Text | Red Meal Think Tank, Author | Red Meal Industry Research Institute
In recent years, many "affordable buffets" have emerged in the sinking market, such as 16 yuan freshly fried buffet fast food, 29 yuan buffet small hot pot, 49 yuan buffet barbecue, etc. At the same time, other tracks in the catering market have also introduced self-service models, such as dessert buffet, bread buffet, vegetarian buffet, dumpling buffet, crayfish buffet, breakfast buffet, afternoon tea buffet, small ingredients buffet, rice buffet, etc., the entire catering track has set off a self-service trend.
Why is the previously silent buffet track regaining popularity? What are the other highlights and trends worth paying attention to in the buffet track? What about consumer attitudes towards buffets?
Recently, the Red Meal Industry Research Institute has specially launched the "Buffet Development Report 2024" to bring you insight into the new development trends of the buffet track.
The buffet is "making a comeback", and the sinking market has the most potential
The buffet is a form of dining that originated in Europe and became popular in the mainland in the eighties and nineties of the 20th century. The buffet track once entered an explosive period under the leadership of the high-end self-service brand Money Leopard, and then fell into a stage of adjustment and transformation with the poor operation of a large number of buffet stores.
In recent years, some new buffet brands focusing on a single category have emerged, and some non-buffet brands have also introduced self-service models, and the buffet track has radiated new vitality and gradually changed from a format to a business model.
According to the big data of red meal, as of July 2024, the total number of buffet stores in the country has exceeded 60,000. In terms of the number of enterprises, although the number of enterprises registered in the buffet has fluctuated greatly in recent years, the number of enterprises has maintained a steady and increasing trend. According to Qichacha data, in 2023, there will be nearly 6,000 registrations of buffet-related enterprises nationwide, a year-on-year increase of 32.7%; From January to July 2024, there will be more than 2,600 registered buffet enterprises nationwide.
1. The number of buffet stores in East China accounts for nearly 40%, and the number of buffet stores in third-tier cities and below accounts for more than half
From the perspective of the distribution of the number of buffet stores in various regions of the country, the number of buffet stores in East China accounted for the highest proportion, reaching 38.0%. This is followed by the southwest, north and central China, with the number of stores accounting for more than 10%.
Specific to the provincial-level administrative regions, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Sichuan occupy the top three in terms of the number of buffet stores, accounting for 9.8%, 8.8%, and 7.5% respectively.
From the perspective of the distribution of first-tier cities, the number of buffet stores in third-tier cities accounted for the highest proportion, at 22.3%. This was followed by second-tier cities and new first-tier cities, accounting for 21.7% and 20.3% of the total number of stores, respectively. It is worth noting that the number of buffet stores in third-tier cities and below accounts for 50.6%, and there are more buffet stores in the sinking market.
In terms of cities, Chengdu, Beijing, and Shanghai occupy the top three in terms of the number of buffet stores, accounting for 2.9%, 2.6%, and 2.4% respectively. In addition to the four first-tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the top 10 cities in the number of buffet outlets are all new first-tier cities.
2. Some buffet brands have sprinted to thousands of stores, and the self-service model has spread to other tracks
There are many participants in the buffet track, in addition to the comprehensive buffet of star-rated hotels, some representative brands have also run out in various subdivisions of the buffet track. For example, the number of spicy small hot pot stores focusing on small hot pot self-service has exceeded 800, the number of Charlie Pig's Sichuan-style barbecue stores focusing on Chinese barbecue has exceeded 500, and the number of Big's pizza self-service stores focusing on pizza self-service has also exceeded 200.
From the perspective of the categories to which these buffet brands belong, they cover many categories such as hot pot, barbecue, Western food, and exotic cuisine, and the track participants are becoming more and more diversified.
With the popularity of buffets, the self-service model has also attracted great attention from the catering market, and some brands in other tracks are also trying to introduce the self-service model. Different types of buffet restaurants such as dessert buffet, bread buffet, crayfish buffet, spicy hot buffet, fast food buffet, morning tea buffet, afternoon tea buffet and so on are also emerging, and the self-service model is spreading rapidly throughout the catering industry.
3. The per capita consumption of buffets is large, and the per capita stores below 100 yuan account for more than 60%.
Because the buffet covers many categories and the brand positioning is not the same, its per capita consumption shows a large span, with a people-friendly price of less than 30 yuan and a high-end option of more than 300 yuan, which can meet the needs of different consumers.
According to the big data of red meals, buffet stores with per capita consumption of 100 yuan and below account for 66.9%. Among them, the number of buffet stores in the range of 50~80 yuan accounted for the highest proportion, accounting for 33.9%, followed by the per capita consumption of 80~100 yuan, accounting for 14.3%.
It is worth noting that the proportion of buffet stores with per capita consumption below 50 yuan is 18.7%, and with the rapid rise of affordable self-service hot pot in the sinking market in recent years, the buffet price band has been further broadened.
The self-service model has diversified development, and parity, sinking, and segmentation have become trends
In the increasingly competitive market environment, buffet brands are actively seeking changes in terms of enriching buffet models, focusing on categories, adjusting price positioning, and exploring the sinking market in order to seek long-term development.
Overall, the buffet track mainly presents the following highlights:
1. The self-service model has diversified and penetrated into a number of catering tracks
In recent years, the buffet track, which has undergone an adjustment period, has heated up again, and the buffet mode has become more diversified.
From the perspective of the categories of self-service mode, there are full self-service mode, semi-self-service mode, time-based self-service mode and flexible self-service mode. Among them, the semi-self-service mode means that some dishes in the restaurant implement the self-service mode, and some dishes implement the order mode; On the other hand, time-based self-service is the implementation of self-service mode at a specific meal time.
It is precisely because of the diversification of self-service models that some non-buffet brands have also launched self-service models suitable for themselves. For example, brands such as Haidilao, Tanyu, Shi Roast· Grilled Fish with Douhua have launched small material buffet and ice powder buffet, Hehegu, Jiahe Yipin, Nancheng Xiang and other brands have launched breakfast buffet, and Manji Dessert has launched a lunch dessert buffet and night snack buffet.
2. The rise of "affordable buffet", the per capita consumption of buffets is inclined to less than 100 yuan
With the changes in consumer needs and perceptions in recent years, more and more consumers want to enjoy high-quality food and services at more affordable prices. Therefore, many entrepreneurs have entered the buffet track with "affordable buffet", such as 16 yuan freshly fried buffet fast food, 29 yuan self-service small hot pot, 49 yuan self-service barbecue, etc. In order to attract consumers, some high-end star hotel buffets have launched activities such as buffet breakfast monthly cards and buffet annual cards.
Judging from the change trend of per capita consumption of buffets, the per capita consumption of buffets will decline from 2022 to 2024. According to the big data of red meals, as of July 2024, the number of stores with per capita consumption of buffets of 80 yuan and below accounted for 52.6%, an increase of 1.9 percentage points from 2023, and the number of stores with per capita consumption of 100 yuan and below accounted for 66.9%, an increase of 2.4 percentage points from 2023.
3. The brand aims at the expansion of the sinking market, and the proportion of stores in third-tier cities and below has increased
In recent years, many buffet brands have aimed at the consumption potential of the sinking market and rapidly expanded their stores in the sinking market. For example, more than 7 percent of the stores of the small hot pot self-service brand Qianwei Yiding self-service small hot pot, Wei Spicy small hot pot and other brands are in third-tier cities and below, and the number of stores of barbecue self-service brands such as Little Pig Charlie Sichuan-style market barbecue and Hanbu Palace in third-tier and below cities accounts for more than 60%. Some high-end buffet brands are also expanding into the sinking market, such as Shangjing Fine Cuisine has successively entered Luoyang, Henan Province, Henan Anyang and other cities, and its stores currently account for more than 10% of the third-tier cities and below.
According to the observation of the Red Meal Industry Research Institute, in the past three years, the proportion of buffet stores in the sinking market has been rising. According to the big data of red meal, as of July 2024, the number of buffet stores in third-tier cities and below across the country accounted for 50.6%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points from 2023 and an increase of 0.7 percentage points from 2022.
4. Segmentation of the track, buffet brands focus on the large-scale development of categories
Judging from the current buffet brands and their scale, the expansion speed of buffet brands focusing on categories is relatively faster. For example, barbecue buffet, hot pot buffet, pizza buffet and other subdivisions have run out of hundreds of store brands, while comprehensive self-service brands rarely exceed 100 stores. On the one hand, there are many types of comprehensive self-service products, and supply chain management and quality control are difficult; On the other hand, the integrated self-service store model is heavier, and the store opening cost and operating cost are higher, which further increases the difficulty of store expansion.
Focusing on the buffet segmentation track of a single category, it can create differentiation and enhance brand recognition through the main products. At the same time, it is easier to standardize products with fewer product types, which is conducive to the rapid replication and expansion of stores.
Hot pot and barbecue meat buffet stores take the lead, and steak and seafood "stand on their own"
In recent years, the trend of buffet segmentation has gradually emerged, and a number of buffet brands have focused on more subdivided and focused subdivided theme buffets, such as hot pot buffet, barbecue buffet, steak and seafood buffet, Japanese food buffet, etc., and these subdivided theme buffets have gradually occupied the buffet market.
According to the big data of red meals, as of July 2024, among the national buffet stores, the number of hot pot buffets accounts for the highest proportion, at 27.2%; followed by barbecue meat buffet, accounting for 22.1%; The number of buffet stores focusing on steak and seafood also accounted for 17.9%; The buffet focusing on Japanese style and pizza buffet also accounted for a certain proportion, with 3.7% and 1.3% respectively.
1. Self-service small hot pot has developed rapidly and occupied the sinking market with high cost performance
As the segment with the largest number of stores in the buffet track, the hot pot buffet brand is further subdivided in order to create differentiation.
For example, brands such as Seven Shopkeeper Self-service Hot Pot and Tan Sanniang Fresh-cut Beef Self-service Hot Pot focus on Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot buffet; Qianwei Yiding self-service small hot pot, Longge self-service small hot pot, agricultural small pot and other brands focus on small hot pot self-service; Jincheng Sichuan Xiyu Rice Field Frog, Chongqing He Mullet, Xiao A Pot Beef Brisket Beef Offal Mutton Buffet and other brands focus on hot pot buffet. In addition, there are some buffet brands that specialize in exotic hot pot, such as Korean-style army pot, Thai hotpot, etc.
Among them, the self-service small hot pot has developed the most rapidly. For example, the number of spicy small hot pot stores originating in Henan has exceeded 800, and the number of stores of brands such as Qianwei Yiding self-service small hot pot, Chen Gang Chuanxiang, Su Xiaobei rotary small hot pot, and Nong small pot has also exceeded 100.
In terms of per capita consumption, the per capita consumption of self-service small hot pot brands is mainly concentrated at about 30 yuan, focusing on high cost performance. Therefore, the self-service small hot pot is very popular in the sinking market.
2. Barbecue buffet has developed rapidly, and some Chinese barbecue brands have emerged
In recent years, the barbecue buffet in the buffet track has also developed rapidly. There are not only Korean-style barbecue and Brazil barbecue that developed earlier, such as Hansheng · Shengjiangshan buffet barbecue, Hanbu Palace, Latina Brazil steakhouse, Latin restaurant Brazil barbecue buffet, etc., but also some brands of buffets focusing on Chinese barbecue. For example, Charlie Pig, founded in 2020, has more than 530 stores and more than 240 new stores in 2023 alone. Founded in 2022, the Jimu self-service barbecue camp focuses on Northeast barbecue, with about 30 stores.
The per capita consumption of these barbecue buffet brands is mainly concentrated in the range of 60~100 yuan. From the perspective of barbecue methods, Korean barbecue brands mainly use electric grilling, Chinese barbecue mostly uses charcoal grilling, and Brazil barbecue is reproduced and cut to consumers after being grilled in the kitchen.
In addition, self-service barbecue brands such as Han Fengyuan Barbecue Shabu Buffet Restaurant and Qian Xiaonu Creative Buffet use shabu-shabu integrated pot or provide consumers with hot pot shabu-shabu cooking ingredients, so that consumers can experience barbecue buffet and hot pot buffet at the same time to enhance the dining experience.
3. Steak and seafood are "self-reliant", and the brands are mostly comprehensive self-service
In the early days, steak, seafood and other products were the selling point of comprehensive buffets to attract consumers. In recent years, steak and seafood have begun to "stand on their own", and many buffet brands have taken steak or seafood as the main product of their restaurants, and even directly added words such as steak or seafood to the brand name or store name, opening up a subdivision of the buffet track.
For example, the Gibru Steak Seafood Buffet focuses on steak and seafood, and its number of outlets has exceeded 190; Haodeheng Steak Buffet Restaurant, Happy Esme Steak Buffet, Bella Kitchen Steak Buffet and other brands focus on steak buffet; Brands such as Xinglunduo Buffet Cuisine, Oyster Hero, and Mr. Fish Fresh Seafood Theme focus on seafood buffets, and some brands even improve brand grade and customer unit price through high-end seafood ingredients.
From the main products of these brands, in addition to the main steak and seafood, there are also pizza, pasta, barbecue, barbecue, small hot pot, Chinese dishes, desserts, fruits, etc., retaining the characteristics of a variety of comprehensive buffet products.
4. The monthly and annual cards of star-rated hotel buffets are eye-catching, and the theme self-service enhances consumer stickiness
Traditional hotel buffets also occupy an important market position in the buffet track. According to the data of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, the total operating income of star-rated hotels in China in 2023 will be 160.90 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 36.6%, of which the catering revenue will be 63.41 billion yuan, accounting for 39.4% of the total revenue of star-rated hotels.
Previously, the cafeteria of star hotels mainly provided catering services to guests within the hotel. After that, many star hotel cafeterias were opened to mass consumers and launched a one-time buffet package. However, the single per capita consumption of buffets in these star-rated hotels is usually as high as hundreds of yuan, which is high for ordinary consumers, so the frequency of dining for ordinary consumers is low.
In order to attract consumers in the vicinity of the hotel, some hotels such as Fairmont, Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott and Beijing New Traders Hotel have launched special promotions such as monthly breakfast buffet passes, lunch or dinner buffet annual passes. In addition, in order to enhance the consumer experience, some star-rated hotels have also continuously launched buffets with different themes to bring consumers a new dining experience, thereby enhancing their attractiveness and consumer stickiness.
epilogue
At present, the popularity of the buffet track again also confirms that consumers' enthusiasm for this form of high-freedom dining has not diminished. According to the "2024 Catering Consumption Survey" of the Red Meal Industry Research Institute, more than half of buffet consumers eat buffets at least once a month.
In recent years, consumers have become more rational and prudent in food and beverage consumption, and the "affordable self-service" for the sinking market is just in line with the current consumption trend. In the future, small hot pot self-service and barbecue self-service with high cost performance, mature supply chain and light store model are expected to run out of thousands of brands.