Almost three quarters of Vancouverites say they eat out or get take out at least once a week or more often. That is just one of the findings of a comprehensive Ipsos survey released today by Yellow Pages, a leading digital media and marketing solutions company in Canada, to mark the Vancouver launch of YP Dine, a new mobile app dedicated to the restaurant and dining sector.
Designed with “foodies” in mind, the YP Dine app helps Canadians make dining choices based primarily on mood and/or activity. Things such as “happy hour”, “weekend brunch”, “lunch with coworkers”, “late night eats” or “quick dinner fixes” to name a few.
Other survey results include the fact that 26 per cent of Vancouver respondents report dining out more often than they did just two years ago, while 58 per cent say they are utilizing restaurants, cafes and coffee shops about the same amount. Only 17 per cent say they are eating out less.
In terms of favourite cuisine, Vancouverites are staying true to the city’s position as Canada’s gateway to Asia Pacific with 37 per cent listing either Chinese or Japanese food as their top choice. Compare this to Calgary where Italian food gets the highest billing or Montreal where French or European food is amongst the top choices.
“In the dining segment, there’s a need for a simplified product to help people make new dining discoveries or easily find ideas or suggestions without having a specific location or cuisine in mind. YP Dine offers a content-rich experience that facilitates dining decisions while at the same time is transactional, providing the ability to make reservations and ordering online,” said Nicolas Gaudreau, Chief Marketing Officer of Yellow Pages. “This survey shows the unique food attitudes and dining habits of each region across Canada and only YP Dine allows those local food cultures to thrive by providing unique features and curated content from local chefs and foodies in each market.”
The app also integrates the top picks or “playlists” by local chefs or restaurant owners, sharing their favourite discoveries in local eateries. It even allows the ability for online ordering from within the app making YP Dine a must download for foodies.
Interestingly, the survey also casts doubt on Vancouver’s coffee-centric reputation. While getting coffee remains the most frequent dining or eating out activity, with just over half – 52 per cent – of Vancouver respondents indicating they go out for coffee once a week or more often, it was actually Toronto residents leading the coffee going pack. In that city, 57 per cent claimed to get coffee out once a week or more.
However, the survey does find Vancouver is more health conscious in making dining choices compared to those in Eastern Canada. 40 per cent of Vancouverites said they got fast food once a week or more often compared to 57 per cent of respondents in Toronto.
