By 2021 in Costa Rica, the fast food restaurant chain Burger King plans to invest in the start-up of five new stores that will be located inside and outside the Greater Metropolitan Area.
According to information provided by the directors of the company, the new service points will be located in the surroundings of La Sabana, Alajuela, eastern sector of San José, Cartago and one outside the Greater Metropolitan Area whose location is still under study.
Betting on sales through digital channels, offering dishes at more accessible prices and carrying out promotions are some of the strategies that some casual dining restaurants that compete in the Costa Rican market seek to apply.
The spread of covid-19 severely affected the restaurant sector, especially businesses that did not sell through digital channels or did not have options to deliver their products to their homes.
The new location in which Friday's invested $150,000 is located in Los Yoses, east of the capital, and has the capacity to serve 180 people, but because of health restrictions it is only half full at the moment.
Previously, Friday's served its clients in San Jose in the La Bandera traffic circle, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, but, because its property was expropriated in 2019 due to the construction of a viaduct, the company was forced to close its operations in that location.
In Central America, nearly 13 million people search online and participate in conversations related to pizzas, with Papa John's, Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza being some of the chains with the greatest presence in consumer interactions.
An analysis of consumer interests and preferences in Central America, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, provides interesting results on people's preferences and tastes in food and all kinds of products or services, as well as restaurant chains and activities.
In recent months, interest in fast food in the region's markets has continued to show a clear upturn, with El Salvador, Panama and Honduras recording the largest increases in interactions on the subject.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Sales via websites, social networks and instant messaging systems, as well as offering home delivery and including frozen food on menus, are some of the innovations that restaurants have had to apply in the new commercial reality.
Until the abrupt change in consumption habits brought about by the covid-19 outbreak in Costa Rica, restaurants did not imagine that the situation would force them to abandon their classic table service.
Removing commonly used beverage dispensers, signaling establishments to ensure social distancing, and installing doors with a foot opening are some of the adaptations that restaurants will have to make to operate in the new commercial environment.
The restaurant sector has been one of the hardest hit by the covid-19 outbreak, as in most countries the authorities have prohibited these establishments from serving their customers in the table area and only allow them to sell take-out.
So far this year, interest in fast food in Central American markets has clearly increased, with Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica recording the largest increases in interactions associated with the topic.
Through a system that monitors real-time changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in Central American countries, developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long-term demand trends for different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Because of the social isolation and mobility restrictions that have been decreed by the health crisis facing the region and the world, restaurants will be forced to readjust their business model to the changes that will come in consumer behavior.
The spread of covid-19 has forced restaurant chains to reinvent themselves in order to continue operating, as in most countries of the region governments have banned the free movement of people and forced most commercial establishments to close.
The TGI Friday's chain decided to close its store located in the Oxygen Human Playground shopping center, in the province of Heredia, for a 90-day period.
"As you know, the food and beverage sector has been highly impacted, which is why we have taken the measure to suspend operations at our Friday's Oxygen store," explained a statement issued on March 21 by the company.
Tony Roma's decided to close its operations in the country as of January 17, adding to the recent restaurant closures that have been reported in recent months.
According to signs placed at Tony Roma's restaurant in San Rafael de Escazu, the closure is due to a remodeling, however, according to letters given to the former workers, the reason for the dismissal is because of the closure of the business in the country.
The Hooters chain announced that since February 3rd it closed definitively the establishment that was in Moravia, arguing that the sales levels required to be sustainable were not reached.
An official statement details that the closure was made because of " particular circumstances of the area (Moravia) that have occurred during the last year."
6% of Costa Rican consumers express interest in French cuisine, and about 85% of them are between 21 and 45 years old, and have a high level of purchasing power.
An analysis of the interests and preferences of consumers in Costa Rica, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, provides interesting results on the characteristics and people who show interest in the cuisine and gastronomy of different countries and styles. [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphics"]
Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway are some of the fast food chains that plan to invest in opening new restaurants during 2020.
The Pizza Hut chain plans to invest close to $1.8 million in the opening of six new stores this year. The points of sale could be located in the areas of Aserrí, Paraíso de Cartago and San Ramón de Alajuela.
Arguing that there were problems of profitability, the Applebee's chain decided to close the three service centers it was operating in the country.
The restaurant franchise was operated in Costa Rica by the company Dine Equity, and the premises that were closed were located in Terrazas de Lindora, San Pedro and Cariari.