Indies: Who Are They? Why Are They an Important Demographic Segment of Fast-Casual Restaurants?

Individuals define their social identity by going through self-identification where they associate with the group’s social identity. Marketing managers of fast-casual restaurants categorize groups of people so they can have a social identity in their locations. Nowadays, consumers are interested in superior quality food, healthier options, and a clean eating environment coupled with excellent customer service; the fast-casual restaurant is a mix of “quick-service” and “full-service” segments and has been the current trend in the restaurant industry. There is a growing interest in the market segmentation of fast-casual customers; however, there is limited research about the Indies.