Price of a meal is not the biggest attraction for customers, says research

Although it may seem that the price of a meal is the main attraction for customers in a bar or restaurant, this is often not the case. In the FoodCo Bulletin. This week, economist João Ricardo Tonin comments on some points that are often neglected by business owners, such as the current situation in food prices and what brings a customer to an establishment.

According to data from FAO, the United Nations organization for food and agriculture, food prices fell for the second consecutive month, reaching the lowest level in the last 31 months. Among the products that became cheaper, sugar, cereals, vegetable oil and meat suffered the greatest reduction in cost.

Despite the decrease, the economist explains that this has little effect on the routine of businesspeople. Due to the structure of markets in Brazil, the increase in prices is immediately passed on to products, which rarely occurs with the reduction. Therefore, Tonin emphasizes that it is crucial to be aware of market trends and negotiate with suppliers.

As for what brings customers to a restaurant, a survey carried out by Abrasel – Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants – and Sebrae shows that the main motivation is the establishment’s hygiene, cited by 32.4% of those interviewed. The friendliness of the staff comes in second (17%), followed by the establishment’s environment (12.4%). The quality of the food (10.3%) and affordable meal prices (7.2%) appear in the last positions.

“This year-end period, it is essential that we do our homework and train our team appropriately, emphasizing the quality of service and maintaining an impeccable environment, in order to make the most of the increase in consumption this season. As we can see, excellence in the basics often becomes a significant market differentiator”, concludes the economist.

The FoodCo Bulletin. with complete audio analysis by economist João Ricardo Tonin, it is exclusive weekly content for subscribers of the platform. The FoodCo. is the largest community of bar and restaurant owners in Brazil. There are more than 13 thousand entrepreneurs in the sector gathered in a knowledge and networking network, with access to essential content for those who undertake food away from home.

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