More than one-third of consumers are more inclined to seek out Black-owned restaurants as a result of the social justice movement that followed the deaths of George Floyd and others this year, but the picture is far from rosy, according to a survey by The Coca-Cola Company looking at consumer choices for dining out.
“Our study found that recent events around race and social justice have inspired diners to seek out Black-owned restaurants,” said Kathleen Ciaramello, president, foodservice and on-premise at The Coca-Cola Company. “This increased support comes at a time when Black restaurant owners desperately need it, as 84% of them have made staff reductions due to COVID-19.”
However, the data indicates Black-owned restaurants were slightly less likely to make staff reductions, compared with the 86% of all restaurant owners who said the same, the survey found.
In addition, Black restaurant owners have invested an average of $7,300 to adapt to new COVID-19-related operations, compared with the average of $7,400 spent by all restaurant owners.
The study, “Restaurant Reopening: Challenges, Needs and the Keys to Getting it Right,” is based on surveys between June 22-July 2, 2020 in Florida, Washington state and New York, including 418 restaurant operators and 1,500 restaurant patrons responding.
Click through the gallery to see how this year’s events have impacted consumer behavior.