Insights here or to-go?

Today’s crowded restaurant landscape is full of a huge variety of options for diners to choose from. Once diners have decided on what they’re hungry for, the decisions don’t stop there. Traditionally, most restaurants are viewed through the lens of dine-in or carryout. But things have changed a lot in the last few years thanks to diners’ evolving need states, and, most notably, the advances in app-based delivery services. With all of these new delivery services, restaurants that previously didn’t offer delivery services can now offer their food to a whole new audience and need state.

It’s pretty obvious that there isn’t a huge difference in the choice to dine in versus eating away from the restaurant. It’s important to take a closer, more nuanced look at what “eating away” actually means to get a better understanding of these diners’ behavior and preferences. Eating away in most cases simply means calling your favorite restaurant, ordering your food and then picking it up to eat at home. Now, that term encompasses a wider set of options that include carryout, drive thru or delivery. And with all of those new services like GrubHub or Postmates, there are even more delivery options. Let’s take a look at what diners are looking for and how that affects where they choose to eat it.