Diner Demographics: Asians-Time Sharing

For Asian consumers, food away from home is a family affair.

By Scott Hume, Executive Managing Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 4/1/2007

For important—especially family-related—events, 73% of Asian consumers say they choose to celebrate at restaurants. This one bit of data, from R&I’s 2005 Tastes of America Study, captures the essence of many of the 14.4 million Asian-American consumers’ relationship with foodservice.

Dining out is special, but not limited only to special occasions: Asian households eat an above-average four meals a week away from home. Eating at home is greatly valued (Asian diners are less likely than others to agree that often it is easier to go out than to eat at home). When the option of dining away from home is taken, 45% of Asian consumers strongly agree that the most important reason is to share time and food with family and friends (versus 38% of all respondents to R&I’s 2007 New American Diner Study). Asians are the only demographic group to say their primary reason for eating dinner away from home is to share the meal with others.

Restaurants are integral to Asian consumers’ sense of community as well as family: Convenience is defined as proximity to home more strongly than for other ethnic groups. This may result from the strong tradition of restaurant ownership in Asian communities: Nearly one in 10 Asian-owned businesses are in the foodservice/lodging industry, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2002.

When choosing a new restaurant to visit (and 30% of Asian consumers say they do so often), location is important, but this demographic is significantly more media-reliant in picking a destination. They not only use the Internet more often than other consumers, they also are more likely to read restaurant reviews, consult guides and notice newspaper ads.

Because foodservice is not seen primarily as a timesaving convenience and because meals often include large parties, Asian consumers are more likely than other demographics to seek table service and to dine in a restaurant. Drive-thru windows and meal-delivery service have less appeal than with other ethnic groups. Carryout service, however, frequently is used, with one in seven Asian households saying takeout meals account for about half of purchased meals.

Among other Asian-consumer dining behaviors revealed by R&I research:

• Asian consumers’ orders are likely to include multiple courses: appetizers, sides and desserts, but not side salads.
• Not unexpectedly given cultural culinary traditions, Asian diners’ meals are significantly more likely to include hot tea; iced tea ordering, however, is below average. Bottled water and coffee ordering both are above average.
• Another cultural carryover is Asian consumers’ interest in vegetarian entrées.
• Nutrition concerns factor into meal choices, but only 19% of Asian consumers say they are on a diet, compared with 29% of total respondents to R&I’s New American Diner Study.
• More than one-third (37%) of Asian households with children say their kids often influence where the family eats. But children are more likely to direct them to a pizza restaurant than to quick-service restaurants.