Quick service restaurants seem to appeal to a variety of target markets but there are two specific demographic groups that seem the most valuable to these types of foodservice establishments: mom and Millennials.

What or who are the “Millennials?” Generally speaking, Millennials are the group of individuals born in the 80’s and 90’s. This group of people account for 80 million of our population.

So what makes them so important to the quick serve industry? Since they don’t cook much, on average, Millennials visit fast food restaurants 12 times or more each month. They spend their income more on food than any other age generation.

This fact alone will not mean droves of them will be flocking to your restaurant. They are a very unique group who are ethnically diverse and expect creativity and innovation in a restaurant. They like novel and unusual items and ingredients. Additionally, they expect being listened to– in this respect, social media engagement is a must. Millennials expect to be valued.

Moms – the other huge target market—are looking for value, convenience, and health. There at 32 million moms in the U.S. and they are the primary decision maker when it comes to food. Aside from speed of service, health and value, moms value purchasing products that support a cause. Like Millennials, moms like to be socially engaged through the Internet via mobile devices – another reason why a social networking strategy should be in place for any quick serve restaurant.

Read more about these two target markets here.

Is Your Restaurant Set up for Quick Service?

So are you tapping into this market? Do you have a strategy in place to service these moms and Millennials? Is your restaurant set up to be discovered on Google Maps, Foursquare, and other search apps? Both of these target markets primarily use their cell phone to find fast service on the go.  In order to provide this service, do you have dedicated systems and service stations set up within your restaurant(s)? If you’d like professional assistance with this, please contact Synergy.

We often speak about trends among the Millennials. It’s hard to ignore this segment—after all, this is a generation that is 75 million strong in America. By 2019, Millennials are expected to outnumber Baby Boomers. Restaurant operators need to take particular care to attract and sustain this important cohort. Millennials are driving dining trends including the growing off-premise segment.

According to ROTH Capital Partners’ 2018-2019 Millennial Survey, they found that:

• Millennials believe the economy will be the same or better next year
• More than half have decreased their social media usage over the last year
• Only 26% of Millennials would prefer not to share personal information for a more tailored experience
• Two-thirds of Millennials prefer to research significant purchases online, but 57% still prefer in-store transactions
• 27% of Millennials are comfortable purchasing groceries online
• 62% of Millennials are Amazon Prime members
• More than one-third of Millennials have an Amazon Echo, Google Home, or similar product and 24% of those use them to regularly make purchases
• 15% Millennials have used virtual reality (“VR”) to evaluate furniture purchases, while 16% have used “virtual mirrors” to try on makeup or clothing
• More than half of Millennials belong to traditional fitness clubs while 28% attend classes at boutiques
• Climbing, hiking, yoga, and cycling are among the most popular fitness activities for Millennials

You can read the full report by requesting the survey here.

These key findings tell us several things: Millennials are optimistic regarding the economy; they like and are open to technology when it comes to making purchases and decisions; they are health-conscious, and they enjoy convenience. What, as restaurant owners and operators, can we learn from this? For one, is your menu reflective of the Millennial values? Are you offering healthy dishes? Are your marketing strategies using technology to help attract this segment? How is your brand resonating with this crowd?

There are many actions you can employ to ensure you’re catering to Millennials. For more information or help on your restaurant strategy, please contact Synergy.

If there’s one buzzword in the marketing space, it’s “Millennials.’” They are now the largest generation in the U.S. workforce and recognized as the “most populous, educated and diverse generation in American history.” CMO Council states that 87% of millennials always have their smartphones by their side, so when you hear that part of your social media marketing strategy should include Snapchat, listen up! The wildly popular messaging app is becoming an integral part of a wide variety of major restaurant concepts‘ marketing plans.

1)   Sneak peaks: Have an LTO or new menu item? Tease your Snapchat followers with hints that will keep them engaged and guessing until you make the official announcement. Look at how Taco Bell used Snapchat to reintroduce their Beefy Crunch Burrito.

2)   Endorsements: Do you have the budget to bring on a celebrity? Using them in your Snaps can give a great boost in spreading your message. Note McDonald’s featuring LeBron James on the Snapchat.

3)   Promotions, coupons and giveaways: There’s probably no better way to engage with your audience than with a giveaway—who doesn’t love free food? You can run a variety of contests on Snapchat: Try a scavenger hunt, a photo/doodle challenge of guests eating your food, or a trivia competition based on clues from your Snaps. Check out how McDondald’s used Snapchat for their promotion.

4)   Send special updates and reminders: Keep your Snapchat audience engaged by sending reminders of any existing promotions or specials you have for the day.

Need a primer on how to actually use Snapchat? Check out this handy YouTube video to learn the basics.

Snapchat photo credit: license CC by SA 2.0

After several years of reduced traffic, restaurant owners are searching for ways to drive Millennials back into their establishments. Millennials, those aged 18-34, represent a large market segment but have reduced their restaurant visits and spent more time eating at home in the past few years. Many restaurants recognize this problem and are adapting their strategies in order to regain the lost traffic. According to a new study from the NPD Group, the following dining elements are most important to Millennials:

• Unique dining experiences
• Friendly service
• Fresh ingredients

Sizzler and LYFE Kitchen are two brands that have done an exceptional job in adapting to the preferences of Millennials. Sizzler, known for its appeal to families and seniors, recognized the influential power of Millennials and revamped the menu accordingly. Not only did they conduct research studies to discover Millennial taste preferences, they also hired Millennials for top positions in their marketing and R&D departments. This resulted in the opening of a new concept, Sizzler Market Grill, which offers premium ingredients, salad ‘mixologists’, and open seating areas, all of which create the unique dining experience that Millennials crave.

LYFE Kitchen, the California-based ‘flexitarian’ fast-casual concept, is passionate about their appeal to Millennials. When opening new units, the chain pinpoints areas with a high density of young people and chooses their locations accordingly. Their next step in appealing to Millennials is the release of their new loyalty app, MY Life, this September.

For more information, read the entire article here.

Please contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants for help with appealing to Millennials and driving traffic to your establishments.