Does Your Restaurant Appeal to Millennials?

Harkin back when McDonalds & Burger King, 7 Eleven & Sheetz, Bennigans & TGI Fridays, and Kroger & Whole Foods were each simply competing against one another. Today the consumer has ditched traditional loyalty programs, disregards individual food channels, seemingly creating equilibrium in all retail food channels in what is a battle for Share of Stomach according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ Steven Johnson. Those days of ‘channel fights” are all but over the consumer has moved.

An educated, food elevated, and mobile consumer wants the ability to assemble a personal meal, family meal or office party meal from every channel. According to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru™ “ the ability to assemble a meal from Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meal components into a customized, personalized, or special meal simply and fast with little clean-up is the goal”.

Consumers don’t think I am going to a fast casual, full service, or fast food restaurant vs grocery deli, c-store, Ikea, Costco or Grocery Deli. Those channel only battle only occur in the minds-eye of legacy brand managers.   The food universe for the consumer is more immediate I want to eat now! Where am I, What can I get? How fast can I get it? How can I bundle a meal fast and for less?

Restaurants with declining customer counts need to drop brand protection practices of yesterday.  Instead they need to focus on how a brand of tomorrow can be positioned in every retail food channel including new digital points of delivery.  

Nearly nine in 10 (87%) consumers say they have purchased a sandwich away from home in the past two months. While away-from-home sandwich consumption is high, data signals room for operators to increase sandwich sales.

Does your restaurant appeal to Millennials? The generation that includes people in their late teens to their early 30s is one of the most sought-after demographics for almost every type of business. Today companies the ilk of 7-Eleven are targeting Millennials with 8 days of free food offers.  Sure they are fun, snacks and maybe not the best for you but 8 days of discover! 

What new hand held food are you offering and to whom? Are you extending you brand  community and exposing your offerings to a new generation of consumers on the go?

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us  Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. www.FoodserviceSolutions.us