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Libby Dale Fashion marketing award
the problem 8/10 solo restaurant purchases are eaten away from the place that they were purchased (NPD, 2020). This is due to a variety of reasons but NPD (2020) suggests that this is due to the stigma surrounding eating alone in public. In addition to this restaurants have also failed to adapt to meet their needs and to be inclusive of this growing consumer group and are often designed for the needs of groups (Fleming, 2019). Therefore, solo diners do not get to enjoy the restaurant experience as much as groups.
key insights MARKETERS CAN ADAPT THEIR OFFERING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SOLO consumers
PEOPLE WHO ARE ALONE HAVE BEEN STIGMATISED BY MARKETERS IN THE PAST
in today’s always on world, living alone is a rare opportunity to relax and unwind.
“When you sit alone, you are literally forced to sit across from an empty chair, underlining the fact you are by yourself” (Kim, 2019. pp1).
“let them choose where to sit e.g. in the corner”*
“tables specifically for one person”*
the solution Honjok Ramen (HR) is a casual dining restaurant, exclusively designed to meet the unmet needs of solo diners. The restaurant will be fitted with booths for privacy which allow people to use meal times as an escape from their hectic lives, whilst allowing them to enjoy the benefits of solo dining in an inclusive, judgement- free environment.
“a menu for people eating alone with smaller portion sizes”*
“Sit them away from groupS”* *Online questionnaire (100 respondents).
our values
1
a place to escape
We want to offer our consumers a place to escape from the increasing pressure in society.
2 3
Customer focus
Everything we do has been designed to meet the needs of the solo diner.
high quality
We offer a quick service but never sacrifice the quality and freshness of our dishes.
mission To create a space where people can zone out from their busy lives in the city to enjoy good food in their own company.
vision A world where the solo dining experience is enjoyed just as much as eating in a group.
uk solo dining market The UK restaurant market has seen a decline in recent years due to intense competition and weakening consumer demand. However, the solo dining market is an area for growth, growing twice as fast as all other restaurant visits in 2019 (NPD, 2020). High-lighting an opportunity for a brand which solely focuses on serving solo diners.
the percentage of restaurant visits for each Percentage of restaurant visits
party size
solo visits market size:
ÂŁ4.6 billion
35 35 30 30 25 25 20 20 15 15 10 10 5
5
0
0
1
(Cheng, 2020).
89% Of solo diner visits
last year were to quick- service restaurant (Cheng, 2020).
market drivers
3 2 4 Party Size
5+ (NPD, 2020)
2/5 of the market Solo eating out visits (including delivery orders) make up 2/5ths of the UK restaurant market (Cheng, 2020).
There are many drivers for the solo dining trend but it is largely being driven by the impact of urban lifestyles (Forbes, 2016). People are living busy lives in the city and are often eating alone due to convenience (Forbes, 2016). In addition to this, eating alone is also being used a chance for consumers to escape their busy stressful lives (Bickerton, 2019).
product HR will serve South Korean inspired cuisine with the option of smaller dishes. “If you go to a restaurant alone you are stuck to one dish, as if you order more you can’t really eat it all on your own” (Focus Group). A competitor analysis highlighted that convenient restaurants which appeal to solo diners often serve unhealthy food, HR will provide convenience without sacrificing the quality of the food served. Dishes will be made fresh to order with high quality ingredients.
“8/10 millennials believe that healthy eating is key to longevity and wellness”. (Cheng, 2019).
price HR’s dishes will be priced at £11- £14.50 in line with other casual dining restaurants such as Wagamama.
place Shoreditch, London is the area where HR will be placed. “London is a very busy city, the need for an excused disconnection from time to time is growing” (Michel, 2014). The Shoreditch Triangle is thriving with creative and tech businesses and is well served by hotels, shops, amenities and transport (Move Hut, 2020). HR will be in close proximity to the target consumer who may be staying alone in a nearby hotel or eat alone on their lunch break.
place
“London is ideal because it has a lot of people travelling alone for business as well as a growing one person economy” (Goodchild, 2014. Pg 1).
people The brand will utilise on-screen ordering as opposed to having waiting staff. Digital food sales are expected to grow from 6% to 30% by 2025 (Restaurant Dive, 2019) showing a trend towards on-screen ordering. According to Cheng (2020) solo diners who prefer speed and convenience favour places which offer kiosk ordering as people who dine alone often seek a convenient service.
promotion “insta-grammability” 30 per cent of 18-35-year-olds would avoid a restaurant if their Instagram presence was weak (Hosie, 2017). High-lighting the importance of creating dishes that consumers will want to share, this will be done by using bright garnishes and branded napkins and bowls. In order to encourage consumers to post photos and to help build brand awareness.
#FREEDUMPLINGS CAMPAIGN To encourage the sharing of HR’s food on social media customers will be encouraged to share their food posts with #freedumplings. They will receive a code which will allow them to have free dumplings next time they order a ramen bowl in store.
Guerilla marketing HR will use guerilla marketing to reach the target consumer. This will involve tables designed for one being set up around popular public eating areas in London based around the insight that people who eat alone do so in informal places such as public benches and steps in the summer “(when eating alone) I’d choose to sit outside on a bench” (focus group). When users scan the code, they will receive a promotion to encourage them to visit the store as 46% of millennials are looking for deals more often (Beckett, 2019).
Tables set up on steps with QR code scanner
why not try our in-store booths? exclusively for solo diners with 25% off your food bill with the code solodininginlondon
persuasion The Honjok life magazine will be designed to help build a sense of community amongst HR’s consumers. Solo diners a group which has been stigmatised in the past (NPD, 2020) therefore, by creating a community customers can feel better about eating alone. The magazine will include content relevant to those who dine alone such as “the best places to visit alone in London” and “The joys of solo travel” and be available in-store and online through the brand website.
conclusion HR bridges the gap in a restaurant industry which has been designed for groups, allowing solo diners who eat alone due to convenience to use the opportunity to escape their lives in the city and enjoy good food in their own company.
reference list Beckett E., 2019. 6 restaurant trends that could turn tables in 2019. Restaurant Dive [Online]. Available at:https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/6-restaurant-trends-that-could-turn-tablesin-2019-1/545323/ [Date accessed : 30.03.2020] Bickerton K, 2019. Table for one. Pragma [Online]. Available at:https://www.pragmauk.com/ insights-news/2019/01/18/table-for-one [Date accessed : 15.03.2020] Cheng M., 2020. New Study is as Sign Restaurants Need to Pamper Solo Diners More Than Ever. Forbes [Online]. Available at:https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2020/03/03/ one-more-sign-restaurants-need-to-pamper-solo-diners-more-than-ever/ [Date accessed : 22.04.2020] Fleming A., 2019. Table for one: how eating alone is radically changing our diets. The Guardian [Online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/06/table-forone-how-eating-alone-changing-our-diets [Date accessed: 07.04.2020] Forbes, 2016. Table For One: Why We Are Increasingly Eating Alone. Forbes [Online]. Available at:https://www.forbes.com/sites/thehartmangroup/2016/05/25/table-for-one-why-we-areincreasingly-eating-alone/ [Date ac-cessed : 13.04.2020] Goodchild S., 2014. London’s dine-alone restaurant - where splitting the bill isn’t an option. Evening Standard [Online]. Available at:https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/londonsdine-alone-restaurant-where-splitting-the-bill-isnt-an-option-9682880.html [Date accessed: 1.04.2020] Hosie R., 2017. How Instagram Has Transformed The Restaurant Industry For Millennials. The Independent [Online]. Available at:https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-anddrink/millenials-restaurant-how-choose-instagram-social-media-where-eat-a7677786.html [Date accessed: 13.04.2020] Kim M., 2017. A New generation of Beautiful Loners is Changing Seoul Fashion for the Better. Vogue [Online]. Available at:https://www.vogue.com/article/single-independence-movement-in-seoul-korean-fashion [Date accessed : 6.04.2020] Michel M., 2014. Eenmaal considers a permanent venue in London as UK solo dining rises. Big Hospitality [Online]. Available at:https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2014/08/21/ Eenmaal-considers-permanent-venue-in-London-as-UK-solo-dining-rises [Date accessed: 21.03.2020] Move Hut, 2020. Charlotte Road. Move Hut [Online]. Available at: http://www.movehut.co.uk/ property/523717-23-charlotte-road-london-ec2a-3pb/ [Date accessed: 30.02.2020] NPD, 2020. Solo eating-out visits grew twice as fast as all other visits in 2019. NPD [Online] Available at:https://www.npdgroup.co.uk/wps/portal/npd/uk/news/press-releases/solo-eatingout-grew-twice-as-fast-as-all-other-visits-in-2019/ [Date accessed: 6.05.2020]