Not So Quick: QSR Patrons Who Dine In Spend More

It’s the “fast” in fast food that has provided so many franchises with their customer base. The same goes for the “quick” in quick-service restaurant. Consumers crave convenience - it’s a huge part of what gives these types of eateries an edge over traditional sit-down restaurants.

With that said, it may be time for these establishments to start convincing customers to come in for a sit-down meal instead of grabbing their goodies and dashing out the door.

Citing new research from The NPD Group, Nation’s Restaurant News reported that more people were eating on premises in 2014 when compared to the previous year. What’s more, these customers are spending more than those who pick up and leave or order out.

Dine-in visits represented 39 percent of industry traffic and generated over $233 billion per year. By comparison, take-out visits comprised 61 percent of traffic but only brought in $200 billion a year.

“[Takeout] has been the growth driver for years,” NPD analyst Bonnie Riggs was quoted as saying. “To see dine-in grow, it’s quite a turn.”