Consumer Trends

The importance of trust

How trustworthy is your restaurant concept? According to "The Trust Factor" study released by About.com, trust is crucial to consumer-brand relationships and is a key driver in decision making.

  • 84% of respondents will not engage with a brand until trust has been established. Key elements of trust include expertise, fairness, relevance, awareness and relatability
  • 85% of participants trust brands that walk them through multiple paths to decisions, rather than just giving an answer
  • In a society of rapid change, 83% of respondents trust brands that offer resources every step of the way, as a consumer’s needs evolve
  • 82% of respondents reported that they use information from brands, content, ads and social media to create custom solutions for what they need
  • Based on study findings, it is recommended that to build trust, companies must treat consumers as partners, not customers

"With the high volume of information at consumers’ fingertips, not only is trust a valuable filter, it is a prerequisite for consumers to even enter the purchase funnel,” said Laura Salant, director of research at About.com.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Leadership

Restaurants bring the industry's concerns to Congress

Neary 600 operators made their case to lawmakers as part of the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference.

Financing

Podcast transcript: Virtual Dining Brands co-founder Robbie Earl

A Deeper Dive: What is the future of digital-only concepts? Earl discusses their work to ensure quality and why focusing on restaurant delivery works.

Financing

In the fast-casual sector, Chipotle laps Panera Bread

The Bottom Line: The two fast-casual restaurant pioneers have diverged over the past five years, as the burrito chain has thrived while Panera hit a wall. Here's why.

Trending

More from our partners