2020 Fryett Study Research Results Revision 2

“And Once Again, The Winner Is …” A summary of the research to determine what energy source – gas or electric -- chefs prefer to use for their primary cooking equipment, and why. And to ascertain the awareness level of the survey respondents with respect to various organizations and programs associated with the gas industry as it relates specifically to the commercial food service industry. July 2020 Research conducted by: Douglas K. Fryett E-mail: [email protected] Office: 318-865-2611 Cell: 318-218-9999 Table of Contents … Page # Introduction & Research Overview 3 Research Objectives, Methodology, Approach & Scope 4 Who Did We Talk To? And Where Did They Reside? 6 What Do All Those Numbers Mean? 7 Utility of Choice – Who “Wins”? 8 Why Did They Prefer Gas Over Electricity? 10 Why Did They Prefer Electricity Over Gas? 12 Are You Using Your Preferred Energy Source? 13 What Equipment Do You Like Powered by Gas? By Electricity? 14 Gas Equipment – Does It Have a “Limited” Future? 15 How Familiar Are You with Energy Star? 18 Are You Familiar with A.G.A.; Energy Star; & California Energy Wise? 21 How Familiar Are You with the Various Gas Programs? 26 Let’s Look Back 9 Years 28 Notes 30 Introduction & Research Overview … Making assumptions can be very dangerous, especially to those who are developing strategy and / or piecing together sales and marketing programs. So, let’s not make assumptions anymore. Let’s find out what energy source – gas or electricity – food service operators in the U.S., and specifically independent restaurant owners, actually prefer, and why. In addition, a growing number of state and local government constituents are “pushing” to eliminate the use of gas equipment in new and/or newly renovated commercial kitchens, as well as looking at mandating the use of Energy Star approved equipment ONLY for the same. All this in the name of reducing carbon emissions and hence a more positive environmental impact. But what does the aforementioned end-user target group think about this? And finally, it is time to gauge the food service operators’ level of awareness with respect to such organizations and programs as A.G.A., Energy Star, California Energy Wise, and the various programs and incentives offered by the various regional energy companies. This research was undertaken to actually ascertain what America’s independent food service operators like; what they use; and why do they use / like the utility of their choice. In addition, their awareness levels of the various aforementioned organizations and programs was also determined. Research Objectives, Methodology, Approach & Scope … The research methodology and approach used was quite simple and straightforward. Building upon research already performed in 2011 by the Fryett Consulting Group for GFEN with a large base of end-users / operators, 200 + independent chefs / operators were directly contacted by phone and asked to complete a very short questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to determine a few simple, but very important “facts.” Chief among them were the following: If they had a choice between gas and electricity as their primary energy source for food service cooking equipment, which one would they chose? What are some of the primary reasons they prefer one energy source versus another? Were they in fact using their “energy of choice” in their current facilities? What pieces of primary cooking equipment would they prefer to be powered by gas, and what ones would they like to be powered by electricity? How aware were the survey respondents with respect to pending state legislation surrounding Energy Star and gradual “elimination” of gas-powered equipment in favour of electrical equipment in new facilities and/or newly renovative food service facilities. And finally, how aware were the survey respondents of some of the various industry associations and programs that are designed to assist food service operators. Those to be interviewed were randomly selected from each of the 50 States within the United States. The final count … 209 total respondents from 42 different states and the District of Columbia. Since some States have significantly higher populations than do other states (think California versus South Dakota) a greater number of respondents were sought out from the higher populated states in order to give a more representative set of results. That said, and as stated above, a minimum of two respondents from each state was the goal. How Many Should Be Interviewed? – The Goal! Market Segment # to be Interviewed Independent Restaurants – Chef / Owners 200 + Total 200 + As mentioned in the “Introduction & Research Overview” section of this document, a growing number of states are “pushing” to eliminate the installation of gas equipment in new and/or newly renovated food service facilities. Some are even seriously looking at having restauranteurs purchase only Energy Star approved equipment when purchasing new commercial food service equipment for their facilities. How do the independent restauranteurs feel about these two independent but somewhat related, dynamics? To gauge their thoughts on both of these subjects, a series of short questions were developed that were designed to solicit their thoughts and level of awareness. Who Did We Talk To? And Where Did They Reside? … Who were we able to contact for this research study? Needless-to-say, the current COVID – 19 pandemic that we are all living in right now certainly created numerous challenges, specifically as it related to being able to contact the targeted audience for this study. For example, many food service operations had closed – some permanently – whilst others had a vastly reduced work force, plus many other closely related dynamics that made it more difficult than normal to reach those key individuals needed for this study. But, as stated on the previous page, 200 + independent restaurant chefs / owners were reached from 600,000 + commercial food service operators and contacted from across a diverse number of states. The table below summarizes the number of respondents from the various states that were reached. State # of Respondents State # of Respondents Alabama 4 Nebraska 3 Arizona 7 Nevada 10 Arkansas 4 New Hampshire 1 California 12 New Mexico 5 Colorado 8 New York 9 Florida 10 North Carolina 5 Georgia 4 North Dakota 1 Illinois 7 Ohio 9 Idaho 1 Oklahoma 4 Indiana 2 Oregon 6 Iowa 3 Pennsylvania 8 Kansas 5 South Carolina 5 Kentucky 4 South Dakota 2 Louisiana 9 Tennessee 4 Maine 2 Texas 9 Mass. 6 Vermont 2 Michigan 5 Virginia 3 Minnesota 6 Washington 6 Mississippi 4 Washington, DC 2 Missouri 4 Wisconsin 4 Montana 1 Wyoming 3 Total 209 What Do All Those Numbers Mean? … Several of the questions that were asked required the survey respondents to reply giving a numerical value – 1 to 7 in most cases based on their alignment or agreement with the question or statement. The numerical responses where then put through “standard” statistical analysis resulting in a series of “scores” covering Range, Spread, Median, Mode, and Mean Average. And what do these terms mean? Below is a brief explanation of each of these statistical terms. The Range is the lowest and the highest scores that were obtained for each question. In the case of this study, the maximum range could only be 1 – 7 as the lowest score any respondent could use is “1” while the highest score could only be “7.” Its primary usefulness is to show the dispersion of the responses. The Spread is the difference between the high and the low score of the Range. It also is useful to show the dispersion of the responses. To give an example, if the Range of responses for a particular question is 1 – 7, then the Spread would be “6.” The Median is the numerical value that separates the highest half of a sample (in this particular case, the numerical results received) from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers, or responses, is found by arranging all the responses from lowest value to highest value and picking the middle one. If there is an even number of responses, then there is no single middle value; the Median is then usually defined to be the average of the two middle values. The Mode is the value that appears most often in a set of responses, or data set. The Mean, or Mean Average is equal to the sum of the responses (vales) divided by the number of responses. Utility of Choice – Who “Wins”? … Question #1 The first question that was asked of the research participants was if they had a choice between gas and electricity as being your primary power source for their primary cooking equipment, which one would they choose? (Primary cooking equipment would include such items as ranges, cook tops, fryers, broilers, griddles, ovens, steamers, etc.) Specifically, the question read … “If you had your choice between natural gas and electricity as being the energy source for your primary cooking equipment, which one would you choose? A summary of the results obtained are summarized in the following table. Energy Source of Choice # of Respondents % of Respondents Gas 183 87.6% Electricity 26 12.4% Total 209 100% As you can see, the overwhelming energy source of choice was gas – almost 90% -- when it came to powering primary cooking equipment. As in previous research of this nature, most notably a similar study conducted in 2011 by the Fryett Consulting Group, the vast majority (98%) of the respondents stated that gas was their energy source of choice. Yes, that percentage has decreased somewhat over the past nine years, but gas is still, by far, the most favored. In support of this relatively high percentage, one just has to look at the percentage of gas cooking equipment that is sold in the commercial food service industry versus electrically powered equipment. A quick survey of several primary cooking equipment manufacturers provided the following information … Approximately 90% of all commercial ranges sold in the industry are powered by gas. And it should be noted that ranges are one of the most common, if not the most common piece of equipment sold and used in the industry today Approximately 85% of griddles are powered by gas When it comes to clam-shell griddles, approximately 45% are powered by gas Convection ovens – approximately 75% are powered by gas Approximately 90% of all char-broilers are powered by gas Free-standing fryers – 70% of them are powered by gas Approximately 80% of all pizza / deck ovens sold are powered by gas Floor mounted convection steamers – 80% powered by gas, and 20% of counter-top steamers are powered by gas Free-standing pressure steamers – approximately 65% are powered by gas (there are not too many of these sold today) Free-standing steam jacketed kettles – approximately 80% are powered by gas Roughly 60% of combi-oven / steamers are powered by gas Tilting skillets – approximately 75% are powered by gas. As you can see, there is a LOT of gas primary cooking equipment being manufactured and sold by several companies within the industry. When comparing this year’s study results with that of 2011, there is a slight drop – approximately 10% -- in the number of respondents who stated that gas was their energy source of choice. But why the drop? What might some of the dynamics at play be that precipitated this drop? The answer(s) might be found in the following: High-speed ovens (TurboChef; Merri Chef; and others) were not heavily on the equipment scene nine years ago. Today, they are one of the fastest growing pieces of equipment, and they are all powered by electricity. Combi ovens have become a mainstream item for food service operators – not so nine years ago. And more and more operators are preferring electrically powered combis versus gas powered combis. Some pieces of equipment, like the new generation of fryers, operate at significantly higher levels of efficiency than do their gas counterparts. Several major fryer manufacturers have seen a major shift from gas fryers as the primary seller to almost an even split between gas and electric. Electricity is “perceived” to be more “green” / sustainable in nature than gas. And with the industry driving to be more sustainable in nature, this is an important and significant dynamic. Why Did They Prefer Gas Over Electricity? … Question #2 – The second question that was asked of the survey respondents was, … “What are some of the primary reasons you chose the energy source that you did?” As shown in the results of the previous question, the vast majority of the respondents – 88% -- stated that “gas” was their energy of choice for commercial cooking equipment. But why? Why was gas, or electricity, their first choice? The following table summarizes the various responses that were received who stated that gas was their energy of choice followed by a few quotes that were felt worthwhile mentioning. Gas: Why Gas Was Their First Choice of Energy for Primary Cooking Equipment % of Respondents Better control over temperature / heat / even heat distribution 71.5% Less expensive to operate than electricity 28.6% Speed of recovery 14.4% Faster cooking times 14.4% Less expensive to repair 9.5% Other 18.5% As you can see, “Better control over temperature / heat” was the most frequently provided response, or reason, as to why they preferred gas over electricity. “Very even heat distribution” was a close second. Notable Quotes Re: Gas Cooking Equipment .. The following are a few quotes made by several of the survey respondents that were felt to be notable. “It is what I was trained on and I like cooking with it.” “If (the gas piece of cooking equipment) is within a customer’s line of sight, it provides a show.” “Gas in my opinion, is more reliable. When you turn it on it is ready to go.” “You get very even heat distribution with gas.” “Gas cooking equipment is less expensive to operate than comparable electrical equipment.” “Gas equipment seems to be easier and cheaper to repair (than electrical equipment).” “There is definitely less maintenance associated with gas equipment versus electrical equipment.” “In general, gas cooking equipment is less expensive to purchase than comparable electrical equipment.” “We try to use as much gas equipment as we possibly can.” “I like natural gas because I’m used to cooking with gas versus electric. I feel that I have more control on the heat and I also think that cooking with gas can give you a higher cooking temperature than electric, which can potentially max out at a certain temperature.” “I like the ability to control the amount of heat visually, but very much enjoy the cooking diversity of combi ovens and Merry Chef technology.” “Better control over the temperature. (Gas) is more common across the world.” Question #2 – continued Why Did They Prefer Electricity Over Gas? … And for those who stated that electricity was their energy source of choice – only 12.4% of the respondents – their limited comments are summarized below. Electricity: Why Electricity Was Their First Choice of Energy for Primary Cooking Equipment % of Respondents High level of control / consistent, even heat 68.0% Faster recovery time 33.0% Faster than gas 27.5% More environmentally “friendly” than gas 27.5% With only 12.5% of the respondents stating that their primary choice of an energy source was electricity, the list of reasons why was very limited, as evidenced by the data above and the comments received below. Notable Quotes Re: Electric Cooking Equipment … “Electricity is a little more controlled (and) can be precise with heating items.” “We believe that the cooking would be more consistent (with electricity) and the recovery time improved versus gas.” “Cost of electricity has gone down in our area over the past few years. It makes electrical equipment more attractive to our operation.” “Electricity is a more sustainable energy source and we are actively trying to become a more sustainable food service operation.” Are You Using Your Preferred Energy Source? … Question #3 -- “Are you in fact using your ‘energy source of choice’ in your current facility?” So, were the survey respondents using their primary energy source of choice? They may be using one energy type (gas) but would prefer to use electricity, or vice-versa. The table below summarizes the responses that were received. Using Utility of Choice # of Respondents % of Respondents Yes 174 83.3% No 35 16.7% Total 209 100% When comparing the above results with those results received in the first question, one can see that there were a few survey respondents who were not using their energy of choice in their facilities. There are a lot of potential reasons why, with some of them being such things as … The availability of one energy source versus another The cost of one energy sources versus the other Existing equipment in place from a potential prior owner Building utility infrastructure One being perceived as being more sustainable in nature versus the other With certain pieces of equipment (high speed ovens for example – TurboChef, Merri Chef, etc.) their energy source of choice would be electricity since no such units are available that are powered by gas. What Equipment Do You Like Powered by Gas? By Electricity? … Question #4 -- “Are there any specific pieces of primary cooking equipment that you would prefer be fueled by either gas or electricity?” Slightly under 60% of the survey respondents actually provided any specific responses to this particular question, but of the ones that did, the following table summarizes their answers with respect to those pieces of equipment that they like to see powered by gas. Equipment Preferred to be Powered by Gas % of Respondents Ranges 64.3% Char broilers 42.8% Griddles 35.7% Convection ovens 28.6% Fryers 14.3% And the following table summarizes the responses of the various pieces of equipment that the survey respondents like to see powered by electricity. Equipment Preferred to be Powered by Electricity % of Respondents Convection ovens 35.7% High-speed ovens 28.6% Combi-Ovens 21.4% Fryers 14.3% Counter-Top Equipment 17.5%s Gas Equipment – Does It Have a “Limited” Future? … Question #5 – Gas equipment – is it headed for the “graveyard?” Will it be legislated out for new commercial food service operations and / or the renovation of existing facilities? This particular question asked the respondents to quantify their level of awareness with respect to a growing number of states who are looking to legislate laws that prohibit the use of natural gas appliances in any new commercial food service operation and/or renovation of existing facilities. They were asked to respond to this question on a “1” to “7” scale where “1” was an indication that they were “Not Familiar With (pending legislation) At All,” while at the opposite end of the scale a “7” was an indication that they were “Very Familiar (with any pending legislation.” The following summarizes the results that were received. Not Familiar With At All Have Some Very Basic Awareness of the Subject Very Familiar With 1 2 2.56 4 5 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 2.56 2.0 1 1 – 6 5 With a Mean Average score of only 2.56 and a Mode score of 1, (the lowest score possible) it is quite apparent that the vast majority of the respondents are not very familiar, if at all, with respect to any discussions, pending legislation, etc., with respect to prohibiting the use of natural gas appliances in any new commercial food service operation and/or renovation of existing facilities. Needless to say, there are some great “educational” opportunities for the American Gas Association to “spread the word” about such pending legislation that, if couched and positioned correctly, could significantly raise the awareness level of this subject matter and in doing so help seed any counter-“movements” that continues to offer “free choice.” Question #6 – Directly related to the previous question, “Have any such laws been enacted, or are in the process of being developed within your state / municipality?” Again, this is an “awareness” question designed to try and get a feel as to how in-tune the respondents are with respect to any governmental legislation that could / will have an impact upon their operations. As you can see, not one respondent was aware of any law(s) being proposed and being enacted that would prohibit the use of natural gas appliances in any new commercial food service operation and/or renovation of existing facilities. Yes No Don’t Know 0% 44% 56% As you can see, approximately 44% of the respondents stated that “no” such legislation was being enacted, with a further 56% dated that they did not know. Again, the data suggest that there is a great opportunity to “spread the word” that several states are, in fact, looking to introduce such legislation into the various state Houses. Question #7 – Again, directly related to the previous two questions, “If such a law was enacted within your state / municipality, how much of an impact would it have on your present and future plans with respect to the purchase of food service equipment?” No Impact What-So-Ever Don’t Know / Haven’t really Thought About It Very Significant Negative Impact 1 2 3 4 5.56 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 5.56 5.0 5 3 – 7 4 Asked to quantify their thoughts with respect to “if a such a law was enacted within their state, how much of an impact would it have on their present and future plans to purchase food service equipment,” the overwhelming majority of respondents stated that they “Didn’t Know / Hadn’t Really Thought About It” with the Mean Average being 5.56. That is VERY close to tipping the scales into the “Very Significant Impact” zone. How Familiar Are You with Energy Star? … Question #8 – In the same vein as question #5, the survey respondents were asked to quantify their level of familiarity / awareness with respect to “the growing number of states, and municipalities, within the U.S. who have developed and/or in the process of implementing laws that require food service operators, when purchasing new pieces of equipment, that the piece of equipment under consideration be Energy Star accredited?” Not Familiar With At All Have Some Very Basic Awareness of the Subject Very Familiar With 1 2 3 4 4.82 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 4.82 5.0 6 1 – 7 6 With a Median score of 5.0 and Mode score of “6” each, it appears that, in contrast to Question #5, there is a significantly higher degree of awareness of the movement by states and municipalities within the country to require food service operators looking to purchase new primary cooking equipment (as well as many other categories of equipment) to purchase such equipment that has attained Energy Star certification. This is certainly not surprising for a series of reasons, chief amongst them are … Food service operators are under a lot of pressure to become more sustainable in nature The food service industry has the dubious distinction of being one of the highest energy consumers in the world of any commercial business Operators are under constant pressure to reduce costs as much as they possibly can, and this is especially significant during the current COVID – 19 pandemic The convergence of these three dynamics is a perfect prescription for operators to purchase the most energy efficient piece of equipment that they possibly can, and the Energy Star certification on commercial cooking equipment lends a significant amount of credibility to their decision(s). Question #9 – Directly related to the previous question, “Has such a law (when purchasing new pieces of equipment, that the piece of equipment under consideration be Energy Star accredited) been enacted, or are in the process of being developed within your state / municipality?” Similar to Question #6, this again, is an “awareness” question designed to try and get a feel as to how in-tune the respondents are with respect to any governmental legislation that could / will have an impact upon their operations with respect to the purchase of Energy Star certified equipment. As you can see, a relatively small percentage of the respondents – 8.6% -- definitively stated that such legislation was “in the works.” A further 17.5% definitely said “No,” whilst the majority of the respondents – 73.9% -- admitted that they “Didn’t Know.” Yes No Don’t Know 8.6% 17.5% 73.9% Again, a great opportunity for the various gas industry organizations and associations to get “closer” to their customer constituents with this very important industry dynamic that is taking place. Question #10 – Directly related to the previous two questions, “If such a law was enacted within your state / municipality, how much of an impact would it have on your present and future plans with respect to the purchase of food service equipment?” Asked to quantify their thoughts with respect to “if such a law was enacted within their state, how much of an impact would it have on their present and future plans to purchase food service equipment,” the majority of respondents stated that it would have “No Impact What-so-Ever” with the Mean Average being 2.78 and a significant Mode score of 2. No Impact What-So-Ever Don’t Know / Haven’t really Thought About It Very Significant Negative Impact 1 2 2.78 4 5 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 2.78 3.0 2 1 – 6 5 In general, Energy Star is viewed as one of the building blocks to designing and implementing a sustainability program within food service operations. As such, it is relatively easy to understand the results obtained – more and more food service operators are trying to become more sustainable in nature. Notable Quotes Re: Energy Star ... The following are a few quotes made by several of the survey respondents that were felt to be notable. “If such a law was implemented it would have no impact upon us what-so-ever. We are always looking for the most energy efficient equipment.” “I think all restauranteurs should support such a law.” “I don’t think it is right that government tells me what I can and can’t buy.” Are You Familiar with A.G.A.; Energy Star; & California Energy Wise? Question #11 – Another “awareness” question. In this three-part question, the respondents were asked to quantify their level of awareness with respect to the following industry associations – the American Gas Association, Energy Star, and the California Energy Wise initiative. The following three pages summarize the results that were received. American Gas Association – A.G.A. Not Familiar With / Aware of At All Have Some Very Basic Awareness of the Association Very Familiar With 1 2 3.48 4 5 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 3.48 3.0 3 / 1 1 – 7 6 With a Mean score of 3.48 and a Median score of 3, one can conclude that those being surveyed had a “very basic awareness” of the American Gas Association. These scores indicate that there are plenty of opportunities to raise the overall awareness level of the association and in doing so raise the overall value that the Association can provide the commercial food service industry. Notable Quotes Re: American Gas Association ... The following are a few quotes made by several of the survey respondents that were felt to be notable. “Sounds like a big organization to me but I don’t know what they do.” “Are they a lobbying group? “I don’t really know much about them – maybe I should.” “Do they offer rebates on gas equipment?” Energy Star Not Familiar With / Aware of At All Have Some Very Basic Awareness of the Association Very Familiar With 1 2 3 4 5.43 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 5.43 6.0 6 / 7 2 – 7 5 With a Mean score of 5.43 and a Median score of 6, one can conclude that those being surveyed were “very familiar” with the Energy Star program. Energy Star has been around for many years, both with respect to food service equipment and non-food service equipment. Its brand has been highly leveraged and more often than not used as part of a competitive sales strategy by companies throughout the food service industry, and many other industries as well. And as previously mentioned in this report, a convergence of several industry and societal dynamics have raised the importance / significance of Energy Star certification. Thus, further adding to its brand strength. Notable Quotes Re: Energy Star ... The following are a few quotes made by several of the survey respondents that were felt to be notable. “Glad that there is a source where we can compare the energy efficiency of one product (manufacturer) versus another.” “My gas company should help us navigate the Energy Star web site and point us in the direction of equipment that is more energy efficient than others.” “Would like to see all food service equipment have Energy Star standards.” “I would support any legislation that would require restaurant owners to buy Energy Star approved equipment.” California Energy Wise Not Familiar With / Aware of At All Have Some Very Basic Awareness of the Association Very Familiar With 1 2.56 3 4 5 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 2.56 2.0 1 1 – 6 5 Of the three associations put forth in this question, the California Energy Wise program garnered the least degree of familiarity. With a Median score of 2.0 and a Mode score of 1, it is quite clear that the majority of the respondents to the questionnaire had very little awareness of the program. Nothing but opportunity here! Notable Quotes Re: California Energy Wise ... The following are a few quotes made by several of the survey respondents that were felt to be notable. “Never heard of it. What is it about?” “I have heard of the program, but I certainly don’t know any of the details.” “It would be nice to see more information about this (California Energy Wise).” “I guess here on the east coast we wouldn’t hear much about it.” “My restaurant is here in California and I am certainly not familiar with it. Sounds like it might be interesting.” How Familiar Are You with the Various Gas Programs? … Question #12 “How aware are you of the various foodservice programs offered by your local gas utility?” This last “awareness” question was intended to ascertain how familiar the survey respondents were with the various food service programs (rebates, seminars, and the like) that are being offered by the different regional gas companies. A summary of the results are as follows: Not Familiar With / Aware of At All Have Some Very Basic Awareness of the Programs Very Familiar With the Programs 1 2 3 3.86 5 6 7 Mean Average Median Mode Range Spread 3.86 4.0 3 1 – 7 6 Based upon the statistical scores, the majority of the respondents had a “Basic Awareness of the Programs” that are being offered. Not, I am sure, what the various gas companies would like to see, but it does represent a great opportunity to look into the programs that are currently being offered; are they actually providing “value” to the targeted audience (and remember, value means different things to different operators); and do the “messages” that are being presented to the food service operator relevant to them, the environment, and their desired value proposition that they would like to see. Notable Quotes Re: The Various Programs Offered by The Gas Companies ... The following are a few quotes made by several of the survey respondents that were felt to be notable. “Their equipment rebate programs are very good. Would like to see more of them.” – (Minnesota) “It would be nice to see product and manufacturer comparisons.” – (California) “Why can’t we buy equipment directly from the gas company? We buy their gas, why can’t we buy the equipment from them?” (Nevada) “Would like to see some educational programs from them.” (Florida) “I have not seen anything from our gas company regarding any programs for food service operators like me.” (Louisiana) Let’s Look Back 9 Years … Somewhat of a similar study was undertaken nine (9) years ago. That particular study consisted of only four questions. In contrast, this year’s study consisted of twelve (12) questions with two of them having multiple sub-questions. With that said, on the following pages are the results obtained for the 2011 study. Question #1 “If you had your choice between gas and electricity as being your primary power source for your primary cooking equipment, which one would you choose?” (Primary cooking equipment would include such items as ranges, cook tops, fryers, broilers, griddles, ovens, steamers, etc.) Utility of Choice Respondents % of Respondents Gas (included natural as well as propane gas) 101 98% Electricity 2 2% Total 103 100% Question #2 “What are some of the primary reasons you chose the utility that you did?” Reasons Why They Liked Gas as Their Primary Energy Source for Their Primary Cooking Equipment % of Respondents Consistent and even control of the heat 93.4 % Gas is faster than electricity 19.7 % Better cooking results 10.5 % Fire roasting / cooking of vegetables 10.5 % More efficient than electricity 6.6 % Tradition – have always cooked with gas 3.9 % Question #3 – “Are you in fact using your “utility of choice” in your current facility?” Using Utility of Choice Respondents % of Respondents Yes 103 100% No 0 0% Total 103 100% Question #4 -- “Even though you stated that your primary choice of power for primary cooking equipment was (gas / electricity,) are there any specific pieces of primary cooking equipment that you would prefer be powered by (gas / electricity?)” Equipment Preferred to be Powered by Electricity % of Respondents Convection Ovens 11.3% Steamers 9.2% Slow Cook & Hold Ovens 6.6% Microwave Ovens * 6.6% Griddles 5.3% Fryers 5.3% * Not considered, for the purposes of this research study, a primary piece of cooking equipment. Notes …