Research&Consumer Insights

Jacob Beaupre

Kylie Bixby

Caitlin Fletcher

Erin Fry

Kara Maricic

Brittany Wood

What’s on the MenuIntroduction

Secondary Research

Primary Research

Findings and Insights

Barriers and Opportunities

Appendix

In-depth Interviews

Potential Target

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Whenever someone chooses to dine out they have endless options as to where to go. They may choose to stop at for a quick lunch at Sonic or head to Olive Garden for a family-friendly dinner. If they’re catching up with their friends they may head to Bar Louie for happy hour or if they’re celebrating an anniversary they may splurge on a meal at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The choice of restaurant is often dictated by the occasion and the needs a person is looking to fulfill. Wherever they choose to dine, there are many factors that play into what got them there and what keeps them coming back. For most restaurants, that’s the goal: establishing loyal customers who choose their restaurant first every time. For Ruth’s Chris Steak House, however, it has a loyal customer base and the chain is continually growing.

Although Ruth’s Chris Steak House continues to open new franchised locations, it is facing one serious problem: the aging customer base. In order to identify ways in which Ruth’s Chris can attract younger consumers, we set out to uncover how affluent millennials interacted with and defined the fine dining industry. Through six in-depth interviews, we discover the motivations and insights behind this potential target’s dining decisions.

Introduction

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SecondaryResearch

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Fine Dining Defined50 percent of consumers say that dining out is essential to their lifestyle. It’s no surprise that the restaurant industry is expected to experience its seventh consecutive year of growth in 2016. With over one million restaurants in the United States, restaurants are having to edge out the competition by offering innovative foods, creative cocktails and exciting specials. If they accomplish this, they may be able to capitalize on the more affluent diners who have an average bill of $126.80. To the consumer, a restaurant really stands out if it creates food that cannot be made at home. In fact, 7 out of 10 consumers say that their favorite restaurant meals are something they can not make themselves.

When eating out, diners can choose from limited service or full service restaurants. Among the full service restaurants are fine dining restaurants.

A style of eating that usually takes

place in expensive restaurants, where

especially good food is served to

people, often in a formal way.

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Current Target

According to Kim Long from The Richards Group, the current target market of Ruth’s Chris Steak House are those aged 35 or older and earn a household income $100,000 or more a year. Of these consumers, Ruth’s Chris’ customer base is split into three categories: regulars, wine and diners and celebrators having a special meal.

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The regulars, as the name implies, are those most loyal to Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Kim Long also noted that a regular consumer dines at Ruth’s Chris three to five times a year. For these regulars, Ruth’s Chris is a familiar place where they will not be disappointed by the service or quality of their meal.

Wine and diners primarily dine at Ruth’s Chris for business purposes. This subgroup of the consumer base visits Ruth’s Chris with clients or coworkers. For this group, the steakhouse is a place to conduct business, persuade clients and hammer out business deals.

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The final subgroup are consumers that go to Ruth’s Chris for special occasions. They are infrequent patrons, but they will go to Ruth’s Chris to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary or another special event. Ruth’s Chris is typically not where they would dine, but a special occasion will warrant their outing to this fine dining restaurant.

Ruth’s Chris’ aging consumer base presents a problem for the brand. This poses a problem for Ruth’s Chris because its current target is decreasing in size. With millennials leaving school equipped with a career driven mentality, they are quickly becoming more affluent, and therefore able to afford the fine dining experience. Continuing to focus on customers aged 35 or older may exclude this younger “foodie” generation that has the opportunity to enjoy the quality, service and experience of a premium meal.

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HistoryRuth’s Chris Steak House has an intriguing story that helps it stand out from other restaurants. The story begins with Ruth Fertel, a determined woman trying to provide for her two children. One day, while thumbing through the newspaper, Ruth saw an advertisement for the sale of Chris Steak House. In 1965, Ruth bought the steakhouse for $22,000 by mortgaging her home against the advice of her banker, lawyer, close friends and family. Ruth used her chemistry skills she gained through her degree from Louisiana State University to perfect her steaks. Success soon followed. Her steakhouse quickly became a local hangout.

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In 1976, the original restaurant burned down in a fire. In order to relocate, Ruth had to change the name of the steakhouse due to legal reasons. This event led to the birth of the infamous tongue twister, Ruth’s Chris Steak House. One year later, a frequent patron, tired of making the 90 minute commute, approached Ruth to open the first franchise in Baton Rouge. In 1986, several southern locations were then purchased by Sizzling Steak Concepts, a hospitality management company, which still owns and operates several Ruth’s Chris Steak House locations in the South. Ruth’s Chris relocated its headquarters from New Orleans to Winter Park, Florida. after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Today, 51 years after Ruth began this empire, there are over 150 locations, standing as a testament to Ruth’s vision and determination.

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Needs Improvement: Although Ruth’s Chris does repost pictures shared by customers, the interaction with the customer ends there. It needs to make sure that it takes the customer-brand interaction a step further and responds to comments posted by customers who react to the content.

Description: User-generated posts are pictures that Ruth’s Chris Steak House reposts from their customers’ personal accounts.

What’s Working: Ruth’s Chris does a good job of sharing user generated content into their social media pages. Both the overarching brand and the local restaurant accounts share posts that are from diners. These types of pictures feel authentic since they are not inherently promotion and look like the type of photos a friend would share after a night out.

Social ListeningGreat Customers

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Description: #TBT and #FlashBackFriday posts are pictures of the history of Ruth’s Chris Steak House. These posts are typically pictures of Ruth and the original restaurant.

What’s Working: These posts mention interesting facts about Ruth Fertel and the restaurant. These facts give Ruth’s Chris a unique and noteworthy personality that no other steakhouse can claim.

Needs Improvement: Although these posts mention interesting details about Ruth and the restaurant, these posts do not delve into the background of Ruth’s story that made her steakhouse a distinct success. A greater emphasis on her personal story would help make the brand seem more personal and connect better emotionally with the consumer.

Rich History

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Ruth’s Chris Steak House shares several photos of the food they serve at their restaurants.

Ruth’s Chris does a good job of photographing their selection of food served. Rather than posting picture after picture of steak, photos of other entree options, sides and desserts are shared.

Needs Improvement: Photos of their food dominate their social media timelines. They should focus on balancing out the content they share so that it doesn’t all blur together or seem like one constant promotion of food.

Description: Ruth’s Chris Steak House shares a lot of photos of the cocktails and drinks they offer.

Needs Improvement: Along with the trendy captions, Ruth’s Chris should include the name of the drink they are showcasing. This will help consumers feel confident when they want to order a new drink at Ruth’s Chris.

What’s Working: Currently, Ruth’s Chris posts pictures of drinks with a trendy caption about going out and being social. This is beneficial because it gives Ruth’s Chris a lively and social persona, and helps them promote its Happy Hour.

Description:

What’s Working:

Pretty Food

Good Drinks

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Needs Improvement: Ruth’s Chris does a good job of hosting promotional events both locally and nationally, however, they never post content of the actual event taking place. They need to share photos and video of the event afterwards to highlight what a success the event was and entice customers to want to attend events in the future.

Description: Promotional posts highlight special events that Ruth’s Chris Steak House hosts.

What’s Working: Ruth’s Chris Steak House has promotional offers and events at both the national and local level. Events hosted at the national level include holiday specials and tasting menu events. Events at the local level tend to relate to the community. For example, the Clayton location hosted a Pups on the Patio event benefiting the Stray Rescue.

Events {Local + National}

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Yelp

The content being circulated on Yelp is extremely important to Ruth’s Chris Steak House’s image. According to a study on millennials and their trust in brands, 51 percent of millennials are influenced more so by recommendations from strangers than from friends and family. The target trusts the authenticity of these posts and is interested in the shared content on personal dining experiences.

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Primary Research

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Qualitative Goals

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Discover the barriers keeping the target from eating at fine dining restaurants.

Gain a strong understanding of what consumers in this target looks for in a fine dining experience.

Discover if fine dining has ever been considered as a dining option in the mind of our consumer.

Uncover our target’s opinion and familiarity with the Ruth’s Chris brand.

Determine what experiences qualify as appropriate occasions to visit a fine dining restaurant for our target.

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Screener

Our screener was used to help us identify individuals who fell into our potential target market. They were first asked to answer questions about their age, job and income. If they responded that they were in 24-35 age range, work full-time and have a household income of at least $45,000, they moved on to the following section. The next section of the screener focused on fine dining. Individuals had to indicate that they ate fine dining regularly, have an interest in visiting a steak/seafood restaurant in the future and that they were interested in dining at Ruth’s Chris in order to qualify for an interview. It was then up to them if they were willing to spend 30 minutes talking to us. We distributed the screener on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.

Our team contacted friends on social media to take the screener and to share it with other applicable individuals. We posted the screener on various Tasty and Buzzfeed Food posts in attempts to reach people outside our social circles. Lastly, our team sent our screener link to classmates and asked them to spread the screener to individuals they felt would fall within our target market.

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Screener ResultsWe reached 504 people, with 64 participants making it through the screener. Of the 64 people that finished the screener, we originally had five individuals sign up for an interview. We lowered the age range by one year in order to secure a sixth interviewee. It’s important to highlight that out of 504 participants, only 64 of them managed to match the criteria that Ruth’s Chris is looking for. This highlights the issue the brand is having reaching the potential target audience.

When asked how often they eat at fine dining restaurants, 54.3 percent of the respondents said that they ate at a fine dining restaurant three or more times in the last three months. According to Kim Long from The Richard’s Group, Ruth’s Chris’ regulars currently dine at the restaurant three to five times a year. The fact that the potential target currently goes to fine dining restaurants that often in three months is a huge opportunity for Ruth’s Chris Steak House to gain a more frequent customers.

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When asked what types of fine dining restaurants they would consider dining at in the future, steakhouse/seafood was the clear winner with 91 participants having selected it. Classic American followed closely behind with 79 respondents. This is a great opportunity for Ruth’s Chris, as the potential target currently prefers its cuisine.

91 79

6376Steakhouse/Seafood

American

Italian

French

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It’s important to note that although participants have dined at Ruth’s Chris Steak House the most, they chose Morton’s Steakhouse as their top choice for willingness to dine. Although this can be viewed as a threat, Ruth’s Chris is only behind by two percent and has the potential to be the leader.

Willingness to Dine

Have Dined

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In-depth Interviewss

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The ProcessWe chose to conduct in-depth interviews through FaceTime, Google Hangout and telephone because we wanted to gather information and insights. In-depth interviews are one-on-one interviews that allow the researcher to gain richer data compared to other qualitative methods. This is because the researcher is able to give their undivided attention to the respondent and they are able to probe for further explanation, which can be lost in group settings. Furthermore, focus groups and ethnographies would have been challenging because we do not live in a market where a Ruth’s Chris Steak House is located. By conducting in-depth interviews online, we were able to reach people in different markets, which helped enrich our data.

When crafting our discussion guide we challenged ourselves to think of the different aspects of a person’s life that can influence their decision of when and where they chose eat out. We wanted to move beyond the basic dining out discussion to gather better insights. Instead, we chose to ask questions about their schedules, financial commitments,

special occasions, friends, family and more. Our team began with broad questions about the respondent’s life, schedule, hobbies and

interests, occasions they eagerly anticipate and individuals they spend time with. We then transitioned into a word association activity. Our team included this activity to better understand what ideas and places are at the top of our respondents’ minds. Following the word association activity, we focused specifically on dining out, including expectations,

memorable experiences and thought processes. At the end of the interview, we moved into a discussion about Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Prior to the final question, we presented each interviewee with information about the history of the restaurant and Ruth through either video or an oral summary. In order to ascertain if the history of the restaurant could influence a consumer’s decision to dine there.

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The word association we conducted in our interviews clued us into how affluent millennials define fine dining.

Fine Dining for Millennials

To them, fine dining is equated to an expensive multi-course meal complete with cocktails, wine and beer. Fine dining meals are a time for these individuals to dress

up and spend a longer time enjoying the meal compared to other meals.

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Meet the IntervieweesThe Seafoodie

Traveling Michelin Connoisseur

Engaged Wine Enthusiast

The Seafoodie is an HR recruiter turned new mom who now relies on dining out for alone time with her husband. She doesn’t eat red meat, but her husband’s favorite food is steak. Surf and turf restaurants are really their only option when dining out.

Key Takeaway: Looks for a menu that’s multi-faceted

The Traveling Michelin Connoisseur is an IT consultant living in Kansas City. On the weekends he travels throughout the states for college football games and to visit family. When deciding where to eat, he factors in the location and quality of food. He expects to spend a lot of money, so the price isn’t a big concern.

The Engaged Wine Enthusiast is a dietician living in Omaha. When she isn’t working, she can be found with a glass of red wine in one hand and her wedding plans in the other. She is constantly driving between cities for her job, so when she goes out to eat she likes going somewhere close to home. She also needs a variety of food options, because she is pretty picky.

Key Takeaway: Food should be the focus

Key Takeaway: appreciates food she can’t make at home

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Recipe Ready Mom

Fine Date Diner

Reporting Beer Fanatic

The Fine Date Diner works in finance in Kansas City. He typically goes to upscale bars, but, when he is visiting his girlfriend they’ll go out to a nice restaurant for their date night. When deciding where to eat, he not only wants somewhere with good food, but he also wants a restaurant where he can share a bottle of red wine with his girl.

Key Takeaway: A variety of wine options is essential

The Recipe Ready Mom is a new mom working from home in Houston. She enjoys cooking and has dubbed herself as the Pinterest Queen. With a 7-month-old baby she doesn’t get to go out often, but when she does she’s looking forward to relaxing and spending time alone with her husband or friends.

Key Takeaway: Good service makes or breaks her experience

The Reporting Beer Fanatic is a reporter living in Massachusetts. He has to commute over an hour each way to work, so when he is eating out he likes to Uber to a nearby restaurant. He is usually dining out with his girlfriend and, regardless of the occasion, he is always willing to splurge on food and drinks.

Key Takeaway: Any day can be an occasion worthy of fine dining

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Potential Target

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The New TargetRuth’s Chris Steak House wants to expand its consumer base to affluent millennials, aged 24-35 and earning at least $45,000 a year. These consumers present a unique opportunity for Ruth’s Chris because they are willing to pay for the quality and experience

of a fine dining meal more frequently than Ruth’s Chris current consumer. According to Team 1A’s research, 87 percent of millennials will order a quality, expensive meal even when they are living on a budget. This is evident by the average amount 25 to 35 year olds spend on a meal. According to a Mintel study, these individuals spend an average of $106.80 per meal at fine dining restaurants. Millennials are able to splurge on dining out because they are moving up in their careers and postponing larger financial commitments. They have a considerable amount of disposable income and are willing to spend this income on new and fulfilling experiences.

A meal is more than a meal to these consumers. This target is willing to pay for the experience that comes with fine dining. A Mintel report on fine dining finds that 11 percent of 25-34 year olds visit fine dining restaurants once a month and 35 percent have dined at a fine dining restaurant in the last three months. To this target market, a meal is something to be shared with close friends. It’s an experience that is meant to be captured, savored and posted to social media.

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The Savvy Savorer has a career driven mentality. They are rapidly moving up in the workforce and gaining a feel for adulthood. Our target wakes up in their spacious city apartment. They make a cup of coffee, greet their roommate and rush to their trendy workplace with a open floor plan. After finishing their cup of coffee, they are ready to get a start on work at their standing desk. As a reward for their hard work, the Savvy Savorer decides to text their friends and arrange a fun outing. Before dining, the Savvy Savorer checks their phone for reviews of the trendiest restaurants. They dine with friends at a nice restaurant and chat over cocktails. When they get the bill, they smile and pay with their credit card. The days of eating ramen in their dorm are behind them and they are willing to pay for the finer experiences in life. Savvy Savorers are aficionados of foodie culture. Foodie culture emphasizes the experiences of finding quality food to savor. Those that subscribe to this idea are not afraid to challenge their taste buds and are willing to venture outside their comfort zone to try new cuisine. Spending more on the experience and quality of the food is not an issue for this target. Savvy Savorers value the quality of their meals and are always seeking more unique culinary experiences. We chose to give our target the name Savvy Savorers because they are savvy in their use of resources. They rely on technology for everyday tasks, from tracking traffic updates to checking the final score of the game. They savor the finer things in life whether it’s a good meal or a great experience. The name Savvy Savorers is also an homage to Ruth Fertel and her tongue twister steakhouse name.

The Savvy Savorer

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Findings and Insights

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The Experience is Everything

When going out for fine dining, Savvy Savorers expect to walk away with a memorable experience. The overall experience is impacted by everything from selecting a restaurant, traveling to the restaurant, the experience during the meal, traveling home and then sharing the escape on social media. Unlike days of the past where patrons were mainly concerned with just the food or service, today’s diners are looking for an overall experience.

Description:

Finding:The value is in the experience, not just the food.

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“When I’m deciding where I want to eat, environment is key. Like do I want to be outside or on a rooftop?” - Fine Date Diner

“I like a restaurant with a nice interior design, and if the meal there is going to be expensive then I want perfect service.” - Traveling Michelin Connoisseur

“I like to try local places when I eat out… when I was learning about [Ruth’s Chris Steak House] it didn’t seem like a chain.” - Engaged Wine Enthusiast

“One of my favorite memories growing up was when my mom took me out to a nice steak restaurant to celebrate my high school graduation. We didn’t eat at nice places frequently because money was tight. When we were at this dinner I felt like I was receiving the royal treatment.”

Quotes:

Insight:

Opportunity:

Recommendaiton:

Restaurants have the opportunity to build the customer-brand relationship into an experience that extends past the experience in the restaurant.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House has the opportunity to capitalize on the Savvy Savorers’ obsession with the complete fine dining experience. By making sure to not only focus on service within the restaurant but also service outside the restaurant via social media and brand image, Ruth’s Chris can show the new target market that it recognizes the value they place on a complete experience.

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Celebrate Today

#TreatYoSelf is a major part of the Savvy Savorer culture. They are willing to splurge on a nice meal whenever they’re in the mood for it, not just for a special occasion. To a Savvy Savorer, everyday can be a special occasion.

Description:

Finding:Consumers don’t have to wait for a special occasion to treat themselves.

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“When I’m going out to fine dining, I expect to spend around $150 on a meal.” - Traveling Michelin Connoisseur

“We dine out for special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays. But if one of us had a big day at work or we’re having a bad day, we like to treat ourselves with a nice dinner.” - Reporting Beer Fanatic“My husband and I try to go out out

once a week for dinner. It’s nice to get away from the kids for a little and spend some quality time together.” - The Seafoodie

Quotes:

“I like to treat myself. Sometimes it can be for a special occasion like an anniversary or a big work promotion. But when I have a stressful day at work or I just want to kick back, I don’t see a problem with treating myself. I don’t care what it costs me. It feels good to feel good.”

Insight:

Opportunity:

Recommendaiton:Ruth’s Chris Steak House can position themselves as a place where Savvy Savorers can go to celebrate not just big occasions, but celebrate the everyday.

Restaurants can capitalize on Savvy Savorers willingness to splurge on a fine meal if they emphasize that a fine dining meal is deserved, whether it’s a special occasion or not.

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Seafood is a staple

The traditional steak dinner with a side of greens and potatoes just doesn’t cut it for this audience. They need a wide selection of menu options to successfully satisfy their hunger. When dining out, seafood is an absolute must in order to make sure everyone’s needs are met.

Description:

Finding:Seafood plays a big role in the fine dining experience of consumers.

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“When I think of fine dining my mind immediately goes to lobster.” - The Seafoodie

“When I think of dining out I think of seafood first.” - Reporting Beer Fanatic

“When I go to nice restaurants I’ll get steak or seafood, and I’m a big fan of salmon.” - Fine Date Diner

“My husband and I absolutely love going out to eat. The only thing that’s more difficult than finding the time to go out is deciding where to go. My husband’s obsessed with steak, but I don’t eat red meat. I don’t need to waste my very limited alone time with him fighting over the destination. Going out for a nice meal is supposed to relieve my stress, not create more.”

Quotes:

Insight:

Opportunity:

Recommendaiton:Ruth’s Chris could benefit from highlighting its seafood options. Fine dining is often associated with steak and fine cuts of meat, but not fish. Ruth’s Chris has the opportunity to break this barrier by emphasizing its already great seafood selection.

Fine dining restaurants that emphasize a wider food selection can attract the members of this audience that want more seafood options.

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Stories Speak Volumes

People have positive perceptions of companies that speak to them, not at them. In a world where perception is reality for the consumer, it’s important to connect emotionally while telling them a story in order to stand out against competitors.

Description:

Finding:People enjoy brands and companies that speak to them. Connecting on an emotional level to tell a story is powerful.

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“Ruth hiring single mothers really resonated with me because I was raised by a single mother.” - Reporting Beer Fanatic “I love the story of Ruth having the

drive to open up and keep the steak house. I think it’s awesome that she hired single moms. It makes me wish I could go back in time and see what the original location was like.” - Recipe Ready Mom

“When I heard the words Ruth’s Chris Steak House, I pictured a chain restaurant like Applebee’s. After learning about the history, I would love to try it some time. I love how Ruth empowered women. It sounds like an interesting place.” - Engaged Wine Enthusiast

“I love when companies share something about themselves that you can’t find under the “about us” section on their website. When they openly share their values, stories or what makes them unique, it scratches the superficial surface and reveals the one thing I’m really looking for: personality.”

Quotes:

Insight:

Opportunity:

Recommendaiton:Ruth’s Chris Steak House should use their rich history to position the brand as empowering and relevant in today’s culture. Ruth’s Chris could tap into this with #ThrowbackThursday and #FlashbackFriday social media posts that accurately depict the history of the restaurant and Ruth Fertel.

Fine dining restaurants that are socially aware and that have a story to tell resonate well with younger demographics.

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Cocktails and Wine, Please

The Savvy Savorer not only cares about the food they are eating, but the creative cocktail they can be drinking. To them, a good wine and cocktail selection is just as important as a good menu. Going out to fine dining is an opportunity to relax from the day, and a good drink is a big part of that.

Description:

Finding:People want a restaurant with a lot of specialty cocktails options and good wine lists.

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“When I think of fine dining, I first think of wine.” - Recipe Ready Mom

“When I’m going to a nice restaurant specialty cocktails really stand out because I can tell they’re being creative.” - The Seafoodie

“I always like to drink something I haven’t tried before.” - Reporting Beer Fanatic

“After a long day at work, sometimes I just need a drink, and sometimes a cold beer just won’t do it. When I sit down at the dinner table with good friends and stop worrying about work or what’s popping up on my email, I start to unwind from the day. Once I order a new cocktail to try, though, is when I can fully start to relax.”

Quotes:

Insight:

Opportunity:

Recommendaiton:With the use of social media, Ruth’s Chris can position themselves as the perfect destination for delicious drink options. Some Savvy Savorers even see the creativity of the specialty cocktail list as something that can make a restaurant seem even more upscale, which Ruth’s Chris can use to their advantage.

Fine dining restaurants can emphasize the wine and specialty cocktails they serve both during happy hour and the meal..

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Barriers and Opportunities

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Chain v. Local

Barrier: Chain restaurants are not viewed as favorably as local restaurants, because they can be viewed as generic and corporate.

Opportunity: Ruth’s Chris Steak House has the opportunity to combat this barrier by positioning themselves as a local hangout even though it is part of a chain. Emphasizing the unique history can make the steakhouse feel less corporate compared to other chains. Further, by designing each restaurant to match its location and hosting localized events, Ruth’s Chris can position themselves as the local hangout.

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Steak Dinner is On the Outs

Barrier: People are eating less red meat

Opportunity: Ruth’s Chris Steak House has the opportunity to combat this barrier by emphasizing the wide selection of fish, poultry and seafood. Ruth’s Chris can also combat this barrier by attracting Savvy Savorers to happy hour for specialty cocktails and quick bites to eat.

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Top of Mind

Barrier: Ruth’s Chris Steak House is not top-of-mind for consumers in this target market

Opportunity: Ruth’s Chris has the opportunity to combat this barrier by becoming more relatable on social media. If Ruth’s Chris is able to connect with the Savvy Savorers and fit into their lifestyles, it will become top-of-mind.

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Appendix

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Screener1. Age: Under 24 Between 25 and 35 Over 35 (Anyone who did not fit into the 25 to 35 age range was not selected for an interview.)

2. Please select your level of employment: Full-time Part-time Other

(Anyone who did not select full-time was not selected for an interview.)

3. Do you work in any of the following industries? (check all that apply) Advertising Automotive Banking Restaurant

(Anyone who selected advertising or restaurant was not selected for an interview.)

4. Please select your annual Household Income (HHI): Less than $45,000 Between $45,000 and $75,000 Over $75,000

(Anyone who selected less than $45,000 was not selected for an interview.)

5. Approximately how many times did you eat at a fine dining restaurant in the last three months? 1-2 times 3-5 times 6+ times I did not eat at at a fine dining restaurant in the past three months

(Anyone who selected fewers than 3-5 times was not selected for an interview.)

6. Which of the following types of fine dining restaurants would you consider visiting in the future? (check all that apply) Italian French Steakhouse/Seafood Classic American

(Anyone who didn’t select Steakhouse/Seafood was not selected for an interview.)

7. I would be willing to dine at the following restaurants in the future (check all that apply): Capital Grill Morton’s Steakhouse Ruth’s Chris

(Anyone who didn’t select Ruth’s Chris was not selected for an interview.)

8. I have dined at the following restaurants (check all that apply): The Capital Grille Morton’s Steakhouse Ruth’s Chris Roy’s McCormick & Schmick’s (This question was included to learn about potential interviewee’s relationship with Ruth’s Chris.)

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Discussion GuidePurpose: Our purpose is to understand how young professionals view fine din-ing experiences, steakhouses and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Introduction: Hi, my name is _______. I will be leading the interview today, but I also have my colleagues (insert names here and say hi). They will be listening to our conversation today to help me take notes.

Questions 1. Tell me about yourself…where do you live and work? Probe for: where they work, do they eat out with clients/coworkers & what type of restaurants, where they live, if & where they travel, interests and hobbies Listen for: if they live/travel in locations where there is a Ruth’s Chris’, if they eat out for business purposes, personal reasons or celebrations & where they typically go, hobbies and interests pertaining to food 2. Can you please describe what a typical day looks like for you? Probe for: work vs. social outings, routines besides work, how days differ at the beginning vs. end of the week Listen for: eating out, celebrating occasions, food-related/fine-dining related activities 3. What are some of your hobbies and interests? Probe for: traveling, eating out, foodie-related activities Listen for: are these hobbies solo or group activities, how often they’re able to participate in their hobbies 4. What do you look forward to the most each week? Probe for: weekly rituals, special annual/seasonal occasions, outings Listen for: personal activity v. social, entertainment; emotions associated with the activity

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5. Who do you spend time with most? Probe for: type of person (personality) Listen for: family v. friends v. coworkers

Word Association: Please share the first thing that comes to your mind. Ex: You say “birthday” and I might say “celebration” After work Weekend Friends Family Special occasion Treating yourself Dining out Happy hour Fine dining Steak

Questions6. Can you please describe what a typical dining out experience looks like for you? Probe for: type of environment (white tablecloths and well-dressed waiters or a casual place with TVs, burgers and the big game), type of food, occasion Listen for: what they value most out of their experience (food, service, environment), price, occasion, is it routine or spontaneous (both in planning and where they go) 7. When you think of going out to eat, what comes to mind? Probe for: cuisine of restaurant (Mexican, Italian, American, etc.), type of restaurant (QSR, CDR, FDR). Listen for: fine dining, steakhouse, American food, seafood, and sit down restaurant 8. Can you reflect and share with us the process you go through when deciding where you are going to eat out? Probe for: why you are dining out / who makes the decisions (them, friends, family, coworkers, etc.), do you think of local vs. chain restaurants first, day of the week Listen for: occasion, reasons why they choose a certain place over another (price, specials, cuisine, service, location, locally owned, etc.)

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9. What is the most memorable fine dining experience you’ve had? Probe for: what made it memorable Listen for: if it was at a fine dining restaurant, steakhouse, outstanding service 10. When you go to happy hour, what are your expectations? Probe for: price expectations, food deals, shareable plates, number in party, pre-planned or spontaneous, how often, who with, is it a routine thing or more spontaneous? Listen for: how their experience was, how they felt after and if it met their needs/ expectations 11. When you go out for a nice, expensive meal, what are your expectations? Probe for: pre-planned or spontaneous, price expectations, food expectations, shareable plates, a la carte vs. included sides Listen for: type of restaurant (category), type of food 12. If you could go anywhere for a steak dinner, where would you go? Probe for: top-of-mind choices, what they like about their restaurant of choice Listen for: Competitors of Ruth’s Chris 13. How familiar are you with Ruth’s Chris Steak House? Probe for: frequency of visits, awareness of holiday & happy hours promotions Listen for: what they usually order, emotions associated with their experiences, reaction to name, knowledge of core promises (female founder, her gumption, 500 degree plates, quality of steaks, butter, service, etc.) 14. What has your experience with Ruth’s Chris Steak House been? Probe for: food, service and ambiance Listen for: emotions (positive/negative), specific experiences

Show video/history packet 15. Did the history of Ruth’s Chris Steak House surprise you? What stood out to you? Does this change your perception of Ruth’s Chris? Probe for: reason why, example of time this affected decision Listen for: Charitable programs, history, values, mission statement

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ReferencesBonds, D., Borgsmiller, S., Bussler, K., Hawkins, J., Vitale, A., & Zhang, A. (2016). Team 1B-Ruth's Chris Situation Anaylsis [presentation]. Retrieved from: https://missouri.instructure.com/courses/1813/external_tools/70.

Brandeis, E., Conway, C., Farley, N., Olson, S., Serrano, J., & Szczepaniak, E. (2016). Team 1A-Ruth's Chris Situation Analysis [presentation]. Retrieved from: https://missouri.app.box.com/files/0/f/11654988219/1/f_97752482262.

Bryan, B. (2016). Americans are ditching giant restaurant chains. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/americans-ditching-big-restaurant-chains-and- eating-local-2016-9.

Fine dining. (n.d.). In The Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved from: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fine-dining.

Flink, Jamie. (2016) Qualitative Research: When, How And Why [presentation]. Retrieved from: https://missouri.instructure.com/courses/1813/files/folder/ Coaching%20Sessions?preview=324503.

Giandelone, E. (2010). Fine Dining - US - March 2010. Retrieved from: http://academic.mintel.com/display/482492/?__cc=1

Kelter, D. (2016). Restaurant Decision Making Process - US - August 2016. Retrieved from: http://academic.mintel.com.proxy.mul.missouri.edu/display/747842/.

Talking to Strangers: Millennials Trust People Over Brands. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.bazaarvoice.com/.

White, M. C. (2016). Big Chain Restaurants Are Losing Their Grip on Americans' Wallets (and Waistlines). Retrieved from: http://time.com/money/4493775/chain- restaurant-sales-descrease/.

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