Purchasing Practices of Today's Independent Restaurants
1. Number of restaurants in your company?
 answered question718
 
skipped question
7
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
1
69.1%496
2
15.0%108
3 - 5
12.3%88
6 - 10
1.8%13
More than 10
1.8%13
2. In what state or province is your restaurant located?
 answered question719
 
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6
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Oustide US & Canada
1.3%9
Alabama
1.0%7
Alaska
0.8%6
Alberta
0.7%5
Arkansas
0.8%6
Arizona
2.5%18
British Columbia
1.0%7
California
9.9%71
Connecticut
1.0%7
Colorado
2.5%18
Delaware
0.1%1
District of Columbia
0.1%1
Florida
4.5%32
Georgia
1.7%12
Guam
0.1%1
Hawaii
0.1%1
Idaho
0.8%6
Illinois
4.2%30
Indiana
2.4%17
Iowa
0.7%5
Kansas
0.1%1
Kentucky
1.0%7
Louisiana
1.4%10
Maine
1.3%9
Manitoba
0.6%4
Maryland
1.8%13
Massachusetts
1.8%13
Michigan
3.9%28
Minnesota
1.5%11
Mississippi
0.3%2
Missouri
2.2%16
Montana
0.8%6
Nebraska
0.6%4
Nevada
0.1%1
NewBrunswick 0.0%0
New Hampshire
0.6%4
NewJersey
2.1%15
New Mexico
1.3%9
NewYork
4.3%31
Newfoundland & Labrador 0.0%0
North Carolina
2.2%16
North Dakota
0.3%2
Northwest Territories 0.0%0
NovaScotia
0.3%2
Ohio
2.9%21
Oklahoma
0.8%6
Ontario
2.8%20
Oregon
1.3%9
Pennsylvania
4.7%34
Prince EdwardsIsland 0.0%0
Puerto Rico 0.0%0
Quebec
0.4%3
Rhode Island
0.4%3
Saskatchawan
0.1%1
South Carolina
1.0%7
South Dakota
0.6%4
Tennessee
1.7%12
Texas
6.8%49
Utah
0.7%5
Vermont
0.4%3
Virginia
3.9%28
Virgin Islands 0.0%0
Washington
3.2%23
West Virginia
0.3%2
Wisconsin
2.8%20
Wyoming
0.6%4
Yukon
0.1%1
3. Approximate company-wide sales?
 answered question703
 
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 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Less than $250,000
9.1%64
251,000 – 500,000
12.9%91
501,000 – 750,000
11.9%84
750,000 – 1,000,000
12.1%85
1M – 1.5M
16.5%116
1.6M – 2M
8.1%57
2M-3M
10.0%70
3M-4M
5.4%38
4M-5M
3.0%21
5M-6M
2.6%18
7M-8M
2.3%16
8M-9M
0.9%6
9M-10M
0.3%2
10M-15M
2.7%19
15M-20M
1.1%8
More than 20M
1.1%8
4. Your role in purchasing decisions.
 answered question719
 
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6
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
I make all purchasing decisions
60.1%432
I have an influence over purchasing decisions
40.1%288
I do not make purchasing decisions
2.5%18
Other, please explain below.
view
1.9%14
5. What percentage of your total food and non-food purchases do you buy from the following categories of suppliers? (percentage of total spent should approximate 100%)
 answered question640
 
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 100%-90%90%-75%75%-50%50%-25%25%-10%10%-1%0Response
Count
Broadline distributors (Sysco, US Food.)16.2% (102)34.8% (219)23.2% (146)10.8% (68)4.3% (27)4.3% (27)6.4% (40)629
Speciality suppliers (ethnic foods)1.8% (8)2.9% (13)2.7% (12)10.2% (46)18.2% (82)34.9% (157)29.3% (132)450
Category suppliers (dairy, produce)2.4% (12)3.4% (17)3.4% (17)11.5% (57)32.6% (162)30.4% (151)16.3% (81)497
Warehouse clubs (Sam's, Rest. Depot)2.0% (10)2.9% (14)3.9% (19)6.8% (33)16.2% (79)45.9% (224)22.3% (109)488
Distributor cash & carry1.0% (4)1.5% (6)1.3% (5)4.3% (17)6.1% (24)33.2% (130)52.6% (206)392
Grocery stores0.2% (1)0.7% (3)0.4% (2)1.5% (7)5.4% (25)61.5% (283)30.2% (139)460
6. How important are these factors for a distributor/supplier to get and keep your business? (5 - very important, 1- not important)
 answered question640
 
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 54321Response
Count
Lowest prices25.6% (157)46.3% (284)22.3% (137)3.7% (23)2.1% (13)614
Fair prices on a consistent basis67.2% (426)30.0% (190)2.4% (15)0.3% (2)0.2% (1)634
Wide variety of products38.9% (243)39.1% (244)16.0% (100)4.2% (26)1.8% (11)624
Good relationship with sales rep52.2% (328)29.8% (187)13.1% (82)3.0% (19)1.9% (12)628
High level of customer service67.0% (425)23.7% (150)7.7% (49)1.3% (8)0.3% (2)634
Genuinely cares about my success61.0% (382)24.6% (154)10.1% (63)2.4% (15)1.9% (12)626
Source of education & training26.7% (167)27.4% (171)25.8% (161)12.8% (80)7.4% (46)625
Consultation to help grow my sales & profit31.4% (195)27.2% (169)23.0% (143)11.1% (69)7.2% (45)621
Efficient order & inventory systems45.4% (284)33.3% (208)14.4% (90)4.2% (26)2.7% (17)625
Work with local versus national company22.6% (140)32.1% (199)28.7% (178)8.4% (52)8.2% (51)620
Flexible payment terms23.8% (149)27.0% (169)24.1% (151)13.4% (84)11.7% (73)626
Order accuracy75.5% (471)19.1% (119)3.8% (24)1.3% (8)0.3% (2)624
Dependable, on-time delivery77.9% (489)18.6% (117)2.4% (15)0.6% (4)0.5% (3)628
Sales rep understands my business62.4% (390)24.2% (151)8.2% (51)2.2% (14)3.0% (19)625
Other VERY important factors
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7. What characteristics do you value most in a sales rep? (5 - very important, 1 - not important)
 answered question637
 
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 54321Response
Count
Makes sure orders & pricing are correct78.5% (496)17.6% (111)2.5% (16)0.8% (5)0.6% (4)632
Suggest ways we can improve & do better44.8% (282)33.2% (209)15.6% (98)4.1% (26)2.4% (15)630
Provides new menu ideas22.4% (140)26.7% (167)29.1% (182)13.4% (84)8.5% (53)626
Gives ideas to improve food cost44.2% (276)33.3% (208)14.9% (93)4.5% (28)3.0% (19)624
Understands our business & challenges49.2% (307)34.6% (216)12.5% (78)1.9% (12)1.8% (11)624
Gives me new menu ideas20.1% (125)26.2% (163)28.7% (179)14.3% (89)10.8% (67)623
Cares about how we are doing47.5% (296)34.0% (212)13.8% (86)3.0% (19)1.6% (10)623
Lets us know what others are doing29.7% (184)35.5% (220)24.9% (154)6.3% (39)3.6% (22)619
Tells in advance of price increases63.8% (401)26.1% (164)8.1% (51)1.6% (10)0.5% (3)629
Very accessible & easy to reach75.1% (473)19.7% (124)4.1% (26)0.5% (3)0.6% (4)630
Knows what's going on in local market57.7% (361)31.5% (197)7.8% (49)1.9% (12)1.1% (7)626
Other very important characteristics
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8. What distributor/supplier are you currently purchasing the most food and non-food products from?
 answered question469
 
skipped question
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 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Agar Supply Co. Inc
0.6%3
Ben E Keith Foods
3.8%18
Cheney Brothers, Inc.
0.9%4
Curtz Food Service
0.2%1
Feesers Foodservice
0.4%2
Food Services of America (FSA)
4.3%20
Glazier Foods
0.6%3
Gordon Food Service
7.5%35
Labatt Food Service
0.2%1
Maines Paper & Food Service
0.6%3
Merchants Foodservice
0.2%1
Performance Food Group
5.5%26
Perkins
0.4%2
Quality Foods
0.4%2
Reinhart Foodservice
4.3%20
Renzi Brother Foodservice 0.0%0
Shamrock Foods Co.
3.6%17
Sysco Corp.
48.8%229
U.S. Foods (US Foodservice)
17.5%82
Other
view		219
9. What percentage of your total food and non-food products are you buying from this distributor?
 answered question592
 
skipped question
133
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Less than 25%
4.9%29
25% - 50%
16.7%99
51% - 75%
31.1%184
76% - 90%
31.6%187
91% - 100%
15.7%93
Other (please specify)
view		37
10. If you are buying more than 50% of your food and non-food products from one distributor, what factors have influenced your decision the most? (5 - very important, 1 - not important)
 answered question529
 
skipped question
196
 54321Response
Count
Better prices53.3% (275)36.4% (188)9.5% (49)0.6% (3)0.2% (1)516
Like my sales rep33.5% (170)33.3% (169)21.3% (108)5.9% (30)5.9% (30)507
Fewer deliveries & sales reps to deal with37.5% (190)32.6% (165)19.0% (96)5.5% (28)5.3% (27)506
Better service & more attention55.4% (279)31.2% (157)9.1% (46)2.2% (11)2.2% (11)504
More distributor services & support36.5% (183)32.1% (161)22.4% (112)5.6% (28)3.4% (17)501
Distributor more interested in my success39.9% (200)34.9% (175)17.6% (88)4.6% (23)3.0% (15)501
Product consistency66.4% (342)27.4% (141)4.7% (24)0.8% (4)0.8% (4)515
Other (please specify)
view		56
11. How satisfied are you with this distributor relationship? (5 - very satisfied, 1 - not satisfied)
 answered question580
 
skipped question
145
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
5
39.8%231
4
43.4%252
3
13.8%80
2
1.9%11
1
1.0%6
What do you like best or your biggest complaint?
view		245
12. If you are not buying more than 50% of your food and non-food products from one distributor, why not? (use multiple answers if applicable)
 answered question149
 
skipped question
576
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Can save more money with ongoing bidding
51.7%77
Don't see any advantages
30.2%45
Don't trust distributors
16.8%25
Have never been asked to consider
12.1%18
Tried prime vendor but it didn't work out
23.5%35
Don't understand how a "prime or primary vendor" relationship works
7.4%11
Other reasons / comments
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13. In the last 2-3 years how has your supplier sources changed? Are you now buying more or less from each category of supplier?
 answered question566
 
skipped question
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 MoreSameLessResponse
Count
Broadline distributors (Sysco, US Food.)25.8% (144)56.4% (315)17.9% (100)559
Speciality suppliers (ethnic foods)17.8% (81)64.0% (291)18.2% (83)455
Category suppliers (dairy, produce)18.1% (89)68.5% (337)13.4% (66)492
Warehouse clubs (Sam's, Rest. Depot)20.6% (95)53.7% (248)25.8% (119)462
Distributor cash & carry6.2% (25)56.4% (228)37.4% (151)404
Grocery stores5.0% (22)62.9% (278)32.1% (142)442
14. Are you part of a buying group or group puchasing program?
 answered question585
 
skipped question
140
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Yes
11.3%66
No
88.7%519
If yes, which one?
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15. If you are part of a buying group, how satisfied are you with it?
 answered question70
 
skipped question
655
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Very satisfied
32.9%23
Somewhat Satisfied
24.3%17
Just average
27.1%19
Not satisfied
12.9%9
Very dissatisfied
2.9%2
Please comment / explain
view		19
16. Have you ever purchased products from a wholesale club like Sam's, Restaurant Depot or Costco?
 answered question574
 
skipped question
151
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Yes, currently buy at a wholesale club
63.1%362
Yes, but not now
19.9%114
No, but may do so in future
3.3%19
No, no plans to use wholesales clubs
13.8%79
Comments about why you do or don't use wholesale clubs
view		239
17. Do you plan on purchasing more from wholesale clubs in the future?
 answered question574
 
skipped question
151
 Response
Percent		Response
Count
Yes
27.2%156
No
52.3%300
Undecided
21.3%122
Comments
view		38
18. If you've changed your purchasing practices in the past few years, is there anything you've done that you would recommend to other independent operators?
 answered question177
 
skipped question
548
 Response
Count
view177