Travelers Are Willing to Splurge on Full-Price Restaurant Meals

While many consumers are looking for ways to pinch pennies amid ongoing financial challenges, PYMNTS Intelligence found that diners are more likely to pay full price at restaurants while they are traveling.

By the Numbers

The November installment of the PYMNTS Intelligence Connected Dining series of reports, “Tracking the Impact of Digital Tools on Food Tourism and Travel Preferences,” drew from a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. consumers to understand the differences between their dining behaviors and preferences when traveling compared to at home.

The results revealed that while 36% of consumers cited special deals and promotions as a preferred feature at home, only 23% prioritized these offers when dining out while traveling. The findings suggested that travelers are less enticed by discounts and more focused on the overall dining experience and the quality of the food.

The Data in Context

One company seizing on consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for food while traveling is Grubhub. Earlier this year, the aggregator partnered with Choice Hotels’ Choice Privileges loyalty program to offer Grubhub ordering to these rewards members at 500 locations.

“In the hospitality realm, we’re solving a need that guests have when traveling: getting meals,”  Adam Herbert, senior director of Grubhub Onsite, told PYMNTS in an interview published in October. “The properties we partner with don’t have on-site dining options, meaning guests have to go elsewhere to get a meal. Knowing not everyone has a way to go into town and grab a bite to eat, we’re making it easy for guests to order from local spots and get food delivered without having to leave the hotel.”

Meanwhile, restaurants in tourist-heavy areas can capture travelers’ spending without needing to eat into their margins with steep deals and discounts.

As the travel industry continues to recover, and consumers resume their explorations, understanding these preferences will be crucial for restaurants and businesses seeking to attract and satisfy the needs of travelers.