Where The Rich Dine (Hint: It’s Not All White Tablecloths)

While the downturn drags on…and on…many restaurants have struggled to survive. There is one type of diner who can be counted on to keep spending, though: the affluent.

As restaurants continue to fight slow sales, restaurant owners ponder how to attract the coveted well-heeled, reliable restaurant patrons. An interesting new study from foodservice research firm Technomic provides some insight into the factors that influence upscale diners’ restaurant choices.

Defining the affluent as those with family incomes over $120,000, the survey looks at what builds loyalty among well-off diners — and what factors cause them to point the Lexus toward another eatery.

If you’re thinking affluent diners are only to be found at white-tablecloth restaurants, you’re in for a surprise. Instead, high-income households are helping to drive the trend away from fast food and toward better-quality “fast-casual” restaurants such as Chipotle. In other words, slumming is big, but within certain limits.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Forbes