Females emerge as key fast food consumer in China
Not only do more female consumers in China eat out at fast food restaurants than men, they also seem to be more adventurous eaters, according to a new market research report released this week.
It's a gender divide that reveals differing consumer patterns between men and women, says the Mintel report released this week. For Chinese females, dining out is treated as a social occasion, shared with friends, kids, colleagues and family members, points out the report.
That may be why 71 percent of women said they eat out at foreign fast food restaurants, compared to 66 percent of men.
Throw in a coupon, promotion or meal voucher, and Chinese females are more likely to patronize the restaurant given that they're "always on the lookout" for a good deal, analysts say.
This is especially true of women in their 20s and 30s, also known as the "coupon generation" who are particularly savvy when it comes to clipping e-coupons from group buying sites and downloading discounts onto mobile devices.
On the other hand, analysts also found that women in China are more likely to pack their own meals from home: 30 percent of females brown-bag it compared to 19 percent of men.
While overall, three-quarters of Chinese consumers indicated the willingness to try new fast food products, that number is higher for women -- 79 percent -- compared to men, 72 percent.
