industry expertise
market research for the
food service industry
seconds,
please
Whether you are heading up dining for a college or university, a hospital or healthcare system, a corporate cafeteria, or the contract operation behind them, you can agree that food service is like no other industry because it offers a truly multi-faceted experience. Diner satisfaction is anything but straightforward. It’s based on everything from the food to the atmosphere to the service, each one of which can be difficult to standardize across locations. And many of your diners are regulars by circumstance — eating with you day after day — which means you have to win them over again and again.
You’re also serving people from different generations, backgrounds, and dietary needs, often within the same meal period, all while answering to the institution that hosts you. Food service programs must continually contend with this long list of influencing factors to earn participation year after year.
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food service
challenges
we address
A built-in audience still has to be won — at every meal, every day. And because you serve the same community again and again, small misses show up fast in participation and satisfaction. The questions we hear most from food service teams:
- how do we keep our menus feeling fresh for diners who eat with us day after day?
- what would persuade more students, employees, patients, and visitors to choose on-site dining instead of packing a lunch or going elsewhere?
- how do we balance nutrition and wellness goals with the foods people genuinely want to eat?
- how well does our dining program reflect the cultural diversity of the community we serve?
- how should we accommodate special dietary needs — from food allergies to sensory sensitivities?
- how do we satisfy two audiences at once: the institution we serve and the diners at the table?
- how do diners judge the value of a meal plan that’s bundled into tuition, benefits, or a hospital stay?
customized
insights
Complex questions like these require a customized insights solution. And because external factors are always influencing people’s attitudes and behaviors, the research should be ongoing to ensure that your dining program evolves to meet the changing needs and desires of the community you serve — semester after semester, shift after shift.
the right recipe for food service research
C+R Research is uniquely qualified to help you answer your burning issues and guide you to the right strategies and tactics. With over 65 years of food service marketing research under our belts, we’re proud to offer a holistic research style that includes a huge variety of qualitative and quantitative methods; traditional and innovative techniques; and strategic and tactical approaches.
custom market
research solutions
Every program feeds a different community, so every study is built to fit. A few of the methods we draw on:
C+R does it all
under one roof.
all-in-one
While other food service market research companies may specialize in one area, C+R can do it all under one roof. This allows for seamless coordination between different phases, which makes for better outcomes for your program and your diners.
something special
Your dining program is woven into daily life for the community you serve — on campus, in the hospital, or at work. We consider it our mission to draw out what makes it special and to help you demonstrate its value, meal after meal. The more you know about your diners, the better you can give them an experience worth coming back to.
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