When will things return to normal and what will our new normal look like? It’s a question that business, economic and government leaders are grappling with as more and more Americans receive the COVID vaccine. To help answer this complicated question, Morning Consult is tracking how consumer attitudes are shifting across a wide range of categories, from travel to entertainment to dining, to gain greater insight into not only when consumers will be ready to return to their normal activities, but how their habits will be forever changed. They update the pages every week with new data and analyses.
Dining
The restaurant industry, like many others, was hit hard when states across the country first went into lockdowns, and businesses had to rely solely on takeout and delivery to stay afloat. Restaurants have since been able to reopen their dining rooms to various degrees, and though it may take time for the industry to fully recover, Americans are missing the pre-pandemic dining experience. Since Morning Consult began tracking comfort levels in spring 2020, Americans have consistently said the activity they are more comfortable with is dining out.
Check out dining survey results here.
Travel
When the pandemic first hit the United States last year, the travel industry ground to a halt. Over the summer, people started to venture out again, mostly sticking to road trips close to home. Thanksgiving and winter holidays then saw significant traffic despite pleas from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for Americans to stay at home, but recovery in the travel market remains out of immediate reach. While many are eager to reschedule vacations, comfort with the idea of doing so remained stagnant through 2020.
Check out travel survey results here.
Shopping
Even considering the e-commerce boom during lockdowns, brick-and-mortar shopping is here to stay. But when consumers will feel safe returning to physical stores and shopping malls remains an unanswered question. Morning Consult provides some insights into shoppers’ state of mind.
Check out shopping survey results here.
Sports
After going to incredible lengths to return to play, sports properties and teams continue to face major challenges as the pandemic drags on. Chief among them is the limited ability to host fans in stadiums and arenas. Gate revenue alone has accounted for more than a quarter of the overall pie in recent non-pandemic years, which doesn’t account for other related items like concessions, parking and on-site sponsorship. Sports properties will need to provide fans with peace of mind about coming together in stadiums and arenas as soon as they are able to re-open their doors.
Check out sports survey results here.
Entertainment
Movie theaters, concert venues and amusement parks were just some of the businesses forced to shutter their doors when the COVID pandemic took hold of the United States in March 2020. And while some of these businesses have attempted to reopen and recover, not all consumers are ready to leave streaming behind and resume out-of-home entertainment. As vaccines are distributed, Morning Consult will continue to monitor consumer comfort in going to the movies, concerts, amusement parks, theaters and museums.
Check out entertainment survey results here.
Work & Offices
The COVID pandemic has disrupted the traditional U.S. office model, forcing companies to rethink their policies on remote work as they consider the benefits and drawbacks, and creating challenges for nearly every type of workplace. To help employees’ perceptions about working remotely, their comfort levels in returning to the office and traveling for work, and future considerations about company policies on remote work. The primary demographic group tracked on this page are “current remote workers,” which refers to U.S. adults who usually work from an office but are working remotely due to the pandemic.
Check out work and office survey results here.
Socializing
The COVID pandemic has made socializing with others seem like a taboo. One important aspect in discerning consumers’ overall comfort levels is understanding their willingness to re-enter these social settings. Morning Consult will continue tracking the public’s comfort with various social situations throughout 2021.
Check out socializing survey results here.
Views on the Pandemic
Morning Consult is closely tracking the public’s attitudes on vaccines, social distancing, comfort, political and institutional leadership in handling the coronavirus, the economic cost and more.
Check out the various survey results here.
