Published October 8, 2015

Restaurants Scramble for Millenial Market

New data shows that the Millenial generation, meaning people born between 1982 and 2000, is now the largest demographic group in the U.S. These 83.1 million Americans now represent the primary market that restaurants have to cater to if they want to build a successful present and future. While Millenials cut back on eating out during the recession, they have been coming out to restaurants in droves more recently.

Chains like Chipotle provide the model for what kind of restaurants Millenials gravitate to right now. The chain has a reputation for being fresh and healthy, which gives it an edge over traditional fast food chains that have been losing Millenial customers. The young generation also likes having access to electrical outlets while they dine, and love to share plates with friends. Friday’s took advantage of Millenial tastes with their endless appetizer promotion, which brought young people into the chain in record numbers.

While the data shows that Millenials are eating up fast-casual food now, it remains to be seen how loyal the generation will be when economic times turn tough. Economoic downturns seem to make Millenials stop going out to restaurants, which could make them a fickle source of revenue for the food service industry.

Read the full article here: Millenials are the New Meal Ticket for Restaurants

Link: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/restaurants-hotels/20150928-millennials-are-the-new-meal-tickets-for-restaurants.ece