Welcome to the Age of Millennials! Here, everything is fast-paced, trendy and insta-worthy. Whether or not we like it, Millennials make up a large part of the population. As restaurant owners, this means that we need to adapt for this audience if we want to stay afloat.
The Millennial
• Age: 16 – 34
• Open minded and multi-racial
• Most have social media profiles
• They are the most educated generation in our history
As generations come and go, so do traditions. We need to embrace a new way of doing things if we are to reach out to this audience. Here are 3 ways you can engage your Millennial customers better:
1. Taste The Trends [restrict]
Being tech-savvy in this age means that Millennials are likely to know of all the latest trends. Whether it’s a keto-heavy diet or a strict juice-only routine, Millennials are always onto the buzz.
You should always be on the lookout to see how you can use these trends to your advantage. Don’t get too caught up in them though, as trends come and go just like that!
Some of the latest food trends in 2018 are:
• Avocados
• Poke bowls
• Chinese hot pots
• Farro
• Soft Serve
Now you might be scratching your head wondering just what the hell some of these things are. Well, don’t worry as trends come and go like the rain. So if you missed out on something, there’s always the next big thing to look out for.
2. The Instagram Game
Most people are familiar with Instagram and what it is. For those that aren’t, it’s just a social media website where users share photos with friends and followers. One of the most commonly shared pictures are those of foods.
Now, as a restaurant owner, you can see how making your food insta-worthy is a plus. Millennials sharing photos of your food means free publicity! Insta-worthy foods are all based on the presentation. This includes a few things:
• Plate styles
• Food presentation
• Interior lighting
• Table design
Instagram tends to be a light-hearted application. People want to engage with photos that are neat and pretty on first glance. Think of your plate as your foreground and table as your background. Light, simple and contrasting colors will encourage millennials to snap away! Of course, the food preparation is an art, and how you present it is up to you.
3. Eye-catching Awareness
Face it, Millennials are educated and aware of things. Naturally, they want to know all about the food they are eating. They like to know if it’s healthy, or if it comes from a free-range farm. When designing your menu, try using buzzwords like:
• Unprocessed
• Local
• Grass-Fed
• Fresh
The more aware you sound, the better. In a generation that spends their free time watching funny videos of animals, your restaurant better source its’ meat from cruelty-free farms and factories. If you don’t, Millennials will be sure to give you a piece of mind on your practices!
Millennials can seem difficult to understand at times. Just when you think you have them figured, they come up with some avocado-pasta-coffee nonsense. The key is to read more and adapt to trends while they are still developing.
Actionable Takeaway:
Restaurants aren’t the only outlets in F&B. Nowadays, Millennials themselves are trying to get into the restaurant business by starting their own food stalls. It’s a much smaller enterprise, but getting into it will allow you to try out some ideas that may be too costly for an entire restaurant!
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