Restaurants benefited in the '80s and '90s when more women
entered the workforce, according to Ann Hanson, NPD's executive director of product. "However, the number of women entering the labor force is no longer growing, and supper meals eaten at home have
been increasing," she says. "As a result, visits to restaurants for supper have not grown in this decade."
At the same time, Hanson says, there is a "huge opportunity" for both restaurants and supermarkets that meet consumers' growing demands for convenience.
advertisement
advertisement