Just the Stats: Casual dining

Furniture/Today Market Research -- Furniture Today, September 28, 2010

The Just the Stats series gathers in one place data Furniture/Today's Market Research team has compiled on specific product categories; in this case, casual dining. Drawn from special research reports published throughout the year, the data points spotlight what's going on with the category.

Dining retail sales

	2009 estimated spending in $ billions	2008 estimated spending in $ billions	% growth from 2008	% of 2009 total industry sales
Casual dining	$3.5	$3.7	-6.8%	5%
Formal dining	$5.0	$5.6	-10.7%	7%
Total Dining	$8.5	$9.3	-9.1%	12%

Source:  Furniture/Today market research and Easy Analytic Software

Casual dining in furniture stores

• Accounted for 10% of furniture store sales in 2009.
• Accounted for 12% of selling space in furniture stores in 2009.
• Median SKUs, 22 and median number of lines, 5.
• Median best-selling price point for dinette/casual dining (a table and four chairs), $599, down from $699 in previous year.
• Average markup for table and four chairs, 1.92 times

Source:  Furniture/Today Furniture Store Performance Report: Merchandise Mix, 2010

Style trends for casual dining

• Contemporary styles captured the biggest chunk of market share in terms of units, 51%, at low price points ($499 and below for a table and four chairs, retail).
• Contemporary styles, 41% were the market share leaders at middle price points ($500 to $999 for a table and four chairs, retail).
• At upper middle price points, $1,000 to $1,999 (for a table and four chairs, retail), Country styles captured the greatest market share at 28%.
• At high price points, $2,000 and above (for a table and four chairs, retail), Contemporary and Traditional flair share the leader board with each garnering 33% of unit market share.
• Casual dining features retailers felt were gaining favor with consumers included pub/counter heights, solid woods and dark finishes as well as extendable tables.

Source:  Furniture/Today Case Goods Style Survey, 2010

Consumers and casual dining

• 58% of responding consumers would first shop a traditional furniture store for casual dining.
• 13% of consumers plan to buy casual dining in 2010.
• The best-selling price points fall in the $500-$749 price range.
• Best price, value and quality are important characteristics to seven out of ten casual dining buyers.

Source: Furniture/Today and HGTV's The 2010 Consumer; Furniture/Today and HGTV Consumer Views Survey, 2009

To purchase full copies of the special reports referenced above, click on the links below.
Furniture/Today Dining Furniture Metro Market Product Potential Report, December 2009
Furniture Store Performance Report: Merchandise Mix, September 27, 2010  
Case good style survey, July 12, 2010
Furniture/Today & HGTV Consumer Views Survey, Buying Trends: Casual Dining, April 5, 2010