R&I’s 2007 Consumers’ Choice in Chains Awards: Coffee/Snacks

Special Report: R&I’s 2007 Consumers’ Choice in Chains Awards: Coffee/Snacks

By Staff -- Restaurants & Institutions, 9/15/2007

Starbucks
Headquarters: Seattle
President-CEO: Jim Donald
Units: 14,396
Average check: Not available
R&I Top 400 Chains rank: 4
Respondents aware of chain: 93%
Respondents who visited in previous 12 months: 35%
STRENGTHS: More than one-third of respondents have visited a Starbucks in the past year. Patronage is highest among young consumers (44% for Millennials), but even 25% of respondents ages 61 or older have dropped by for a latte. Return intent follows a similar arc from 94% for the youngest consumers to 86% for the oldest.
WEAKNESS: Low value ratings.

Krispy Kreme
Headquarters: Winston-Salem, N.C.
President-CEO: Daryl Brewster
Units: 404
Average check: Not available
R&I Top 400 Chains rank: 52
Respondents aware of chain: 87%
Respondents who visited in previous 12 months: 19%
STRENGTHS: Gen X is Krispy Kreme’s core demographic as far as patronage and return intent. Food quality is the chain’s strongest suit, and the chain’s ratings for this attribute are high and steady across age groups and genders. The chain gets the category’s highest value rating.
WEAKNESS: Customers in the Northeast give the lowest food-quality score.

Tim Hortons
Headquarters: Oakville, Ont.
President-CEO: Paul House
Units: 2,724
Average check: Not available
R&I Top 400 Chains rank: 14
Respondents aware of chain: 16%
Respondents who visited in previous 12 months: 4%
STRENGTHS: While Tim Hortons’ U.S. presence remains limited to a few border states, those who know it are loyal to it. Customers with children are very loyal: 96% intend to go back again. Customers ages 26 or younger give the chain its highest ratings for all attributes.
WEAKNESS: Women rate Tim Hortons relatively low on atmosphere, an important attribute in this category.

How Coffee/Snacks Chains Stack Up With Consumers