• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, July 1, 2010

In another sign pointing to continuing recovery for the restaurant industry, 25% of consumers surveyed during May and June by Market Force Information indicated that they plan to increase their eating-out occasions over the next three months.

This represents a significant jump in consumer confidence compared to Market Force's December '09 dining preferences/trends survey, when just 5% of consumers indicated such intentions.

In addition, just 8% of consumers are now indicating that fear about the economy will cause them to eat out less often in coming months. Last December, more than half said they expected to be eating out less often.

About two-thirds (67%) are currently indicating that their eating-out patterns will not change over the next three months, compared to 44% in the December survey.

The results confirm social media's increasingly critical role in communicating with restaurant patrons. About half now indicate that they sometimes read online reviews and blog and tweet about restaurants. In the past 30 days, almost one in two had read an online review, blogged or tweeted about a restaurant to get a recommendation, and 13% had posted an online review after dining out.

Importantly, "very satisfied" customers -- those giving a five out of five rating to a restaurant -- were found to be three times more likely to recommend (both online and offline) a restaurant to friends than merely "satisfied" customers.

"Because of the long-term effects that recommendations have on a restaurant's reputation, a one-point disparity in a rating scale can spell the difference between real sales growth and a stagnant business," stresses Market Force CMO Janet Eden-Harris.

The results also point up the market share opportunity that is driving QSRs' intense battle for a slice of breakfast business (Subway's recent launch of a breakfast menu, to cite just one example). While 51% of consumers said they visit QSRs for lunch, and 42% for dinner, just 7% said they eat breakfast in these restaurant formats.

About 25% said they visit QSRs in order to spend time with family and friends, for special occasions and for "great-tasting meals" -- a sign that consumers are now looking to fast-food formats for reasons beyond convenience only, notes Market Force.

In a confirmation of consumers' growing concern about nutrition and weight issues, 42% ranked restaurant disclosure of nutritional and caloric information as "very" important, and 45% as "somewhat" important.

Also, more than one-third (36%) ranked a restaurant's portion control (appropriate portions, avoiding putting too much food on a plate) as very important, and 45% ranked this as somewhat important (versus 19% who ranked it not at all important).

The importance of restaurants' use of organic ingredients is considered far less important -- in fact, its importance is now ranked lower than it was six months ago. Organic is now considered very important by 24%, somewhat important by 55% and not at all important by 21%.

However, there appears to be growing interest in locally grown foods. The importance of use of locally grown ingredients/foods was ranked very important by 24%, somewhat important by 55% and not at all important by 21%.

The survey was conducted among Market Force's network of more than 300,000 independent mystery shoppers and merchandisers. The pool of 4,600 respondents ranged in age from 18 to 72 and reflected a broad spectrum of income levels, with 60% reporting incomes of more than $50,000 a year. Seventy-six percent were women (the primary household consumer purchasers). Eighty percent work full- or part-time, and half reported having children at home.