Stopping for a Byte to Eat: The Influence of Technology on the Hungry American

KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Is technology our new dining and cooking companion? According to a new white paper by Sullivan Higdon & Sink (SHS) FoodThink titled, "Feeding a Digital World," one-third of Americans reported that technology is changing their eating habits. Key insights from the white paper, detailed in this infographic, outline how digital is influencing consumers' decisions before dining out, during their meal and after they eat.

"More and more consumers are relying on technology to help guide their food decisions, and it's important for food marketers to present them with a robust online presence," said Erika Chance, senior FoodThink researcher. "Ordering online is extremely appealing to diners and the ease of use on these digital platforms can be the deciding factor between one restaurant and another."

Notable takeaways from FoodThink's latest 20-page white paper include:

• Physical cookbooks are going the way of the dodo
• Consumers are price shopping and planning ahead
• Online restaurant ordering is on the rise

"Technology has woven itself into the entire restaurant experience, from ordering online to right at the table in a restaurant," said Chance. "It's giving consumers more options to interact with the digital world when they dine out."

In addition to a snapshot of consumers' digital experience while dining out, the white paper also includes insights about how technology has influenced the grocery shoppers' path to purchase. FoodThink data indicated that nearly 40% of consumers will not go to the grocery store without their cell phones, which emphasizes how important it is for consumers to be connected to technology.

Download a free copy of the white paper and learn more about how technology influences Americans' relationship with food at shsfoodthink.com.

About Sullivan Higdon & Sink's FoodThink:
2013 AdAge Small Agency of the Year – Midwest and 2014 BMA Midsize Agency of the Year, Sullivan Higdon & Sink is a full-service advertising and marketing agency that hates sheeplike communications, with offices in Kansas City, Wichita and Washington, D.C. One of SHS' core focus areas is food value chain marketing – promoting products all along the farm-to-table spectrum. In early 2014, SHS conducted its second FoodThink research study, monitoring how consumers think about what we eat and America's relationship with food.

SOURCE Sullivan Higdon & Sink