Restaurant Trade Area Research

Here’s some recent on the street interviewing I did about restaurants:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtVziTDuZOY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj8ZsJ5JeAg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v9QqZ9QeCc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTRO81RR7DA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJlZ-cOFbqg

Find out more here - http://streetlevelviews.blogspot.com

The above research `featured’ Arby’s, Chick-fil-A and Subway.

The other day RBC Capital Markets released the results of a monthly tracking survey of interest to the restaurant industry - here’s the link - http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=365256. As a market researcher, perhaps most interesting - to me - was the headline “Restaurants May See Diners Spending More”. This statement was, of course, seemingly backed up by the results of the survey - but, really folks, it’s time to be a little more realistic and accurate about `survey results’. (That said, the title doesn’t over promise - just spins non convincing data.)

The `facts’ to support the headline were gathered from the survey with a sample of over 2,700 respondents - and the survey showed an `increase’ - from 5% to 6% -  in the percentage of people who said they were planning to spend more at restaurants over the next three months. The key fact in support of the headline.

So, you mean that as we come into summer, and vacations, that the sliver of folks who take these surveys to heart and wording at its true meaning - might realize - that because of `vacation’ and not being home as much (or substitute the end of being cooped up because of winter weather) - that they `plan’ on `more’ restaurant purchases in the next three months? And, THAT, is what we are to be encouraged by?

Oh, please.

(And, what if last months survey results were 5.4% rounded to 5% and this months was 5.6% rounded to 6%. Even with a sample of 2,700 it’s hard to point to hard evidence with a 1% point move.)

Also, the survey indicates just how `the down’ sentiment and usage of restaurants has been - via the poll. And, supposedly, this also has `glimmers of hope’(?) - in that data - compared to the previous month - this months survey showed that the % of people who say that they are planning on eating less at restaurants in the next three months `dropped’ from 50% to 44% - and, indeed, that looks like good news - until you think deeper about it.

The obvious first — 44%, nearly half of your customers are still trying to cut back on their restaurant usage - a nearly record high number probably.

If this survey is `rolling’ - theoretically - each month - 1/3 of the sample is `doing’ the effect of the `answer’ from the previous month (meaning the folks of three months ago who said `eating less’ - will have - three months later - adopted a lower frequency level) - and when - `re-interviewed’ (theoritically three months later) would be at that `new level’.

Let me explain more. ———- If three months ago 50% anticipated (planned) on eating `less’ at restaurants — one would expect that they indeed cut back to a new level — which the restaurant owner — hopes they DON’T decrease again — hoping that they are now going to answer to such a hypothetical question “about the same (reduced) level” — one certainly - doesn’t hope for those folks - who already reduced their level of restaurant usage to be saying “I’m going to be reducing it more”.

Further, if 6% fewer people are saying they will be reducing their restaurant usage - why did only 1%  (1/6th of that sample) move into `increasing’? Could it be that those 6% are doing exactly as I say above — finding a new `minimal’ leveling off of their own restaurant usage - while others are STILL reducing?

Honestly, one would have to be `creative’ to say the new poll is good news. To me, IMO, as a research analyst, it seems to reflect the `New Normal’ - which is establishing a reduced level of restaurant usage into the future - more and more.

Not only that,  the poll goes on to talk about other economic numbers they crunch that also seem to reflect a `bottoming’ if not an outright `surge’ in consumer optimism. Yes, a surge.

All I can say is - Really? In a worsening job market? In which, the worst on the employment side of our Great Recession  is yet to come? Is that a believable number or is something going on in even the asking of the question and the nations dynamics.

Or, is this consumer number reflective of something else - like new loyalty to a new very different president - more of a hope than anything else. And, indeed, the 38% confidence number (it’s not really called a confidence number but is a roll up of similar characteristics) - up from an 8% reading the month before (do things economically seem 4 times better to you in the last 30 days?) — and, this percentage (38) is strikingly similar to the true hard core percentage of Democrat loyalties and percentages.

And, the poll, in March, after Obama was dissed in the press for being `negative’ and `too realistic’ about our economy in February (when the poll bottomed) - found Obama, in March - being `positive’ with his rhetoric (responding to the critics in Feb.) - indeed, much more-so - (do you remember the change in tone).

And, I bet, the result seen in this survey, was this supposed `huge surge’ in confidence. (The market was also in a bear bounce in March.) Indeed, if such confidence had really returned - the `more often’ number on the planning to eat out more in the next three months - would have spiked too. And, it didn’t.

Finally, I encourage you to look at this incredible visual map of the job losses that have hit each of the 3,000 counties in America - again, this map - which shows the change from job gain to job loss from Jan. 2007 to Feb. 2009 — will leave your head spinning - and in dis-belief — that a surge in confidence is already underway. http://slate.com/id/2216238/

Thanks for visiting today - make a point to read my best posts of 2008 right here http://restauranttradearearesearch.com/important-posts-in-2008/ – and, please visit my Squidoo page too at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys- to learn much more about the research I most suggest to restaurant owners - the MarketView.

Recently, I conducted the MarketView in an eastern seaboard market at all the units of a particular ADI and all owned by one owner. The MarketView is my name for a type of research design that digs into the fundamentals of any market. All kinds of interesting and useful information comes from doing real marketing research at your stores.

An example of this is shown below:

Store One                                                 Store Two

820,000               2006 Sales                             790,000

13%        Uses This FF Brand Most               24%

20%       Uses This FF At Least 1 Week       42%

161K       Annual Sales To 1+ Week User    331K

20K        Total Repeat Customer Base*        13K    *customer base formula

Smart marketing can address each of these stores specific marketing needs. Only by having real customer based information allows for smart spending of those precious marketing dollars. Make sure to visit my Squidoo page that explains more about the MarketView at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys.

Today’s Restaurant Links

`Former Bojangles Exec’s Now Qdoba Men’

http://www.chainleader.com/article/CA6607112.html?industryid=47555

`Fast Food Shops To Be Banned Near Schools In UK’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1079655/Fast-food-shops-banned-near-schools.html 

`IS Fast Food Poised For A Fast Fall?’

http://www.forbes.com/markets/2008/10/22/mcdonalds-earnings-closer-markets-equity-cx_mp_1022markets44.html

Thanks for stopping by today — much more is below too. Bookmark this site and return for more updates. If you have some comments we’d love to hear them. 

Hello, welcome back - I hope your Labor Day holiday was relaxing - that said, my thoughts go out to previous restaurant clients in Louisiana. Today, I want to spend this paragraph encouraging restaurant owners to `get the big view’ of their real market situation. To understand that NEXT year - with proper information - you can do real local marketing that impacts your units.

How you ask?

By doing my MarketView research for which you can find more info about at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys — or go to the site for contact information for my services. If you call, make sure to ask me about the project I did for a fast food chain last year that involved doing over 10 stores and testing over 12 new site locations within the market - for under 30,000.00.

Now - onward to today’s restaurant links:

When Sonic Comes To Town

http://blogs.wenatcheeworld.com/thay/2008/08/28/sonic-wenatchees-newest-health-food-restaurant/ Just a fun story about a NEW restaurant for this community - Sonic. Covers the insanity of a grand opening, roller-skates, and the dealing with an unfamiliar menu by the consumer. Includes less than glorified pictures of the product served and at 10 bucks nonetheless.

Athens Burgers Opens New Restaurant

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/main.asp?SectionID=28&SubSectionID=58&ArticleID=59128&TM=16382.6 Here’s a newer concept to read about. Interesting combination.

Slow Food Conference

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-slowfood_0901gl.ART0.State.Edition1.4da40ac.html More and more stories emphasis is on going local with sources of products. Love the `meet the fisherman’ concept.

Wendy’s Rolls Out Double-Stack Nationwide at 99 Cents

http://sev.prnewswire.com/food-beverages/20080829/CLF006A29082008-1.html  Also, is giving away thousands of double stacks over the next year too - find out how.

Discount Dining

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/bal-bz.restaurants02sep02,0,3747451.story Covers the story as to how restaurants are responding with lower price points in this economic downturn. Covers the marketing efforts of Boston Market, BJ’s Restaurants and Starbucks to name just a few.

Police Warn about TAKEOVER Robberies

http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=358002&menu_id=1368  Good advice about this growing concern.

Spying On Suburbia - Eating At Arby’s

http://www.richmondchic.com/index.php/mind-body/article/spying-on-suburbia-a-home-like-arbys/268  Strange to interesting perceptions from this blog about Arby’s — 16.00 for two fast food.

Kiss an Attendent at a Fast Food Restaurant

http://www.latimes.com/theguide/music/la-gd-scavenger1-2008sep1,0,5200506.story Wild scavenger hunt includes wild ideas.

Last year, I personally interviewed several thousand fast food customers (in-store and drive-thru) in a variety of fast food brands for Trade Area Research purposes. (Do you need trade research before expanding your market?) This was normal for me as I have  personally interviewed thousands of fast food customers for dozens of years. And, as you might know, certain questions are nearly standard on questionnaires trying to understand customer behaviour - such as the fast food restaurant that the customer uses `most often’.

In the 1980’s and even into the late 1990’s - when adults answered that question for me — when the answer was McDonald’s - they would immediately offer a `reason’, in an apologetic tone, which invariably was `the kids’. That is not to say that I didn’t hear `they are everywhere’ and `they are cheap’ on occasion. Nevertheless, the interesting thing was that `other brands’ such as Wendy’s or Arby’s or Chick-Fil-A  or others (such as sandwich chains Subway) - most often users ALMOST NEVER offered up `embarrassing’ reasons for their usage of a particular brand most. Only McDonald’s. It was almost a case of doing `marketing’ too well.

Then, McDonald’s focused less on kids and more on product and product quality. I began to hear folks say that they liked a `particular new product’ at McDonald’s that they went for `most often’. Kids, as a reason, was definitely fading quickly (I informed my clients who at first seemed surprised in the early 2000’s — it was the kind of information that only came from literally being on the ground for multiple brands for decades) - the return of McDonald’s was approaching.

The moral - If the biggest can change a negative perception — other brands, most of which have neutral images, can also build a positive one - like McDonald’s has done.

Today’s Restaurant Links

“People are requesting kids premiums that are more socially responsible,”

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2008/08/16/restaurant_toys_educational.html Wendy’s and Chick-Fil-A jump on `Educational’ kids toys. Strong feedback. Three minute read.

Individual Responsibility And Its Enemies

http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122089  Bringing ethics into the fast food discussion with force. Shows how `choices’ and having a restaurant business are related. Three minute read.

Parking Mad At McDonald’s

http://icwestlothian.icnetwork.co.uk/courier/news/tm_headline=parking-mad-at-fast-food-chain&method=full&objectid=21526230&siteid=92284-name_page.html After the positive McDonald’s opinion above - here is an example of not respecting the customer. Probably.

Arby’s Expands Savings Potential With Cellfire Mobile Coupons

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/200808130900PR_NEWS_USPR_____AQW047.htm Here’s a new coupon niche.

Are Restaurant Stocks A BUY?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/chi-ym-restaurants-0817-cpaug17,0,4787885.story Article says yes if you have a longer time horizon of 2-3 years; while detailing how over stocked the trade areas are with restaurants. Predicts store closings. Four minute read.

Many Many more - current links below. Bookmark and return please. Leave a comment if you wish.

Hello, welcome back. This blog is one of the few on the internet about restaurants by a real market researcher of fast food restaurants. I’ve been sharing some insights and I hope you bookmark my blog and return on a regular basis.

Today’s post is dependent on the previous two posts - so, you may need to dig down for a fuller understanding. Essentially, I’ve been outlining some specific REAL information from about a decade ago for a 3 store FF brand that had sales of @2,670,000.00 combined. And, in the last post I revealed the actual size of the combined customer base - based on my Customer Base Formula. Today, I’d like to show what that MEANS in terms of spending by any individual customer within a specific frequency of usage scale. For example:

49 - 4x’s a week users - spend 80,000.00 per yr - @1.6k yr-130mo-31 week

400-2-3x’s week users - 348,000.00 per yr - @870.00 yr - 72mo-16 week

1,800 - Once a wk users- 642,000 yr - @357.00 yr - 30mo - 7 week

3,600 - Once every 2-3 wks - 642,000 yr - @177.00 yr - 15mo - 3.40 week

3,700 - Once a month users - 321,000yr - @86.00 yr - 7mo - 1.66 week

5,400-Once every 2-3 mtn - 241,000yr - @ 44.00 yr - 3.68mo - 85cents/wk

2,100-Once every 4-6 months- 26,000yr - @12.00yr - 1.00mo -24cents/wk

21,700-Less than every 6 mo - 187,000yr - @8.61yr - 72cents a month and 18 cents a week

These stores had 7% first time users spending about 187,000 a year — 2,100 new customers a month or about 25,000 new customers in a year.

Now, just to ask you as a  restaurant owner — if you knew that @21,000 of your 38,000 customer base spent less than 9 dollars a year at your store - would you be willing to try a method to change it? IF SO, give me a call on my cell ——– you can find that information by going to my site about Trade Area Surveys — www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys

Now - today’s restaurant links.

“…nutritious fast food. Maybe it’s not so bad after all.”

http://blog.nj.com/parentalguidance/2008/07/i_was_wrong_about_fresh_apple.html Maybe, just maybe, the Tide is turning.

“…research from Just Kids Inc’s Global Kid Study, which showed that children daydream about helping others and are becoming more altruistic.”

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/838897/McDonalds-launches-conservation-themed-Happy-Meal/   Perhaps someone will beat McD’s at this in the states?

Economic Slowdown Forces Choices in Food

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2008/08/12/economic-slowdown-forces-trade-down-in-food-spend.html   Holds true worldwide.

Panda Express Thrives On Orange Chicken

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-panda13-2008aug13,1,3381302.story Success story - focused on customers.

That’s all for today — remember to bookmark this page. Thanks.

Nearly all of the clients I have are owners of franchised restaurants - and = one thing they nearly always have in common is that they have limited `marketing dollars’ above and beyond the % they already pay to corporate to market the brand-name. That said, they do have SOME dollars and the decisions as to whether to sponsor a youth team, local charity golf tournament, do limited in-store marketing via bouncebacks, or buy billboards - are important image and marketing decisions.

When choosing to spend those limited dollars, it’s probably best to `do both’ - local image building and REAL marketing such as billboards. One of the `advantages’ that comes from using my services - doing what I call the MarketView — is that the owner knows the CUSTOMER BASE SIZE and type of user - of every individual unit in a market. And, based on that information - the owner knows which units are best and worst in converting their total customer base into `heavy’ users (some chains define this as the once a week customer, others, the once a month customer). Accordingly, the owner then has some direction from the research on how to spend those precious and limited local marketing dollars.

Much more on Customer Base Estimates in future posts - or - find out more at my squidoo website www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys.

TODAY’S RESTAURANT LINKS

Are Fast Food Building Restrictions Constitutional?

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=71377  Michael Ackley does a satire piece about how `gray’ the law becomes when thinking of `fast food restaurants’. A quick two minute read you don’t want to miss.

The Rise of the Breakfast Segment

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jGpPSjXCwpcs-JKUmPG3Gy5sht8QD92BG2380  Excellent article on how chains are increasingly looking at breakfast items as the way to more sales. Denny’s new containers and IHOP’s increase in take out over the past year is examined; as well as the reasons the FF chains have been successful in stealing the business from the sit-down breakfast eateries. Notes that some chains are thinking of offering breakfast items all day long. Finally gets into new offerings from FF restaurants including Carl’s Jr new product: “that features two eggs, bacon, sausage and cheese between grilled sourdough bread.”

Forget The Free Food and Drink Refills

http://www.startribune.com/business/26188614.html?location_refer=Most%20Emailed:Homepage:12 This story covers the many ways that restaurant owners are mitigating the increase in prices for foods and the increasing reluctance of patrons to eat out often. Here’s a quote from the 3 minute article:

The real problem, they argue, is that many large chains overbuilt at a time when Americans were starting to pull back on restaurant spending….Now, unable to raise prices to match rising wholesale food costs, so-called “menu makeovers” have become increasingly common

America’s WORST Restaurants For Kids Revealed

http://www.emediaworld.com/press_release/release_detail.php?id=120323  WOW - amazing article that GRADES each chain for offerings and other attributes related to healthy eating.  Getting A’s were Chick-Fil-A, Subway and Wendy’s - Getting F’s were Applebees, IHOP, Olive Garden, Outback, Red Lobster and T.G. I. Friday’s. A 3 minute, must read article.

In my decades of doing Trade Area Research, specializing in `attrition estimates’, — I’ve often done projects that involved market expansion considering new store locations that involved one franchisee vs another. Usually, these project originated with companies in which I was the National Supplier of this service (two national fast food chains) but occasionally not (being known by different franchisee’s in the same market who hired me as an arbitrator/fact finder).

Most national fast food brands have a policy concerning `trade area infringment’ - with the establishment of `what level of attrition’ is `acceptable’ with new store development (those `acceptable’ dollars leaving YOUR pocket and bottom line). And, most fast food brands have a policy of `who pays’ for such research too. Want to find out that type of info? — Then send me an e-mail at southernsurveys@aol.com - describe your situation and I will tell you more specifics (please include a contact phone number).

Today’s Restaurant Links

Brown Bagging at Lunch Hurting Restaurant Sales

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=6996 —A fantastic, research supported, four minute read with many insights - but, perhaps an exaggerated title about brown baggers as the `increase’ is barely measurable (35 increasing to 38 times (a year?)) and is probably within the range of `plus or minus’ for the two compared surveys. Here’s a quote from the article :

“There are a number of factors adversely affecting the mid-day meal business at restaurants, and brown-bagging is one of them,” says Harry Balzer, vice president, The NPD Group, and author of Eating Patterns in America. “Certainly the economy, growing unemployment, the erosion of disposable personal income, slow-down in number of women entering the workforce, and more telecommuting options are also influencing consumers’ lunchtime behaviors

Frankly, to me, the decrease of sales is likely the erosion of disposable income and telecommuting - brown bagging is the result as opposed to a cause. Indeed, for consumers living in under-penetrated fast food markets (one FF several miles away) the increase in GAS prices is probably a factor too. After all, the 3.99 combo is REALLY 5.99 if the roundtrip is 10 miles and you get 20 miles a gallon.

The reality of smaller trade areas is increasing - and - not just because of the gas price — I will talk more about that in future posts.

KFC’s Vegetarian Sandwich - Isn’t

http://consumerist.com/5027777/kfcs-vegetarian-sandwich-isnt-stop-kidding-yourself-that-fast-food-restaurants-have-vegetarian-options  I almost had to laugh at this article due to the HARD vegetarian position. Indeed, make sure to read the comments as they are most insightful.

Drive-Thru Reseach Study 2007

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/reports/drive-thru_time_study/  This is a MUST read about how different fast food brands are dealing with Drive-thru business - vital, of course, to nearly all FF and the bottom line. This is not a short read but worth it. Here’s a sample table:

Of course, one of the main reasons to do on-site research at your restaurant is when you decide to build a new unit in your same market. Obviously, you don’t want to build a new location in a likely spot that is within your existing stores main trade area. This is when you need to conduct a Trade Area Survey at your restaurant that includes a `cannibalization question’ for your customer base.

The exact wording of  the cannibalization question is of vital importance to the accuracy of the data your interviewer will gather (or is this going to be YOU speaking with your customers). Since I have written questionnaires that were used in 100’s of cannibalization studies - I know that answer for you. You can find more at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys .

Today’s Link

Starbucks Introduces New Drinks

http://www.slashfood.com/2008/07/15/starbucks-new-vivanno-nourishing-blend/?icid=200100397×1205764383x1200288208

New `food’ choices (or a new menu) are real reasons for returning to a restaurant - another reason to introduce a new product is to jump on a trend or stifle a competitor. Seems to fit with the `new’ Starbucks of 2008.

I once pulled into a fast food restaurant in Tennessee off I-75, and, was going thru the drive-thru, when, after the speaker, I encountered a smiling young lady doing `surveys’. Being a marketing researcher who has conducted thousands of similar surveys and also who has trained hundreds to do the same - this was the big moment - a validation of what I did. But, after my answer to the first question (the coming from question) I was asked to move ahead to the window (my answer was that I had traveled from KY on a vacation). Knowing that they would want more info than that - I asked what the survey was about - she indicated it was about a new store that would be north of this one, also on a I-75 exit (I would have passed this first). I said, don’t you want to ask me more questions - “no, I can fill it out myself”.

Unfortunately, it’s very unlikely this interviewer was doing her job and certainly there were more questions about an attrition situation — which is of vital importance to the operator of the exisiting unit in question. And, while this level of `research’ is not usual, and also is WORTH NOTHING, it often represents a fair portion of the data (using interviewers not trained or supervised upon beginning real interviewing). As you know, as an owner of a restaurant — millions may ride on the outcome of `cannibalization’ surveys - if done at multiple units in a market.

Having the highest level of data collection is of utmost importance to expansion within a trade market - a service I provide - read more about trade area surveys at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys .

Today’s Links

1. http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/e6edbb1117015e037cd739ba89205815.htm

DineEquity Inc releases 2Q sales for same stores - shows IHOP up, Applebee’s down. Quick read.

2.

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/06/23/daily27.html

Olive Garden has same store increase, not as good for others in company.

3. http://www.streetinsider.com/IPOs/Dave+&+Busters+Holdings+(DANB)+Files+$170M+IPO/3816999.html

Dave and Busters files IPO. We have D&B in Atlanta - the evolution of this concept has been well executed. The TV ads of the combo food and fun price were well positioned. FUN sells.

4 - LINK OF THE DAY — “TGI FRIDAY’S” Research study. - http://www.chainleader.com/article/CA6578744.html?industryid=47553

Wonderful research study showing the benefits of research and customer satisfaction - and, what attributes to focus on to achieve that result. Free food, of course - but much more. A great marketing article.

Hello store owners and corporate restaurant folk - welcome to the Saturday edition of Restaurant Trade Area Research - the restaurant blog of Rick Phillips  - a market researcher with over three decades of real fast food customer research at the street level (in the stores).

Today’s topic - drive thru operations. —- Over the years, many attributes have been associated with drivers/customers experiences while waiting to purchase your product without leaving their comfort cage (the car). But only one attribute will almost immediately turn away a customer if they have any alternatives for food - the long line before the speaker. Only with previous good experiences with the restaurant at the drive thru (with long lines), will maintain the customer in line for today.

With the drive thru often contributing over 50% in sales - this is not a lecture on the need for speed. And, indeed, many issues related to drive-thru’s will be explored in future postings. So, what this post is imploring in all operators minds is the new reality of 4.00 gas - to the point that the operator realizes that `while idling’ the customer is probably having this thought `what a waste’ (of money, more than time).

Marginal customers to the fast food customer base may be weakened more than usual by drive thru delays - especially those in SUV’s (if you get what I mean). So, this is more a time than ever to get your best crew on the window - don’t idle your drive-thru traffic away.

Now, onto today’s links.

Today’s Restaurant links (July 12th 2008)

Second Q Wendy’s Sales Up

Link - http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2008/07/07/daily32.html

Up over 1% at franchisee locations - up at company stores too - after a down first Q.      RTAR - rating - 8 - Being from Ohio many years ago; yeah for Wendy’s. Perhaps the `choice’ of sides attribute helps.

Ruby Tuesday’s Same Store Sales Off for 4th Q

Down over 5% at both company and franchised units this Q. That said, many indicators look good according to the two minute article with quotes from the founder. >>>>>>>>>> RTAR  rating - 5 - No one likes sales to fall significantly at a signature national restaurant (could it be those who loved the German Potato Salad?) - that said, much is sited in the article of importance including the satisfaction scores. So; is it a shrinking total trade area? (Trade area research on stores with prior existing studies done at the store level reveals this information. Indeed, this is the exact information I’ve given to clients on repeats within their markets.) Or, just the competitiveness for the discretionary dollar?

Green Fast Food - Really Here or a Green Dream

Link: http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/2529.html  This article is about a 4 minute read. It rehashs alot of the grist of what the environmenalists want out of companies and fast food restaurants inparticular. Styrofoam is the big meanie. However, several hundred have committed to a more aggressive program - this could be for you if you live in a highly committed `green community’ and could aid store usage by limited few - hippy, yuppie, and student oriented trade areas come to mind.     >>>>>>>> RTAR rating - 6 - Just make sure you aren’t the LAST to do this if you are in one of the above stated communities. But, wait, do `environmentalists’ comprise a worthwhile worry or significant market for FF restaurants - not yet. Lastly, however, remember the Karma factor.