By Dan Bolton
Café re-openings are underway, led by Starbucks, which announced that 65% of its corporate stores have reopened and that 85% will resume operations by the end of May. The immediate goal is to offer drive-thru, delivery, and pick-up-only service at every location with curbside and walk-in to follow as local regulations permit.
Datassential managing director Jack Li, whose consumer research company has surveyed thousands of consumers weekly since March, notes that concern has declined somewhat as some states reopen, “but America is still anxious, with slightly more than half of the people feeling very concerned and hugely worried about their own personal health.”
“Avoidance of eating out is steady, but down from a month ago with 55% of those surveyed saying they will “definitely avoid going out” and 27% saying they are “nervous but will still eat out.” The number of individuals reporting “no concerns whatsoever” increased to 18%, up 2% since April 27 but down 23% since March 10, according to Datassential.
Health remains the top concern, but economic worries are intensifying, according to Li, who found that 57% of respondents are more concerned about the public-health crisis (down 2% since April 27 and down 6% since April 10). Those who say they are most concerned about the economic crisis increased 2% from April 27 to 43% of respondents.