NEW YORK The financial crisis has caused New Yorkers to curtail the number of times they dine out per week, and when they do frequent restaurants they tend to be more attentive to prices, according to data released Wednesday by Zagat Survey.
Based on feedback collected from nearly 39,000 participants, the survey, which Zagat conducts annually, found that consumers cut down their restaurant visits to 3.0 times a week from 3.3 times to 3.4 times a week in the past four years.
Of those surveyed, 43 percent said they were more price sensitive, 41 percent said they downscaled their restaurant choices to accommodate price, and 21 percent claimed they skipped ordering appetizers or dessert. In addition, 19 percent said they cut back on alcohol. Zagat recently reported similar trends in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Only 22 percent of New Yorkers polled said the economy had not affected their dining habits.
“There’s no doubt that the recession seriously affected the New York restaurant industry,” said Tim Zagat, chief executive and co-founder of Zagat Survey. “Yet the survey also illustrates that the picture is far more nuanced than many reports suggest. It may come as a surprise, but the number of restaurant openings this year still exceeded the number of closings.”
According to the data, 119 restaurants opened in 2009 while 88 closed. In 2010, trend lines suggest there will be 157 restaurant openings and 102 closings.
Zagat also released its 2010 restaurant guide for New York on Wednesday. Among the new guide's rankings, Le Bernardin took the title of Top Food, while last year's winner in that category, Per Se, fell to No. 4. Gramercy Tavern took the prize of Most Popular from sister restaurant Union Square Cafe. Asiate and Per Se retained the top spots for decor and service, respectively.
Zagat noted that many New York restaurateurs had responded to the difficult economy by offering better value.
To that end, the survey found that 56 percent of participants said they had found better deals, 37 percent said they had an easier time landing a table, and 38 percent said they felt more appreciated.
Overall, survey participants — approximately 60 percent — said poor service remained the No. 1 irritant for them. However, complaints about noise, crowding and prices dropped, perhaps, because of fewer diners and better deals.
Diners also said environmental and health issues continued to be a concern; approximately 65 percent of those surveyed said eating “green” food was important, and 68 percent said they cared about having low-fat, low-carb, heart-healthy items on the menu. Some 83 percent also said they favored the posting of health inspection letter grades.
The data concluded that despite the recession, the average cost of a meal in New York City had increased 2.5 percent this year to $41.81. The compares to a national average meal cost of $34.58
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].