Fast-food fans favor burgers
Over half (53 percent) of Americans who eat at fast-food restaurants make three to ten trips each month, according to a new Maritz AmeriPoll survey by Maritz Marketing Research Inc., Fenton, Mo. A few (15 percent) are fast-food junkies visiting 11 or more times a month. Only one-third (32 percent) limit their visits to once or twice per month.
A majority of fast-food customers (70 percent) say they most often visit burger restaurants. The next largest group (8 percent) prefer to eat at Mexican-style establishments. Pizza and chicken restaurants tie for third, each attracting 6 percent of fast-food fans most often.
Men and women differ slightly in their tastes for fast-food. While men most often prefer burger restaurants (76 percent of men to 65 percent of women) women are twice as likely to go to chicken restaurants most often (8 percent of women to 4 percent of men).
Lunch is the most popular meal among fast-food fans. More than half (57 percent) are most likely to visit a fast-food restaurant for lunch while less than one third (30 percent) go for dinner. On average, only 8 percent go most often for breakfast. Fast-food breakfasts are more popular among older people, however. Fourteen percent of those age 55 and over select breakfast as the meal they most often eat at a fast food restaurant.
Most fast-food eaters weigh two factors more heavily than others when they decide where to eat: convenient location and food quality. Twenty-six and 25 percent, respectively, say these factors influence their restaurant choice most. Menu selection is a surprising third (16 percent), and only 8 percent of respondents cite reasonable prices as the most influential factor in choosing a restaurant.
Air bags are most important accessory
Nearly one in five (18 percent) Americans say they plan to buy a new car in the next year, according to an OmniTel survey of 1,000 adults by Bruskin/Go1dring Research. Edison, N.J. Features Americans say are most important in a new car are air bags (29 percent), air conditioners (21 percent), a sound system (17 percent), and an anti-lock brake system (16 percent). While more women (31 percent) than men (27 percent) say air bags are one of their most important new car features, men are more likely than women to look for air conditioning (24 percent), a sound system (19 percent) and anti-lock brakes (17 percent).
One in three respondents say air bags are an important feature, but other safety features get less attention. For example. child-proof door and window locks were cited by only 3 percent of respondents, and 2 percent named the passive/automatic seat belt system. Built-in child seats, high-strength door latches, and crumple zones were named by even fewer respondents.
The prospects most likely to sign on the dotted line are men (22 percent, compared to 14 percent of women), those aged 18-24 (40 percent) and residents of the Northeast and the South (both 20 percent).
Teens would rather watch TV than go on-line
According to a recent survey by Chilton Research, Radnor, Pa., nearly half of America's teens (11-18 year olds) say they use a computer at home and more than one in five log onto an on-line service or bulletin board through their home computer. For teens, playing video games is the main attraction of on-line services, more popular than chatting on-line. In general, teens are much more savvy about high tech products than the general population. Half (51 percent) have used a CDROM player (most likely at school) and 6 percent have bought a CD-ROM title in the past month.
Despite their penchant for newer high tech products, they still adore the pure entertainment of watching TV; twice as many of those teens who have used on-line services say watching TV is more fun than going on-line. For their TV fare, teens prefer sitcoms over other types of programs including music videos. Fox is the most popular network and "Home Improvement" is currently the most popular show among today's teens. They devour media in all forms; 96 percent have a VCR and 79 percent have rented or bought a videotape in the past few months.
Overall, American teens have a very positive view of technology and its impact on their future. Most think innovations and advances in technology will help them gain a better lifestyle than their parents. An overwhelming majority of teens (90 percent) expect to go on to college.
The source of this data is teen.com, a quarterly syndicated survey of teen attitudes and interest in media and high technology products, including a linked computer bulletin board panel.
Hispanics not charged by credit cards
While most Americans consider them an indispensable tool for daily life, credit cards have yet to find their way into the wallets and purses of many Hispanic consumers. Data from Market Development, Inc.'s March 1995 study, reported in MDI's Hispanic Perspective newsletter, show half of Hispanic adults have never used a major credit card. Limited usage is present despite the fact that more than two-thirds of Hispanics have used savings and checking accounts and opted for monthly payments when purchasing expensive items such as televisions, automobiles and furniture.
Familiarity with credit cards - both how to acquire them and what their benefits are - is higher among the more acculturated U.S.-born Hispanics, who report greater use of financial products overall. Two of the major factors that impact the low usage of credit cards among less acculturated Hispanics are not getting enough information about credit cards and not fully understanding their advantages.
Financial institutions have attempted to broaden the use of credit cards among Hispanics through direct mailings, but their effects do not seem to be translating well. Nearly eight out of 10 respondents remember receiving credit card solicitations at their home. Unfortunately, the English language solicitations by mail may lose much of their impact among Spanish-dominant consumers.
The absence of Spanish language solicitation along with the fact that only one in five Hispanics have sought information by contacting a bank in person or by phone explains in part the low credit card usage among Hispanics. When comparing attitudes towards the use of credit cards with the more frequently used installment plans offered by retailers, more than half of Hispanics seem to be turned off by the impression that credit card purchases may cost them more in the long run. Hispanic shoppers are also more likely to consider monthly payments safer and less complicated than credit cards.
Undoubtedly, marketers at financial institutions can find much room to grow among U.S. Hispanics but only if building awareness and image are considered as the initial steps.
On-line, telephone surveys yield similar results
To test the effectiveness of on-line research, Custom Research Inc., Minneapolis, in conjunction with a major on-line service, conducted a survey on cellular phone usage. CRI also conducted a similar survey using conventional telephone interviewing. Questions ranged from ownership and usage of cellular phones to brands of cellular phones owned.
The on-line survey amassed a large and rapid response. Within 36 hours after the survey was announced on the service's marquee, over 7,600 interviews were completed. This number of interviews would require almost 2,000 hours of traditional telephone interviewing. Still, results of both surveys are comparable.
Below are examples of the questions asked and their results.
While results ofthe research are alike, there are caveats with the new methodology. For example, demographics of the on-line research skew toward younger, more affluent, male audiences, as shown below.
However, as with any new technology, overtime the population of on-line users should expand, providing a more representative sample.
Why do we exercise?
A national survey on the relationship of exercise, well-being and health among Americans aged 18 and older finds that men and women who use a fitness center give the same top five reasons for exercising, although they place them in different orders.
The findings were released by the Fitness Products Council, a principal sponsor of the study. "What may be surprising is the importance females attach to muscle development and the appreciation men have for the emotional benefits," says Gregg Hartley, executive director of the Fitness Products Council.
The top five reasons given by both males and females for exercising were: weight control, increasing energy, toning muscles, feeling good afterward and cardiovascular conditioning. Females ranked weight control first, men voted for muscle toning.
The next six were stress reduction, keeping flexible, having time for oneself, enjoyment of exercise, building strength and improving self-esteem. Strength-building made the top-ten list among males, but not among females, who chose improving self-esteem.
"Toning muscles was ranked as important by 84.3 percent of females and 84.7 percent of males," Hartley says. "Building strength is important to 72.2 percent of females, 76.5 percent of males. It may surprise some people to see the importance women attach to muscle tone and strength, but this is a trend we have seen developing for some time."
Hartley points out that five of the top eleven reasons for exercising were related to feelings, not physiques: feeling good afterward, stress reduction, having time for oneself, enjoyment of exercise and improving self-esteem.
The survey also compared feelings about health, happiness and longevity among those who exercise frequently and those who don't. Three groups were measured: health club users, non members of health clubs who work out at home or outdoors, and inactive people.
Some other findings:
- Thirty-two percent of those who exercise in fitness centers feel their health is excellent, compared to 23 percent of home/outdoor exercisers, 10 percent of inactives.
- Nineteen percent of fitness center exercisers expect to live longer than average, compared to 17 percent of home/outdoor exercisers, 8percent of inactives.
- Twenty-three percent of home/outdoor exercisers feel they are happier than most other people, compared to 22 percent of fitness center users, 15 percent of inactives.
Work - not leisure - is the important thing
Americans, supposed models of the puritan work ethic, consider work less important than do people in many other parts of the world. In fact, Americans are almost equally divided on the value they place on work versus leisure, according to anew study among 37,743 people in 40 countries. The survey was coordinated by Roper Starch Worldwide and conducted by its International Research Associates (INRA) affiliates.
When asked their views on "the relationship between work and leisure time," 39 percent of Americans say, "Work is the important thing - and the purpose of leisure time is to recharge people's batteries so they can do a better job." Meanwhile,
37 percent feel that, "Leisure time is the important thing - and the purpose of work is to make it possible to have the leisure time to enjoy life and pursue one's interests."
Another 20 percent voluntarily say they are both are about equal in importance, and 4 percent "don't know."
The largest number - majorities - in Brazil (72 percent), the Philippines (67 percent), Venezuela (66 percent), Saudi Arabia (61 percent), and Turkey (58 percent) believe work is most important and the purpose of leisure is to recharge people's batteries to do better work. In contrast, Italy (16 percent), Hong Kong (20 percent), Japan (20 percent), Switzerland (22 percent), and Singapore (22 percent), are least likely to place work over leisure.
Half or more of individuals in Poland (60 percent), Great Britain (56 percent), Australia (53 percent), Denmark (50 percent), and the Czech Republic (48 percent) believe leisure time is most important and that the purpose of work is to make leisure possible.
Residents of Saudi Arabia (11 percent), China (14 percent), the Philippines (14 percent), and Thailand (14 percent), and Russia (17 percent) are least likely to say leisure is most important.
Majorities of individuals, primarily Asians, for whom balance is part of their spiritual and philosophical perspective, believe work and leisure are equally important: Hong Kong (61 percent), Singapore (58 percent), Japan (55 percent), Italy (54 percent), and China (51 percent).
People are least likely to voluntarily say work and leisure are equally important in Poland (7 percent), Mexico (8 percent), Venezuela (8 percent), Great Britain (8 percent), and France (11 percent).
"Our studies indicate that over the past 20 years, Americans have shifted their values from a focus on work toward more leisure," says Thomas A.W. Miller, senior vice president at Roper Starch Worldwide. "Economic instability and resulting corporate downsizing may largely account for the public's shifting priorities. Rather than making their job of utmost importance, time spent on personal enjoyment in life, whether alone or with family or friends, is increasingly important as well. Indeed this study indicates work is the clear priority in very few countries worldwide, and this may influence which countries most successfully compete in the global economy - including the U.S."