News

Coffee is key to breakfast daypart opportunities

December 5, 2013

Technomic has published its Breakfast Consumer Trend Report to help foodservice executives understand the latest behaviors, preferences and attitudes of consumers regarding the breakfast daypart.

Most people still source breakfast from home and only 20 percent of consumers told Technomic that they're eating breakfast away from home more often now than they were one year ago.

Interesting findings in the report include:

• Limited-service breakfast customers place high importance on value menus, breakfast sandwiches and portability, while full-service customers are most interested in variety, all-day breakfast options and signature menu offerings.
• Coffee is key: 64 percent of consumers drink coffee at breakfast; 54 percent of these consumers prefer a restaurant that offers free coffee refills, and 30 percent agree that they are loyal to concepts that serve their preferred brand of java.
• Consumers link breakfast with health: 63 percent of consumers feel it is unhealthy to skip breakfast; open-ended data shows that many consumers want more healthful breakfast options.

"Opportunities to promote breakfast can extend far beyond conventional morning hours," said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic Inc. "Operators looking to promote this daypart can leverage consumer interest in all-day or late-night breakfast programs. There's also room to expand brunch options, and even get creative by applying traditional breakfast flavors to non-breakfast foods."

Read more about trends.