How Coronavirus Impacts American Consumers Likelihood to Order Food at Home

The negative impact on the restaurant industry from COVID-19 is massive, of course. However, for those QSR brands able to pivot to takeout and (especially) contactless delivery, near-term demand may actually increase. We were interested to learn how COVID influenced Americans decisions to order takeout or delivery. So, last week, we partnered with The Harris Poll to ask 1,102 U.S. adults a simple question: “Due to the impact of Coronavirus, how much more or less likely are you to order from a fast food/quick service or pizza restaurant for pick-up or delivery in the next two weeks?”

For our food service clients, we were heartened to see that more than half of Americans are more likely to order food than they were before. More details below on how the data breaks down, including the specific audiences most likely to be receptive to takeout and delivery messaging now. Age, HHI, employment status, and the presence of children at home have the highest impact on a consumer’s decision to order food at home.

covid infographic

David Morrissey is the Director of Strategy at Camp + King. He started his career as a copywriter before transitioning into strategic planning for the likes of McCann, Leo Burnett USA, and Ogilvy + Mather.