Heck with the Recession, We Love Our Burgers
I get weary of all the gloom and doom economic reports that bombard us with the fact Americans are spending less on beef and even less money to eat out. Hogwash! The Applebee’s parking lot in my town is as packed as ever. It’s Friday and on today’s American Rancher what a better day to share some good news about the beef industry for a change. Despite the fact that we are constantly told that Americans are not eating out due to the recession, someone must be, because demand for premium hamburgers just keeps rising. A new study from a top food industry consulting group reveals that not only do Americans take their burgers seriously, it is one area they are not willing to cut back on. Restaurant customers fully expect and will gladly pay more for a higher quality burger. In fact, seventy –five percent ranked meat quality as the most important reason they selected a premium hamburger .Despite the fact we keep being reminded thatthe average consumer is generations removed from the farm, thanks to savvy marketing, seventy –two percent of consumers apparently know their beef, stating that it was the wagu, angus and sirloin that made their burger special. Twenty –seven percent of restaurant customers will select an angus burger when given the choice and the number of people that reported they would rather have a sirloin than a basic burger rose thirteen percent from 2007. Great news for the beef industry and economic indicators I love to report. So go out and indulge in a gourmet burger this weekend. I’m Susan Allen