College and university operators are listening to students' food preferences and, in turn, are being met with higher traffic.
Visits to C&U dining operations grew by approximately 20 million in the year ended in March 2016, compared to the previous year, The NPD Group said.
Traffic for morning meals and afternoon snacks saw particular gains, growing 7% during the former daypart and by double digits in the latter. This boost was spawned by an increase in commuter students coupled with higher enrollment at two-year universities, the market researcher said.
Students’ appetites for healthier fare also drove growth, as main dish salads, non-fried chicken and fruit climbed in servings this year. Servings of burgers, sides and appetizers declined.
“College and university foodservice operators no longer view students as a captive audience; they see them as customers, and are giving them what they want,” said Annie Roberts, vice president of NPD’s SupplyTrack, which tracks broadline distributors.