Dinners That Delight: How Tech Enhances, Not Replaces, Social Dining for Young Adults

 

In today's fast-paced world, where "What's for dinner?" often starts with a phone swipe, technology undeniably impacts dining decisions. But a recent study by the Culinary Visions Panel's Mindful Dining Initiative reveals a surprising truth: young adults (Gen Z and Millennials) crave both convenience and human connection when dining out.

Key Takeaways:

·         Technology as a Time-Saver: Younger diners appreciate tech that streamlines the ordering process. Nearly half (48%) prefer kiosks or apps for speed, highlighting their comfort with technology.

·         Human Touch Still Reigns: Despite their tech-savviness, young adults (64%) value personalized service. A friendly server who remembers their name goes a long way!

·         Sharing is Caring (and Posting): Dining is a social experience for young adults. They're influenced by friends' orders (50%) and enjoy sharing photos on social media (nearly 60%). Food becomes a way to connect and create shareable moments.

What This Means for Restaurants:

·         Offer Tech Options, But Prioritize Service: Provide self-ordering kiosks or apps, but ensure staff remains attentive and welcoming.

·         Create Instagrammable Moments: Think unique plating, interesting decor, or designated photo areas to cater to the social media-savvy crowd.

·         Facilitate Group Dining: Consider larger tables or communal seating to encourage interaction and sharing.

The Bottom Line:

Technology is a tool, not a replacement for human connection. By embracing tech while prioritizing excellent service and a social atmosphere, restaurants can create dining experiences young adults will love – and share with the world.

Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced business development. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities or a new menu product segment and brand and menu integration strategy.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Nontraditional Food Channels Are Growing and Disruptive

The consumer is dynamic not static.  According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® when the consumer moves food retailers must move with them or risk losing market share. 

The ‘playing field’ is different that it was in 1960, 1980, 2,000. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics US Households had 2.52 people in 2019, 128.58 us households in 2019 with 34.51 million 2 person and 36.48 with one person. Now stop here and think. The fast is 70.99% of all US household is comprised of one or two people.  Are you selling mix & match meal components for one or two people?

Is it any wonder that within the restaurant sector that QSR’s and Fast Casual transaction represented 83.4% of all restaurant industry transaction in 2019? Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepare food continue to drive growth.  Is your brand evolving with consumers?

Recently, Pentallect estimated that the nontraditional food channels currently account for $210 billion in consumer expenditures, and projects 7% annual growth for these channels over the next five years, versus 3.5% for foodservice and 1% for traditional retail, which encompasses supermarkets, supercenters, mass/drug, and dollar stores. The nontraditional channels are projected account for 30% of food industry growth over the next five years.

Battle for Share of Stomach

Bob Goldin, a Pentallect partner and co-author of the study, noted that “nontraditional channels represent a ‘sweet spot’ in the food and beverage industry. Their growth is based upon strong consumer appeal and generally favorable business models. Without question, they demand increased attention from suppliers.”

Pentallect President Rob Veidenheimer observed that “each of the channels has unique consumer appeal and continues to evolve at a very rapid rate. We have studied these channels closely over the past several years and see them as significant share gainers for the foreseeable future.”

Legacy grocery stores continue to have close stores with new smaller footprint food retailers stepping up to replace them.  The restaurant sector customer migration to the fast food and fresh food fast concepts has been disruptive.  What’s next?  Well our Grocerant Guru® has been tracking this sector longer than anyone else, has the pulse of the consumer.  This is a global trend is your brand evolving the touchpoints and attributes driving consumer today?  

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, local educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson 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. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call 1-253-759-7869

Partnerships Power Peapod

Time and time again our own Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson based in Tacoma, WA with Foodservice Solutions® articulates how partnerships drive sales creating a new platform, new electricity, to garner attention, drive sales and edify legacy brands. 

Now picking up on success clues left by our Grocerant Guru® Peapod created a new Fast Pho meal kit is the result of a collaboration between the e-grocer and food writer Mark Bittman. In fact, Peapod has formed a partnership with influential food writer Mark Bittman, author of the new cookbook “Dinner for Everyone.”

Peapod will be spotlighting several of Bittman’s recipes in a shoppable, click-to-cart format, in addition to an exclusive meal kit, Fast Pho, a Vietnamese-inspired dish with pre-measured fresh ingredients, available in serving sizes for two or four.

Bittman, sounding a lot like our Grocerant Guru® as regular reader of this blog will notice asked  “The inevitable, daily question, ‘What's for dinner?’ is one that everyone has asked themselves more times than they can count,”. “I want cooking dinner at home to make people happy, not stressed, and Peapod gets that, too. Cooking – and likewise shopping for the ingredients – doesn't have to be tedious or time-consuming, and I'm excited to share this Fast Pho meal kit in partnership with Peapod that proves exactly that.”

According to Peapod’s third annual meal-planning forecast, 77 percent of Americans say they would rather eat a homemade meal than go out for dinner, and more than 40 percent of Americans value meal kits as a tool to make cooking at home easier, with other welcomed shortcuts including pre-measured ingredients and grocery delivery.

Spencer Baird, SVP of merchandising at Peapod,  stated  “we work to simplify grocery shopping, menu planning and meal time,” said  “Meal kits allow us to introduce shoppers to inspired international flavors and dishes without any intimidation, as every ingredient is selected and packed ready-to-cook. The partnership with Mark and collaboration on the meal kit is another way we want to support making dinner time enjoyable and approachable for shoppers.” Are you looking a customer ahead building new electricity for you business?

According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new menu related products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, plant based  foods,  sampling, toy’s, beer, developing brands, unique urban clothing, grocerant positioning, Fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different

For international corporate presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson 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. For more information visit www.GrocerantGuru.com , www.FoodserviceSolutions.us or call 1-253-759-7869

At Convenience Stores Fresh Food Drives Sales

Success does leave clues, recently we learned that “28 percent of all shoppers said their primary purchase during their in-store shopping occasions at c-stores over the past 12 months was foodservice, that number was even higher for millennials. Thirty-seven percent of millennials said their primary purpose of shopping at a c-store was for foodservice.”

That research was from AlixPartners who pointed out that c-stores need to develop programs for higher volume breakfast, lunch and dinner dayparts, as 40 percent of foodservice shopping occasions were for snacks. Now, think about what is happening within the restaurant sector continued year over year customer count declines.  C-stores are expanding fresh food offerings and restaurants are stuck in a qquagimire of their own making according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

AlixPartners’ Eric Dzwonczyk, co-head of restaurant, hospitality and leisure practice stated “In the past, ‘convenience’ was the differentiator for c-stores, but there has been a lot of blurring across the channels when it comes to convenience,” …“Despite their gains against fast food and fast casual, c-stores must accept that these channels are not sitting still. Innovative c-stores will be able to stay a step ahead with pre-made foods, healthier menu options and even offering delivery. In fact, this year, we’re seeing many of the middle-tier c-store players also pursuing these innovations.”

With IN C-Stores READY-TO-EAT PREFERRED OVER MADE-TO-ORDER

“When asked what types of foodservice foods and beverages they are most interested in purchasing from a convenience store, 57 percent said a grab-and-go/serve-yourself beverage, 40 percent said baked goods, 31 percent said hot dogs, and 30 percent said prepackaged cold sandwiches, salads and fruit trays.

Surprisingly only 29 percent said made-to-order sandwiches, salads, etc. Another 28 percent said pizza, and 27 percent said made-to-order beverages, followed by nachos (cited by 20 percent), soup (7 percent) and sushi (4 percent) according to Dzwonczk.  This is good news for the restaurant sector as it provided a platform to drive sales within current menu structure according to Johnson.

High-quality, Ready-2-Eat food is what consumers want, according to the research.  It is important to note that among millennials, made-to-order fares better, with 33 percent of millennial respondents indicating a preference for made-to-order sandwiches, salads, etc., along with 44 percent citing pizza, 36 percent wanting made-to-order beverages, and 8 percent citing sushi.

The Undercurrent commonality is CONSUMERS WANT BETTER-FOR YOU OPTIONS

Half of all respondents said better-for-your options are important to them when choosing a convenience store, up from 46.5 percent a year ago. The top three better-for-your attributes cited were: freshly made in-store, local-sourced/fresh ingredients and low-calorie options.

Thirty percent of all respondents described these options as either “very important” or “extremely important.” In comparison, 40 percent of millennials said better-for-your options are very or extremely important to them.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869

Branded Product Placement Works it’s ‘The Good Place’

Success does leave clues and branded product placement works and it works great when done right according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. Foodservice retailers need to be mindful that digital online advertising while measurable the tried and true old fashion television continues to drive measurable traffic and sales for food retailers.

Last week to celebrate the highly anticipated one-hour season three premiere of “The Good Place,” Pinkberry and Baja Fresh invited fans of the brands and show alike to get into the spirit with delicious frozen yogurt and BOGO burritos.

Pinkberry launched an exciting and buzz-worthy one day activation that is forking awesome. To celebrate the season three premiere of the hit NBC show, Pinkberry served their swirls with forks on Thursday, September 27.

Pinkberry loyalty members will be in the know and could win free rewards by posting photos of the forked swirl on their social accounts. It will have everyone thinking…what the fork, Pinkberry?

Baja Fresh will also be offering their burritos, Buy One, Get One Free all day Thursday, September 27 to celebrate the return of  “The Good Place.” We have spoken to some franchisees who reported a notable sales lift.

Each brand’s product holds special roles in the show. Frozen yogurt is a constant theme throughout the series and Maya Rudolph’s Emmy nominated guest appearance in the episode “The Burrito” is now a fan favorite.

So, how do you plan to edify your brand?  Are you building brand relevance with some of the tried and true methods of advertising? Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations?

Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit:  www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.