UK restaurants risk losing customers by serving poor quality coffee, as a quarter of Brits state that they wouldn’t return to even the best restaurants if the coffee wasn’t up to scratch, according to recent research
The fact that such a high value is placed on quality coffee after a meal should send a further warning to restaurateurs who rely on the custom of the corporate market.
The results of the research, commissioned by Nespresso, are a wake-up call to restaurateurs, showing that they should pay close attention to the quality of their coffee if they want to retain their corporate customer base.
Research findings
The research was undertaken by ICM Research and gauged the coffee habits of 2,000 adults. It revealed:
- A quarter (24%) of survey respondents would definitely not return to a restaurant if the coffee quality was poor.
- When asked whether coffee quality impacts the overall perception of the restaurant, 68% of the most ambitious respondents, and 62% of top management executives, responded that coffee quality influences their opinion significantly.
- The same question revealed that for a quarter of Londoners (25%) coffee quality at restaurants has high importance.
- Ambitious people (65%) are more reliant on coffee than those who consider themselves as not ambitious (23%).
Importance of the ‘fourth course’
Phil Howard, the head chef and co-owner of The Square, the double Michelin star restaurant in London’s Mayfair, said it would be disastrous to lose customers because the fourth course, the coffee course, was sub-standard:
“As a coffee lover myself, I would be disappointed if, after a great meal out, I was served a terrible coffee. The industry needs to be more aware of the changing habits of our guests and understand that people are becoming more and more discerning in their food and drink choices, so of course it is no different with coffee. We are operating in tough economic times and competition between restaurants remains strong, so it is more important than ever to retain customers where possible.”
Enhanced consumer demand for quality coffee
Brema Drohan, managing director of Nespresso in the UK and Ireland, said: “We have observed an enhanced consumer demand for quality coffee over the past couple of years and this encompasses a desire for an increased coffee knowledge and expertise when dining out. In the same way as establishments are able to recommend wines, they should be able to recommend the perfect coffee to complement any part of the meal.
“If customers are going out to eat at top establishments and enjoy a great meal, but experience a second rate ‘fourth course’ or coffee course and then never return, the long term repercussions could be significant. Some of the best restaurants in the country and around the globe use Nespresso business machines, including The Square, The Fat Duck and The Ledbury, which is why we have the expertise to work with other restaurants that need to enhance their coffee offering.”
The research comes as Nespresso experiences continued growth in the UK market, meeting business and consumer demand for its products and services and in July, Nespresso opened its first UK flagship boutique on London’s Regent Street.
Nespresso now serves nine out of the 20 restaurants with two Michelin stars in the UK, with 24 Michelin star customers in total across the country.
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