Asians enjoy dining out and they have
more money to spend at restaurants as compared to the average consumer,
and yet many segments of the industry are not fully benefiting from this
potential. Asians are family-centric and are healthier eaters with
adventuresome tastes and there is much that restaurant operators and
marketers can do to better speak to their habits and desires.
- Why are Asians not making more frequent trips to restaurants?
- Why are marketers not reaching out to Asian restaurant patrons?
- Are restaurant menus either too Asian or not Asian enough?
What you need to know
Definition
Data sources
Consumer survey data
Advertising
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
Executive Summary
The consumer
Asians are less frequent diners but over index on fine dining and food trucks
Figure 1: Restaurant usage by type of restaurant, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2012
Family concerns influence restaurant choices
Figure 2: Factors that influence Asian consumers’ restaurant choices, by presence of children in household, February-March 2013
South Asians look for restaurants that cater to dietary preferences
Figure 3: Asian consumer behavior at restaurants, by ancestry/racial heritage, February-March 2013
Asians are dedicated to beverages
Figure 4: Asian Americans’ beverage purchases at restaurants, by age, February-March 2013
The market - U.S. Asian population
Figure 5: Population numbers, by race/Hispanic origin, 2007-17
Asian household income
Figure 6: Median household income for all households and those headed by Asians, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2011
What we think
Issues in the Market
Why are Asians not making more frequent trips to restaurants?
Why are marketers not reaching out to Asian restaurant patrons?
Are restaurant menus either too Asian or not Asian enough?
Insights and Opportunities
Recognizing the diversity of Asian cuisine and taste preferences
Figure 7: Ethnic cuisines purchased, by race/Hispanic origin, December 2011
Asian healthier lifestyles can impact dining out behaviors
Trend Applications
Trend: Sense of the Intense
Trend: Who are the Joneses?
Mintel Futures: Access Anything, Anywhere
Market Drivers
Key points
Foodservice and drinking place sales are recovering
Figure 8: Adjusted foodservice and drinking place sales (in millions), January 2008-January 2013
Restaurant Performance Index lingers around the 100 mark
Figure 9: Restaurant Performance Index, January 2009-December 2012
Disposable personal income fluctuating, but stronger than 2011
Figure 10: Real disposable personal income, February 2007-February 2013
Unemployment improves and underemployment remains steady
Figure 11: Unemployment and underemployment rates, January 2007-January 2013
Figure 12: U.S. unemployment rates, by race, Q4 2012
Consumer sentiment at a nine-month low
Figure 13: Consumer sentiment, January 2007-January 2013
Government legislation
Cost and inflation of food items
Asian healthier lifestyles can impact dining out behaviors
Figure 14: Incidence of obesity classes I, II, and III for all American adults, by race, Jan. 1, 2010 – May 31, 2012
Figure 15: Factors that contribute to healthy living, April 2012
Figure 16: How Asian Americans describe their diet, by gender and age, April 2012
Figure 17: Asian consumers’ attitudes toward eating, by age, April 2012
Restaurant Usage and Frequency
Key points
Overview
Figure 18: Usage in last month by type of restaurant, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2012
Figure 19: Asian Americans’ restaurant usage and frequency, February-March 2013
Older Asians less likely to dine out
Figure 20: Any usage by type of restaurant, Asian Americans by age, February-March 2013
Affluence impacts dining choices
Figure 21: Any usage by type of restaurant, Asian Americans by household income, February-March 2013
South Asians over index on fast casual and food trucks
Figure 22: Any usage by type of restaurant, by Asian-American ancestry/racial heritage, February-March 2013
Asians’ perception of fast food as “junk” impacts visit frequency
Figure 23: Number of visits to fast food and/or drive-in restaurant
in the last 30 days, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2011-August 2012
Figure 24: Attitudes towards fast food, by race/Asian origin, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2011-August 2012
Promotions featuring co-workers could attract notice
Figure 25: Incidence of visiting restaurants alone or with others,
fast food and drive-in restaurants, by race/Hispanic origin, August
2011-August 2012
Asians over index on select QSR chains
Figure 26: Fast food and/or drive-in restaurants visited in the
last three months, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2011-August 2012
Family dining/steakhouses could be a post-work destination
Figure 27: Number of visits to family restaurants and/or
steakhouses in the last 30 days, by race/Hispanic origin, August
2011-August 2012
Figure 28: Incidence of visiting restaurants alone or with others,
family restaurants and/or steakhouses, by race/Hispanic origin, August
2011-August 2012
Variety likely a draw at family dining/steakhouses
Figure 29: Family restaurants and/or steakhouses visited during the
last 30 days, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2011-August 2012
