Canadians love to dine outside of the home, and when they do, their favorite cuisine is “Canadian.”  Whether that means going to Tim Horton’s or enjoying a plate of poutine is unknown, but according to a recent Nielsen survey, 26 percent say that they favor their own national cuisine.  The second favorite cuisine was Italian followed by Chinese.
Just over one-third of Canadians eat out at least once a week, and 2 percent say they eat out every day.  While 57 percent of Canadians say dinner is the most popular out-of-home …

While big cities are often thought to be the best locations for new restaurants, budding restaurateurs would be well-served to focus elsewhere, namely, college towns and vacation spots, according to the 2009 Nielsen Claritas Restaurant Growth Index (RGI).  The steady population of students, faculty and other employees, and the flow of visitors make these two types of towns optimal for new restaurants.
For the sixth year in a row, the top location is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, despite its index ranking falling more than 100 points in the last year.  Hot …

No matter where one lives, going out to eat can be one of life’s great pleasures.  But what factors determine how global consumers choose restaurants? According to results from the Nielsen Global Online Survey of respondents in 52 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, Americas and the Middle East, the prime driver is the type of cuisine, with 27 percent preferring their local cuisine over international fare.  The second most important factor is reasonably priced food (24%), although diners in several countries, notably Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Netherlands and Belgium, …

Most global consumers agree that their countries have hit recession, but opinion on how long the recession will last remains mixed, Nielsen reported Wednesday.
While 53% of those surveyed by Nielsen think their country has hit a prolonged recession that will last more than 12 months, 18% of consumers, concentrated in a handful of emerging markets, like India, Vietnam, China, and Russia, told Nielsen they expect their countries to be out of recession within the next 12 months.
In contrast, consumers in Japan, Germany, Argentina, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, Taiwan, the U.S., and Spain were the …