This is one of the findings of a representative study commissioned in autumn 2024 by Eventrend Group, a Hungarian-owned company active in hospitality, event management and hotel operation.
Here are the study's key findings:
- Young men are at the top of the dining scene. The most enthusiastic visitors to hospitality venues are university-educated men aged 18–29 with above-average incomes, who not only like to eat but also seek experiences.
- Celebrations and friendship: why do most people visit a hospitality venue? According to the study, most people go to restaurants for personal celebrations (36%) and to meet friends (35%). The convenience of not cooking at home attracts only 14 per cent of guests.
- The era of “fried cheese” is over. “Free-from” dishes, however, now matter to one in seven visitors. Restaurants' creativity and health consciousness are increasingly gaining ground. Fried cheese is not necessarily the answer to catering for health-conscious diners – today a venue has to offer guests much more than that.
- What drives guests' decisions? Recommendations from friends are the most persuasive argument (61 points), while restaurants' reputation matters less, and the opinion of restaurant experts guides only a small minority; the vast majority do not decide on the basis of such opinions.
- On average, Hungarians consider HUF 8,500 an acceptable amount to spend on a restaurant visit, but people in Budapest and experience seekers often exceed this. All in all, the acceptable spend at hospitality venues averages HUF 23,240 per person per month.
- “Who decides?” Although in most households women are the organisers – they decide on holidays and leisure, and on where and for how long the family spends time together – the choice of restaurant is more in men's hands. The family council, however, trumps everything: 81 per cent decide together on which venue to choose.
- The trio of hospitality guests:
Occasional guests (51%) go out rarely and choose on an ad hoc basis.
Food-focused guests (30%) go out more often but are less loyal to their favourite places.
Experience seekers (19%) are the true gastro-adventurers, willing to spend more on an exclusive experience. - The surprisingly low popularity (2%) of the “home office” category suggests that the atmosphere of Hungarian hospitality venues is not yet ideal for workplace productivity.
- Almost half of respondents (45%) think prices at Hungarian hospitality venues are still acceptable, but almost as many (42%) believe that everything is simply overpriced. There were also a few “luxury consumers” who claim that eating out in Hungary is still cheaper than in Western Europe.
The questionnaire only reflects the responses of those who visit hospitality venues at least once or twice a year. According to the best expert estimates, this group includes more than 80 per cent of Hungarian adults, so decision-making in hospitality can primarily be measured among them. In the survey, a hospitality venue means not only restaurants but also, for example, patisseries, cafés and any other venue where guests can purchase food, sweets or drinks as a service. The survey was carried out in autumn 2024.
Source: Turizmus Online