Americans increasingly turn to foodservice for Thanksgiving help, finds Technomic

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Nov 20, 2013, 11:10 ET

CHICAGO, Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly three out of 10 Americans plan to sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner this year that includes at least one prepared ready-to-eat dish from a retailer, restaurant or caterer, according to a recent Technomic survey. Over the past three years, the proportion of consumers telling Technomic that they would turn to a foodservice source for part of their Thanksgiving dinner has risen, from 23 percent in 2011 to 29 percent in 2013.

Thanksgiving dinner this year includes prepared foods from…

	A grocer/retailer	A restaurant/caterer	Both	Total
2011	17%	4%	2%	23%
2012	16%	8%	2%	26%
2013	19%	6%	4%	29%
Base: 500 (2011, 2012, 2013)

In addition to those incorporating meat, sides or desserts from a retailer, restaurant or caterer into a home meal, 6 percent of those polled in all three years reported that they were planning to share Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant.

"Technomic research consistently shows that consumers view restaurant meals as a way to connect with family and friends," says Darren Tristano, Executive Vice President at Technomic. "Using prepared foods for holiday meals at homes has the same effect; it gets hosts out of the kitchen sooner so they can really enjoy time with their guests."

These and other findings will appear in the next edition of MarketBriefing, a complimentary newsletter prepared by Technomic and published by American Express. To subscribe, go to americanexpress.com/restaurant.

To learn more about Techomic services, please visit Technomic.com or contact one of our representatives (listed below). For Technomic updates, please follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ or our blog.

About Technomic
Technomic provides its food and foodservice clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous consumer tracking services, publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry.

Contacts
Press Inquiries: Darren Tristano, 312-506-3850, or [email protected]
Other Requests: Chris Urban, 312-506-3929, or [email protected]

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SOURCE Technomic