With Taste the Island launching soon in Ireland to promote Ireland’s food experiences to increase tourism opportunities, we take a timely look at those who eat out regularly and how they might best be targeted.
Our TGI Consumer Data reveals that despite a decline in adults in Ireland eating out in restaurants over the last few years, from 79% in 2016 to 69% in 2018, the regularity amongst those who do has seen a modest increase. In 2016, 111,000 of those who ate food in restaurants had done so once a week a week or more, in 2018 this grew to 126,000.
Regular restaurant visitors particularly likely to choose new and good quality food
According to our TGI Consumer Data, 12% of adults in the Republic of Ireland (435,000 people) eat out in restaurants twice a month or more.
When it comes to expanding their taste buds, 71% of this group agree that they like to try out new products and are 24% more likely than the average adult to say they enjoy eating foreign food. They are also 24% more likely to buy free range products whenever they can and 69% of this group agree that it is worth paying extra for good quality goods.
Celebrities and ads on TV and internet are well placed to engage this target
An examination of the attitudes of these regular restaurant visitors shows that they are 81% more likely than other adults who eat out to agree that celebrities influence their purchasing decisions.
They are also 71% more likely to say they enjoy the adverts on television as much as the programmes and 69% more likely to agree that pop up ads help them find interesting things on the internet.
Cinema and magazines may be key media to reach this audience
In terms of some the overall media that might best reach and engage those who eat at restaurants twice a month or more, TGI Consumer Data reveals they are 85% more likely than the average adult to be amongst the heaviest fifth of cinema goers and 61% more likely to be in the heaviest fifth of magazine readers.
A more granular analysis reveals that this group are 79% more likely than other heavy cinema goers to identify martial arts as their favourite film type. Our TGI Consumer Data also reveals that this group are twice as likely as other heavy magazine readers to be very interested in bridal/wedding magazines.