According to a research initiative by the National Restaurant Association and LivingSocial to study consumer perceptions related to restaurant operator marketing practices, among restaurant operators who had used various marketing communication forms to prospective consumers, 94% rated TV ads very or somewhat effective by the largest proportion of respondents, beating out email effectiveness by four points. Additionally, promotion forms that were felt to be effective by the operators ranked as follows.
Effectiveness of Restaurant Communications (% Restaurant Operators Saying Very or Somewhat Effective in Increasing Overall Revenue) | |
Communication | % of Respondents |
Ad on TV | 94% |
Email to consumers | 90 |
Ad in local paper | 88 |
Brochure/menu on doorstep | 87 |
Coupon booklet | 87 |
Social media post | 84 |
Ad on radio | 83 |
Brochure/menu sent by mail | 82 |
Email by daily deal provider | 78 |
Ad on Internet | 76 |
Rewards program | 76 |
SEO | 70 |
Source: NRA/Living Social, May 2012 |
The online survey of consumers was fielded in February 2012, followed by a telephone survey of restaurant operators from February to March 2012.
Considering consumers’ recollection of marketing communications from restaurants, 75% of adults said they recalled seeing a television advertisement for a restaurant in the past six months. Recollection of other marketing communications was lower, with 56% indicating they had seen a restaurant coupon in a booklet, 55% remembering a restaurant newspaper advertisement, and 47% reporting they received an email directly from a restaurant. Only 24% reported seeing a restaurant post from social media like Twitter or Facebook.
More women considered marketing communications to be effective in encouraging them to learn more about a restaurant than did men. Women (91%) were more likely than men (80%) to say a restaurant coupon in a coupon booklet was “very” or “somewhat effective” in motivating them to learn more about a restaurant. 85% of consumers indicated that a restaurant coupon in a coupon booklet would encourage them to consider going to a restaurant followed by 80% who said an email from a restaurant would do the same.
Television advertisements, reward programs, Internet ads, and radio advertisements were considered more effective to influence patronizing a restaurant by younger individuals 18 to 34 years old than older adults 45 and over.
88% of consumers indicated that a specific savings or deal to eat at or order from a restaurant would encourage them to learn more. Another 83% said a customized savings or deal based on what they like to eat would motivate them to learn more, and 88% of consumers indicated that a specific savings or deal would encourage them to consider going to a restaurant followed by 82% who said a customized savings or deal based on what they liked to eat would do the same.
49% of adults indicated they decided at what restaurant to eat or from what restaurant to order solely, while the other half specified they made the decision jointly with others. Men were more likely than women to decide at what restaurant to eat or from what restaurant to order independently. Women were more likely than men to make a restaurant selection jointly with others.
For more information and to access the complete report in PDF format, please visit the NRA here.