Customer Responses to 2022 Restaurant Week

During the 2022 Biddeford Saco Restaurant Week, March 13-20, we provided a QR code to people dining in and taking out. It led to a survey about diner’s experience in Biddeford Saco. Thanks to some $100 gift card incentives, we had a great participation rate. There were some interesting trends for local and potential food businesses to consider. Please read on!

Almost 200 participants who dined at 26 restaurants during Restaurant Week participated in the online survey.
• Just over 50% of respondents were Biddeford residents
• 23 % were Saco residents
• 26% were residents of other communities
This suggests that Biddeford/Saco restaurants are attracting people locally and from other neighboring communities.

The majority of respondents reported that their most frequent method of patronizing local restaurants is by dining in.
• 63% most frequent interaction is by dining in
• 34% most frequent interaction is using take out.
•  3% most frequent interaction is delivery.

Almost 80% of respondents go out to eat 1-4 times/week. About 75% of the time they go out in Biddeford/Saco.

Biddeford/Saco appears to have a good mix of the various types of dining options but almost half the respondents would like to see more dinner options. A large number of Saco residents, 69%, would like to see more dinner options. Interestingly, about the same number of respondents would like to see more affordable options as would like to see high end formal options. Respondents indicating they would like to see more dining options include:
• More dinner options – 47%
• More brunch options – 35%
• More breakfast options – 31%
• More lunch options – 31%
• More affordable options – 30%
• More high-end formal dining options – 28%

The respondents had lots of suggestions of additional types of cuisine they would like to see.  Those most often mentioned include:
• Mexican
• Italian
• BBQ
• Sushi
• American – high end
• Steak House
• Seafood
• Ethnicities such as Angolan, Caribbean, Chinese, Ethiopian, Korean, and Middle Eastern

Additional comments provided by the respondents were overwhelming positive about the Biddeford/Saco restaurant scene and Biddeford/Saco Restaurant Week.  The following is a representative sample of the comments:
• Biddeford food scene is fantastic!
• Great job on Restaurant Week.
• I think that local businesses and restaurants are a great way to bring culture and community together.
• One participant expressed concern that family-run restaurants are able to remain
• There were many expressions of support for individual restaurants
• A couple of respondents stated that they would like to see a larger number of restaurants staying open later.