Singapore diners second biggest spender in Asia Pacific: Survey
PUBLISHED ONMay 07, 2014 8:36 AM
SINGAPORE - Singapore diners continue to be one of the top spenders in Asia Pacific, according to a recent survey on consumer dining habits by MasterCard.
Hong Kong edged out Singapore from the top spot in the region this year with an average monthly dining out spend of US$218 (S$272.09). Singaporean consumers spent 10 per cent less at an average of US$198 a month. This is also a decrease from last year's average spend of US$262. Thailand rounded up the top three with an average spend on US$182.
The survey was conducted between October and November 2013 with 7,932 respondents aged 18-64 in 16 Asia Pacific countries. In Singapore, 400 residents took part.
Eating out continues to be the norm for Singaporeans, with 98 per cent of respondents indicating that they have dined at restaurants, food courts, hawker centres and pubs/bars in the last six months. A quarter of Singapore consumers plan to eat out more in the next six months, but majority of local respondents (69 per cent) are not considering to spend more when eating out.
A love for dining deals stood out in the results - over two-thirds of respondents revealed that they check if any card promotions are available at bill payment, while over a third said that before heading out, they check online for any card promotions (38 per cent) and purchase dining discounts on coupon sites and apps (31 per cent).
When it comes to exploring new dining options, Singapore consumers tend to depend on word-of-mouth recommendations (49 per cent) from their peers and relatives and online reviews (46 per cent) in roughly equal measure.
natlim@sph.com.sg