2. The 1% world
Consumers are less concerned with where they eat than with getting what they want when they want it, said David Portalatin, vice president of the NPD Group and food industry analyst.
Calling it a "1% world," Portalatin said the number of meals per capita that are eaten on premise at a restaurant are at an all-time low for the fourth consecutive year. He said restaurant meals are eaten at home 40% of the time.
He also noted the growth of meal kits, take-and-bake offerings and "food forward" convenience stores. Convenience stores that are focusing on fresh-prepared foods and menu variety are driving the growth in retail foodservice and appealing to Gen X and millennials, the generations that have shown a decline in restaurant visits, he said.