Over a third of diners find the experience less relaxing than pre-lockdown

Recent customer sentiment research from KAM Media and Feed It Back has revealed that the vast majority of hospitality customers are happy with safety procedures, giving them confidence to return (93-94%).*

What are people thinking of the restaurant experience as they return?

37% of diners think the experience is less relaxing than before, a trend that is consistent across July and August.

Yet encouragingly over a quarter (27.5%) also think it is more relaxing now, post-lockdown (see graph 1). 

The differential between those who find the experience less/more relaxing is significantly smaller for the restaurant industry, compared to retail (you can check out this coming Friday’s post for more on that).

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Interestingly, nearly two thirds of those who feel the experience is more relaxing now are women (59.7% average across July and August). See Graph 2.

What other trends are emerging?

Two thirds (66.2%) of those who think the restaurant experience is less relaxing intend to go less frequently than before.

Yet conversely, a healthy majority of 57.3% of those who strongly feel it is more relaxing now will continue to go just as frequently as pre-lockdown.

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Thoughts from our CEO, Adam Castleton:

"The restaurant sector is clearly doing something right, with almost all customers stating that they're confident in the safety procedures established by the sector. It's also encouraging to see that most customers that find the restaurant experience relaxing plan on visiting just as frequently as they did before lockdown. However, with the opposite also true, there is an opportunity for restaurants to create an atmosphere that puts their customers at ease. You probably need to take time to chill out too, so here's our playlist to help you do just that!"

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Surveys carried out July and August 2020. Sample sizes (n) >1000 people, UK Nat. Rep. with 95% confidence level & margin of error of +/- 5%.

*KAM Media – The Customer Sentiment Tracker, 17th August 2020.