Abstract
The fast casual market in Ireland is growing at a rate three times that of other restaurant
categories. It is especially popular with young professionals age 25 - 39, representing more
than 1/3 of their food spend. As the market expands, many Dublin restaurateurs have
adopted a shorthand approach to capitalize on existing restaurant brands. These "copycat"
restaurants take concepts, menus and trade dress from leader brands outside Ireland, often
to commercial success. By using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach, this
research aims to explore Irish consumer perception and patronage of five Dublin copycat
restaurants, further negotiating this with consumer evaluation of authenticity. 272
questionnaire responses were evaluated then phenomenologically assessed through indepth
interviews, seeking to explain socioeconomic and cultural factors that contributed to
this feedback.
Results indicate a generally positive acceptance towards the copycatting trend in Ireland,
while still evaluating the control original brand as better. In this context, a moderate
similarity approach appears to work best when the leader brand is not present. Respondents
did not have an overall negative view of copycats, and even fewer reported a desire to stop
visiting such restaurants when informed about them. Interviews further investigated the
regulatory, economic and cultural underpinnings for this acceptance, suggesting this
response is dictated by contextual factors unique to the Irish commercial landscape.
