Deloitte: Standard price for a meal is better value

By Rob Starr, Content Manager, Big4.com

Consumers say they get better value for money by paying the standard price for a meal than when dining out with a voucher, according to the findings of the latest Taste of the Nation survey of 3,000 adults by business advisory firm Deloitte and research consultancy BDRC Continental.

The survey found a similar pattern across all of the factors considered important to consumers about their dining experience. 32% said customer service was excellent when paying standard price, compared with 22% when using vouchers. Similarly, 30% rated the quality of food as top notch, versus just 22% of those using a voucher.

“Although you would expect a stronger range when paying full price, consumers expect the quality of food to be the same whether they use a voucher or not.  When they do use a voucher, consumers expect it to represent better value for money, a not unreasonable expectation,” says Jon Lake, a corporate finance director in the licensed retail group at Deloitte.

Customers are much more likely to recommend a venue after a standard price dining occasion than one where a voucher is used (34% vs 22%). This further reinforces the view that vouchers are not always delivering on consumers’ expectations.