Half of restaurant-goers say bad experiences damage brand loyalty

Nearly half (49%) of restaurant-goers stated that a few bad experiences is the biggest reason why they become less loyal to a brand, according to a survey by CGA and Zonal.

The survey of more than 5,000 UK adults found that 52% of consumers say they now have higher expectations of the brands they are loyal to due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Furthermore, this figure rises to 64% among those in the 18-to-24-year-old age bracket.

Alongside this, 37% of respondents said a rise in prices would cause them to be less loyal while 23% said a controversy involving the brand would cause this.

Well over half (58%) of consumers said that a good loyalty scheme represented good value for money.

Olivia FitzGerald, chief sales and marketing officer, Zonal, said: “Brand loyalty is vital to the success of any hospitality businesses – a loyal customer base typically means higher visit-frequency and spend, which drives profit. However, this research shows that, in order to retain customer loyalty, it’s not enough to offer cheap prices or deliver good experiences some of the time. Consistently great experiences are the key to success.

“With over half of consumers saying that loyalty schemes represent value for money, operators would benefit from thinking carefully about how to design loyalty schemes that highlight great experiences at great prices. Having a digital loyalty tool in place makes it easy for operators to control accruals, rewards and redemptions, even for completely bespoke schemes. All this feeds into providing those exceptional experiences that customers expect, encouraging them to return time and time again.”

Karl Chessell, director – Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA, CGA by NIQ, added: “In a competitive and cash-conscious market, brand loyalty is more important than ever. But it’s also precarious, and something that is hard to win but also easy to lose. Consumers are ready and willing to stay loyal to their favourite brands or venues, but they also know that if they don’t get what they want, then there are plenty of other options to choose from.

“This research makes clear that operators have no short-cuts to loyalty: it can’t be achieved overnight or bought. True loyalty is organic, and organic and is only achieved through relentless focus on the fundamentals of hospitality over weeks, months and years. Consistency of delivery is operators’ biggest challenge — but it’s their biggest opportunity too.”