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Canadians prepare for the coming cold weather by putting on the snow tires and finding the ice scraper and mittens. And, we change our restaurant habits as well. Based on an average over the past five years, there’s a definite downturn in our use of restaurants during the December-January-February period, according to consumer tracking by market research firm The NPD Group. The winter quarter gets only 23 per cent of annual restaurant traffic, compared to 27 per cent during the summer months.

Winter posts the lowest penetration of any season: on an average winter day, 42 per cent of the population aged 13+ uses a restaurant.  

Delivery increases in the winter months, as do restaurant meals eaten at home, for those times when we just don’t want to venture out on the roads. While all meals are down compared to the rest of the year, consumers cut back the most on afternoon and evening snacks, for the most part because they are simply not out and about as much in the winter.

Foods that are ordered more often in the winter lean towards more substantial fare like burgers, pizza, Mexican, soup and pasta. Understandably, hot beverages like tea and coffee top the list of drinks that are more popular in the cold months, while cold drinks drop off sharply.

Restaurant visits may be less frequent during the cold months, but innovative promotions and appealing menu items can keep them coming to your door.

Source: The NPD Group / quarterly data averaged over five years, to August, 2011

See also:

• Make that to go
• Nine ideas to decorate your restaurant for the holidays
• Beer and cheese pairings for the holiday season

About the author:

Linda Strachan is a restaurant industry analyst for the NPD Group. The NPD Group has more than 25 years of experience providing reliable and comprehensive consumer-based market information to leaders in the foodservice industry. For more information, visit www.npd.com or contact Strachan at linda.strachan@npd.com.