insights, as well as recommendations around how you can make consumers feel more at ease dining in and how you can improve your takeout offerings. Key takeaways from this report are as follows:

  • 47% of consumers are wiling to dine in at a restaurant that has patio or outdoor seating
  • 59% of consumers got restaurant food from a drive-thru
  • 50% of consumers got restaurant curbside/walk-up takeout
  • 46% of consumers got restaurant takeout and went inside to pick it up
  • 37% of consumers got restaurant food for delivery
  • 62% of consumers feel they need to plan ahead whenever they want to eat out now
  • 61% try to avoid third-party apps and order directly from the restaurant
  • 52% say restaurant food isn’t as good when you get it for takeout
  • 50% of consumers are willing to take extra steps to get food from restaurants

Download the full report from Datassential by clicking the button below.