Taste beats price as GCC café consumers rethink buying decisions

Buy-one-get-one promotions remain the strongest sales driver.

Consumers in the GCC are placing greater emphasis on the quality of café beverages than on price when deciding where to buy, according to consumer survey data from Blapp.

The report found that 43.65% of respondents cited taste and quality as the single biggest factor influencing their drink purchases, more than double the share who selected price (21.36%).

Brand reputation accounted for 11.15% of responses, followed by speed and convenience (10.53%) and drink customisation (9.60%).

The findings suggest that operators relying primarily on discounts may struggle to differentiate if product quality fails to meet customer expectations, despite continued price sensitivity across the region.

The survey also found that promotions remain an important tool for driving repeat purchases.

Buy-one-get-one-free offers ranked as the most effective incentive, selected by 38.82% of respondents.

Other promotional mechanics attracted considerably lower support, with free size upgrades chosen by 19.57%, discounted drink-and-snack bundles by 18.32%, and loyalty rewards offering points or cashback by 17.70%.

Only 5.59% said none of the listed promotions would encourage them to purchase more frequently.

Brand preference data also points to a market without a single dominant player.

Amongst respondents who drink coffee, 37.01% selected "Other," making it the largest category in the survey.

Starbucks followed with 32.47%, whilst other branded chains accounted for 14.94%.

Costa Coffee attracted 11.04% of responses, and Nescafé/instant coffee represented 4.55%.