What South West eaters want – Restaurant Insights Report 2020
In Cornwall, the restaurant industry is a booming business. With so much fantastic produce right on our doorsteps, how could it not be?
The tourism brought to the county through the food industry is a massive part of Cornwall’s economy. But, what do the attitudes of people across South West tell us about the region’s restaurant industry?
Paymentsense surveyed over 2,000 restaurant-goers to produce the Restaurant Insights Report 2020 which aimed to find out how dining trends vary across the UK and what this means for business owners operating in the restaurant industry.
Using data collected from card payment purchases at 70,000 businesses operating with Paymentsense, alongside a survey of both restaurant owners and restaurant-goers, the report creates a detailed picture of UK dining trends heading into 2020.
Grouping the respondents into 11 general regions, the report reveals some key insights into UK diners. For businesses operating in the restaurant industry in Cornwall and the South West, the report indicates some leading trends with South West diners as we head into 2020.
Are South West food fans still loyal?
Looking at regional trends, consumers in the South West marked loyalty as being of little relevance compared to the rest of the country. When scoring factors out of 10, only respondents in the East rated loyalty as less relevant to them than respondents in the South West.
When looking at price sensitivity, the South West ranked budget as being of low to middling importance to them when choosing a restaurant. Indicating that, if the quality of a restaurant were high enough, a higher price point may not be a deterrent.
As far as convenience is concerned, once again South West consumers were second to last in terms of regions placing high importance on a convenient dining experience.
South West eaters are all about ethics
Sustainability and the environment are growing concerns and trends across the world. And in the South West, surrounded by gorgeous coastlines in need of protection, many towns are opting to go plastic-free.
Perhaps due to these plastic-free towns initiatives, survey respondents in the South West were the 4th highest region to rank being ethically minded as an important consideration in their restaurant choice.
Despite this focus on environmentalism in the South West, the report results revealed that, of the 11 regions surveyed, the South West was one of the least health-conscious regions when considering an eatery. Ahead of only Wales and the East, survey respondents in the South West placed some of the least importance on the healthiness of their food compared to the rest of the country.
Experiential dining has yet to tempt South West diners
Experiential dining has been a trend growing in popularity over recent years. More and more diners across the country are looking for unique, personalised, and more exclusive ways to consume food.
However, that trend appears to have yet to reach the South West. Of any region surveyed, the South West placed the least value on experiential dining experiences. Perhaps we’re still a region of eaters preferring quality food presented simplistically, rather than the bells and whistles of haute cuisine.
Despite this lack of interest in experiential dining, South West restaurant-goers placed middle of the table when it comes to considering themselves ‘foodies’. The South West was 7th out of the 11 regions, indicating that South West diners deem themselves connoisseurs of cuisine.
For anyone operating a restaurant in the South West, or considering launching an eatery empire, understanding the insights of Paymentsense’s report will give you a vital understanding of the South West’s attitudes to restaurants for 2020.
To learn more about the entire nation’s results, take a look at the full report, which is packed with eye-opening data on the UK restaurant industry.