Just the Stats:  Casual dining retail sales

Furniture/Today Market Research -- Furniture Today, February 23, 2011

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.

Casual dining retail sales

	2010 estimated spending in $ billions	2009 estimated spending in $ billions	% growth from 2009	% of total furniture and bedding market
Casual dining	$4.0	$3.8	2.9%	5%

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.
• 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's Buying Trends: Casual Dining, 2010; 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 2010
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