During the same time period, sales of spicy foods in supermarkets have soared suggesting that consumers are craving ethnic flavours but are no longer flocking to their local curry house for a fix.
Almost all of this loss is due to the decline in evening dining visits to ethnic restaurants rather than takeaways, which accounts for 121.7 million of the lost 123 million visits in the three year period.
An even greater cause for concern for ethnic restaurants is the revisit intent scores - 17 million fewer people would “definitely” choose to visit again, and almost 12 million fewer would “probably” choose to revisit compared to 2009.
Guy Fielding, director of business development for The NPD Group, explained more about the numbers: “Ethnic food may not be perceived as the everyday good value it once was. To compete with the supermarkets, ethnic operators need to change the price/value equation by introducing deals and promotions that resonate with consumers.
“These findings are a real wake up call for ethnic restaurant operators to take a hard look at their offering. This not only includes the décor, atmosphere, layout and cleanliness of their establishments, but their service levels and promotions too. It’s time to move from dark and dated décor to light and lively to ensure restaurants remain a place where people want to spend time socialising with their friends and family.”