Despite the proliferation of entrants in the largely on-premise better-pizza market, 80 percent of consumers prefer their pizza for takeout or delivery, according to a survey conducted by the mystery-shopper firm A Closer Look.
Similarly, though the contenders hoping to become the Chipotle of the pizza sector are banking on strong lunch business, 89 percent of pizza orders today are placed for dinner, ACL found in its survey of 2,000 consumers.
Still, the attraction for the likes of Blaze, 800 Degrees and Pizza Locale is underscored by the study: The average consumer eats pizza at least three times per month, and 40 percent of the public consume it at least weekly.
Those consumers may be avid fans of pizza, but they show considerably less enthusiasm for social media, ACL found. Only one of every five disappointed pizzeria visitors will broadcast their experience via Twitter, Facebook, Yelp or other platforms; the other four simply won’t return, according to ACL.