Report: Consumers Want Breakfast All Day

CHICAGO -- Consumers find breakfast fare comforting and many, especially women, wish they could eat it at any time of the day, according to a report by Fast Casual magazine, which cited a new study by foodservice consultancy Technomic.

Nearly half of consumers surveyed (46 percent) said they would like to see full-service restaurants offer breakfast throughout the day, while about a third (32 percent) would like breakfast offered all day in limited-service restaurants. In both cases, females were significantly more interested than males in breakfast items for lunch or dinner.

"Operators looking to expand breakfast into other dayparts should be mindful of their customer base and develop new offerings accordingly," Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Technomic, said in a news release. "Understanding the general flavor, ingredient and preparation preferences held by female consumers can help operators and suppliers introduce the most appealing breakfast options beyond morning hours for these guests."

The findings were part of Technomic's new "Breakfast Consumer Trend Report," designed to help restaurant operators and suppliers understand consumer attitudes, preferences and dining behavior associated with breakfast. Other findings of the survey included:

-- One out of four consumers (25 percent) who responded say they often treat themselves to a large, traditional breakfast on the weekend.

-- Four in 10 (43 percent) say they visit their preferred restaurant for weekend breakfasts because the food tastes really good, while weekday breakfast visits are driven by inexpensive offerings (45 percent) and convenience of location (38 percent).

-- More than three in five consumers (63 percent) expect their breakfast purchases at restaurants and convenience stores to remain about the same in the coming year.

-- More than three-quarters of consumers (77 percent) purchase breakfast sandwiches sometimes or often during weekdays, up from 73 percent in 2007. Breakfast sandwiches fared even better on weekends, increasing from 61 percent to 70 percent today.

-- Fast-food restaurants have improved in consumers' perception of healthy food offerings. Only a third of consumers (35 percent) say they would like fast-food establishments to offer more healthy options, down from 43 percent in 2007.

Consumer analysis found in Technomic's "Breakfast Consumer Trend Report" is based on recent online surveys with 1,500 U.S. consumers about their consumption behavior, attitudes and preferences for breakfast, according to Fast Casual.

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