You might have noticed that your local high street is becoming full of chain restaurants, hotels, cafés and bars. It’s nothing new, the turn of the century has seen independents retreat to the outskirts and city centres become almost copy and paste environments with chains.
In fairness, chains become exactly what they are because they are liked so much. Most of which start out as independents. They are liked because, as a consumer, you know what you are going to get every time you visit, the price is often cheaper than an independent and if you have a particular favourite chain restaurant, you can visit no matter where you are in the country.
There is a certain charm though that comes with visiting an independent establishment. You often see exactly who your custom is benefitting, a closer relationship can be made and it’s often more unique then visiting a chain where every branch has a similar interior.
Consumers prefer independent restaurants
When it comes to chain restaurants, a new report has shown that 50 per cent of British consumers are conscious of the rise of chains and are concerned that their high street is being taken over by them.
42 per cent of the 2,000 UK adults surveyed by GoKart also believe that the government should limit the number of national chain restaurants opening on the high street. With over half (53%) preferring to dine at independent restaurants because they want to support local businesses, the most popular reasons for choosing independents are the greater varieties of cuisine and more creative dishes.
Fierce competition from chains
Although independents are a preference to consumers, 37 per cent have seen one or more of their favourite local independent restaurants shut down in the past 12 months. Ultimately this comes down to fierce competition from chain restaurants.
For local independent restaurants, competing against the big chains can be hard. As the research shows, the market is there but independents must be cost-efficient in many of their choices without sacrificing quality. This goes for their interior, too.
Trent Furniture has a range of furniture options even for the smallest of budgets. Giving your restaurant a refurbishment, along with ensuring high-quality food can go a long way in gaining a competitive edge, even over chains. Have a browse of our restaurant furniture today.