Research reveals habits of people from Paraná when eating out and ordering delivery

Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a month you eat outside the home? And delivery orders, can you count how many you usually make? In Paraná, 72% of the population eats lunch out at least once a month and 64% chooses to dine out at the same frequency. This is what the “Panorama of Consumption – Meals Away from Home and Delivery” reveals, a survey carried out by Sebrae/PR and Fecomércio PR that analyzes the consumption of meals away from home and delivery services by the population of the state of Paraná .

According to the survey, which interviewed 435 people from different regions of the state, the most frequent meal outside the home was “lunch” (72%), with 31% stating that they have lunch five or more times a month outside the home. Next, with a similar percentage, is “dinner” (64%). But those who regularly have “breakfast” (48%), “afternoon coffee or tea” (50%) and “happy hour” (57%) in restaurants also recorded high percentages, similar to those of the majority.

The survey also shows that 50% of meals are eaten outside the home out of necessity, for example, due to in-person work. When asked about the frequency of carrying out these activities, people who work in the hybrid format are more likely to eat out – at least once a month, 84% have dinner and another 82% have lunch outside the home, a higher number than those who have a face-to-face routine (63%). As for company during these meals outside the home, 74% of those interviewed go with family, followed by friends (53%) and those who have lunch alone (39%).

For the coordinator of Tourism, Creative Economy and Crafts at Sebrae/PR, Patricia Albanez, the results indicate that the people of Paraná are looking for an option for leisure and social coexistence, in addition to the need to eat on a daily basis. “The research helps us understand this scenario, to be able to support entrepreneurs, who are planning new ideas for their business, looking for better ways to position themselves. It will help entrepreneurs to better understand consumer behavior,” she comments.

A well thought out choice

The research carried out by Sebrae/PR and Fecomércio PR also collected information about habits, preferences, experiences and expectations related to eating out and delivery services among people from Paraná.

Among the main aspects involved in the decision when choosing a bar, cafe or restaurant to visit, on a scale of zero to ten, the most sought after points are “food quality” and “hygiene and cleanliness”, both with a score of 9, 5, and “customer service”, with 9.2. “Healthy products”, “social responsibility”, “sustainability” and “local origin of inputs” were also among the most scored parameters.

Regarding the characteristics most sought after by consumers in establishments, preferences were between “rodízio” (8.8), followed by “buffet” (8.7) and “à la carte options” (8.1). The options for “executive or made dishes” (7.9) and “QR code menus” (6.8) appear next.

“Contemporary entrepreneurs need to be aware of changes in consumer behavior to adapt and remain competitive and even take advantage of new opportunities”, points out the coordinator of the Business Chamber of Tourism at Fecomércio PR, Giovanni Diego Bagatini, highlighting the speed of transformations in the scenario.

Orders for delivery

The “Consumption Panorama – Out-of-Home Meals and Delivery” also presents the behavior of people from Paraná in relation to delivery orders, with 18% saying they order food from apps, such as iFood and Rappi, five or more times a month. The largest portion (30%) orders between once and twice a month and 22% do not use the service.

Own delivery by establishments, with orders via phone, WhatsApp or local app, had similar numbers, with 34% saying they ordered between once and twice. Another 25% said they did not place orders in these formats.

In the delivery model, the attributes most sought after by consumers are “payment options” (8.9), “customer service” (8.5), “order accuracy” (8.4) and “adequate packaging” ( 8.4). When asked about the most valued aspects, customers search for “hygiene and cleanliness” (9.3), “food quality” (9.2) and customer service (9.0).

“There is no recipe for success, but looking at this consumption picture gives an idea of ​​niches and opportunities that have a greater chance of success given the consumer profile post-covid-19 vaccine”, analyzes Patricia Albanez.