United Coffee UK & Ireland has launched the findings of its latest research into the coffee drinking behaviour of consumers when dining out. OnePoll surveyed 2,000 respondents.
- Quality is key to the overall dining experience for consumers, with 59% rating the quality of the coffee as very important or important when eating out.
- Quality coffee, quality venue: a quality coffee offering also strongly correlates with consumer perceptions of the quality of a venue as a whole, with 64% of consumers rating the coffee served in independent and fine dining establishments as excellent or good, compared to only 22% in fast food outlets and just 10% in pubs.
- Taste outweighs price: consumers are increasingly becoming more savvy in their choices. When ordering coffee taste outweighs price – 68% of respondents rated quality as a very important or important factor.
The benefits and profitability of serving great coffee
Elaine Higginson, managing director at United Coffee UK & Ireland, said: “We’re not just passionate about coffee but insight and trends too. By investing in this in-depth research, we’re able to share its invaluable findings about the nation’s coffee drinking behaviour with our customers, to help them reap the benefits and profitability of serving up high quality high quality, great tasting coffee in their establishment.”
Customer retention
The research shows that the quality of the coffee on a menu also impacts significantly on customer retention, with consumers citing poor quality coffee as a very likely or likely reason not to return to an establishment: fine dining restaurants (40%), pubs (33%), independent restaurants (36%) and fast food outlets (30%). Consumers aged 45+ are more likely to not return to a restaurant, pub or fast food outlet if the coffee is of poor quality.
Coffee as the new dessert
The results also highlight an emerging consumer trend – ‘coffee as the new dessert’. Increasingly, diners are opting for a cup of coffee to end a meal instead of dessert. 8 out of 10 consumers now consider ordering a coffee rather than dessert when eating out, with more than a quarter (27%) regularly choosing coffee over the dessert option on the menu.
This shift in consumer behaviour is particularly prevalent in the youngest consumers surveyed, with coffee over dessert being the most popular choice for 18–24 year olds.
Coffee by type of establishment
The type of establishment consumers dine in affects the type of coffee they choose: filter coffee is a popular choice when drinking in pubs, branded restaurants and fast food outlets, but when eating in a fine dining setting an espresso is the preferred coffee to end a meal.
About United Coffee
United Coffee UK & Ireland is the UK’s leading total coffee solutions provider and works in partnership with leading foodservice and retail operators across Europe.
The team’s superior product know how from crop to cup and unrivalled supply chain efficiency comes from being part of a family owned international coffee company.
United Coffee UK & Ireland deliver the whole package from installing coffee machines, creating bespoke coffee blends, branding, marketing and barista training, helping customers offer a coffee experience that’s drives growth and consumer loyalty. The company has extensive market intelligence on consumer and market trends and shares its expertise with the operators so they can build a successful coffee offer.
United Coffee UK & Ireland owns the best of British brand Lyons’ coffee, which relaunched in 2011 to the UK retail sector. It is the UK’s only great tasting coffee available from the convenience of a unique coffee bag.
United Coffee is dedicated to working with internationally recognised codes of conduct, including Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified and is a European leader in sustainable coffee.