According to an article in Nation’s Restaurant News, “mobile devices have become ubiquitous, and dependence on them to inform decision making is growing.” This especially holds true for Hispanics— 54% say they use their cell phones in many ways to get the information they need vs. 49% of non-Hispanics. And that also applies to their dining out experiences. Here’s why restaurant operators should keep these mobile-first consumers in mind.
From checking ratings to making reservations, our 2014 Casual Dining Restaurants Landscape Study revealed that Hispanics overindex on restaurant mobile usage compared to non-Hispanics—23% downloaded a restaurant app on a smartphone vs. 10% of NH, and 22% used an app to check-in to a restaurant vs. 11% of NH. The story remains strong when you compare Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic millennials. For example, 28% of Hispanic millennials vs. 16% of NH millennials downloaded a restaurant app on a smart phone. They’re more socially engaged, too—37% of Hispanic millennials said they’ve become a Facebook fan of a restaurant vs. 24% of non-Hispanic millennials, and they’re more likely to check in to a restaurant through sites like Foursquare (27% vs. 18%).
The restaurant industry is digitizing and that opens up a world of marketing opportunities with Hispanics, who are early adopters, avid users of technology and love to eat out. If you want more fans, downloads, social buzz and — most importantly — sales, then you know where to turn.
Source: Burke, Casual Dining Restaurants Landscape Research 2014. Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2014 NHCS Adult Study 12-month, Base: Non-Hispanic Adults 18+ and Hispanic Adults 18+)
