The Grocery Aisle Is Not One Demographic: Baby Boomers Put the Wrench in the Favorite-Grocer List

 

Why Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z Can Walk Into the Same Grocery Store Looking for Four Different Things. Leave it to Baby Boomers to say, “Ah, not so fast.”

A new look at grocery-store preferences by generation demonstrates something food marketers have known for years but too often forget: there is no such thing as the American grocery shopper. There are American grocery shoppers according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

And they are not necessarily shopping for the same reasons, responding to the same messages, discovering food in the same places or defining value the same way.

The latest YouGov grocery research provides an excellent example. Overall, Aldi ranked No. 1 in the referenced study, while the generations disagreed about their favorite grocers. Millennials and Generation X put Aldi at the top, while Baby Boomers selected Trader Joe's.

That difference is not a footnote.

It is the story.

Food retailers and food marketers that lump four generations into one demographic are potentially marketing to an imaginary consumer.

The four major generations—Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z—may share the same grocery aisle, but they don't necessarily share the same shopping journey.

And the data from 2024, 2025 and 2026 makes that increasingly clear.

1. BABY BOOMERS: TRUST, VALUE AND THE POWER OF THE FAMILIAR

Baby Boomers deserve to go first because they are the demographic that most clearly demonstrates why brand trust still matters.

In YouGov's 2025 grocery research, Baby Boomers were particularly responsive to special offers: 84.7% said they are always on the lookout for special offers, compared with 80.5% of consumers overall. At the same time, 74.7% said they are usually looking for the lowest prices.

But Boomers aren't simply "cheap shoppers."

In fact, the same research showed that Boomers were more loyal to their primary store than younger consumers. Research from RRD found 61% of Baby Boomers said they tend to stay loyal to the store they shop at most often, compared with 55% overall.

That is important.

Price matters. Value matters. But trust can turn value into loyalty.

The 2026 YouGov research on brand values makes that even more compelling. Among Baby Boomers, 84% said honesty is the most important brand value, compared with 66% of Gen Z. Across all Americans, honesty and trustworthiness ranked as the two most important brand values.

And Boomers aren't technologically disconnected shoppers, either.

FMI reported in 2024 that 57% of Boomers use smartphones to look for grocery deals, while 52% use digital coupons.

So the stereotype of the Boomer who simply walks into the neighborhood supermarket and buys the same brands every week is increasingly outdated.

The better description is:

A value-conscious, trust-sensitive shopper who is perfectly willing to use technology—but doesn't necessarily need technology to discover everything.

FMI's 2026 beverage research found that 41% of Boomers discover new beverages through in-store shelf signage and 35% simply notice products while shopping.

For Boomers, the store itself remains a media channel.

That helps explain why Trader Joe's can resonate differently with Boomers than Aldi does with younger generations. The issue isn't simply price. It can be the combination of familiarity, perceived authenticity, discovery, product uniqueness and trust.

 

2. GENERATION X: THE VALUE-HUNTING BRIDGE GENERATION

Generation X may be the most interesting demographic sitting between the traditional supermarket shopper and the digitally enabled consumer.

YouGov's 2025 data found 78% of Gen X shoppers said they are usually looking for the lowest prices, the highest percentage among the four generations in that measurement. And 82.1% said they are always on the lookout for special offers.

Gen X also isn't waiting for the retailer to tell them where the deal is.

FMI's 2024 research found 67% of Gen X shoppers use smartphones to look for deals, while 66% use digital coupons.

That creates an important marketing lesson:

Gen X can be reached digitally, but the message still has to make economic sense.

They are also highly capable of switching among channels.

The 2025 grocery research showed consumers increasingly shop multiple retailers to optimize value, while FMI reported that 44% of shoppers were shopping at multiple stores to obtain the best value.

For Gen X, the grocery store is less likely to be a single destination and more likely to be part of a shopping portfolio.

 

3. MILLENNIALS: PRICE IS IMPORTANT, BUT VALUE HAS MORE DIMENSIONS

Millennials are where traditional food marketing gets particularly complicated.

They are highly price-conscious—but price isn't necessarily the entire definition of value.

The 2024 FMI research found that shoppers increasingly define value beyond price and quality to include relevance, convenience and experience.

And Millennials are particularly open to switching.

RRD's 2024 research found 50% of Millennials were willing to change stores for greater savings, compared with 45% overall.

That matters enormously to legacy brands.

A 30-year relationship with a retailer or food brand doesn't automatically protect it when consumers can discover another product, another retailer or another price with a few taps.

The 2025 EY Future Consumer Index found that U.S. consumers were increasingly prioritizing price and quality over brand familiarity. The same research found that 55% of consumers who try private-label products eventually switch back to national brands—but nearly half of those returning cite better quality, taste or performance.

That tells food marketers something important:

Private label isn't merely a cheap substitute anymore.

It can become a legitimate competitor to the national brand on the very dimensions—quality, taste and performance—that legacy brands traditionally used to defend their premium.

 

4. GENERATION Z: DISCOVERY HAS LEFT THE AISLE

If Baby Boomers demonstrate the continuing power of trust and in-store discovery, Gen Z demonstrates what happens when discovery begins before the shopping trip.

FMI's 2024 research found Gen Z shoppers were significantly more likely than average to seek additional information about products and stores before shopping. Forty-five percent of Gen Z used their phones to make grocery lists, compared with 29% overall.

By 2026, the behavior had accelerated.

FMI reported that 92% of Gen Z beverage shoppers use social media to discover new beverages, with 58% using TikTok and 55% Instagram.

And FMI's broader 2026 grocery research found that Gen Z shoppers visit an average of 6.7 retailers per month, more than any other generation. Nine out of 10 use at least one digital tool to plan grocery trips.

That is not traditional brand loyalty.

That is continuous discovery.

The product doesn't necessarily have to be discovered on the shelf. It can be discovered through a recipe, creator, social video, search result, AI tool, friend, review or digital promotion—and then purchased somewhere else.

The implications for legacy food brands are enormous.

 

BUT HERE IS THE BIG DEMOGRAPHIC COMMON DENOMINATOR: PRICE MATTERS TO EVERYBODY

This is where the data gets particularly interesting.

Food marketers sometimes talk about younger shoppers as though they are driven by experiences while older shoppers are driven by price.

The data doesn't support such a simple division.

Price matters across generations.

YouGov's 2025 grocery research found that 75.9% of U.S. consumers said they are usually looking for the lowest prices. The generational numbers were:

·       Gen X: 78.0%

·       Millennials: 75.7%

·       Gen Z: 76.4%

·       Baby Boomers: 74.7%

That's remarkably close.

And FMI's 2026 research reinforces the point: low pricing was the most frequently cited influential factor in choosing a grocery store, at 71%. Seventy-three percent of consumers reported adopting new shopping habits during the previous year to cope with rising costs, while 42% regularly visited multiple grocery stores to find lower prices.

So, yes:

Food discovery matters to every generation.

Price matters to every generation.

But how consumers discover and how they define value can be radically different.

That is the demographic opportunity.

 

FOOD DISCOVERY IS UNIVERSAL—THE DISCOVERY ENGINE IS NOT

This may be one of the most important findings for food marketers.

The consumer wants discovery.

But the discovery mechanism changes with age.

Boomer discovery:
Shelf signage, in-store merchandising, familiarity, trusted recommendations and the physical shopping experience.

Gen X discovery:
In-store merchandising combined with digital coupons, smartphone research, promotions and practical value.

Millennial discovery:
Digital information, social media, convenience, recommendations, price comparison, new products and experiences.

Gen Z discovery:
Social media, TikTok, Instagram, creators, digital communities, recipes, reviews, AI and peer recommendations.

FMI's 2026 research says shoppers still visit stores because they want to select products themselves: 48% said that is what they would miss most if they couldn't grocery shop in person. Discovery itself was cited by 17%.

So the physical store isn't dead.

Digital discovery simply means the shopping journey starts earlier.

 

TRUST MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT WORD IN FOOD MARKETING IN 2026

Now comes the bigger issue.

TRUST.

YouGov's 2026 research found that 74% of Americans consider honesty an important brand value and 71% cite trustworthiness, while 60% value consistency between what a brand says and what it does.

For Baby Boomers, trust is even more powerful.

But trust isn't simply an emotional concept.

In food marketing, trust can mean:

Is the price honest?

Is the package honest?

Is the portion honest?

Is the promotion honest?

Is the food what the brand says it is?

Is the quality consistent?

Is the retailer treating the shopper fairly?

And in today's economic environment, consumers are scrutinizing those questions more closely.

FMI's 2025 research found 70% of shoppers were extremely or very worried about rising grocery prices, while 44% were shopping multiple stores to find better value. Another FMI report said 90% of shoppers expressed concern about rising food prices and 78% were concerned about the impact of tariffs.

That is where economic uncertainty and government-policy uncertainty intersect with brand value.

Consumers don't need a political lecture from a food brand.

They need something much more basic:

Tell me what it costs. Tell me what I'm getting. Give me a fair value. And then deliver what you promised.

That is trust.

 

LEGACY BRANDS: THE REAL RISK ISN'T THAT CONSUMERS HATE YOU

The real risk is that consumers no longer need you.

For decades, legacy food brands benefited from familiarity.

Consumers knew the name.

They knew the package.

They knew where to find it.

They knew what it tasted like.

They trusted it.

But today's consumer has dramatically more opportunities to discover alternatives.

FMI's 2026 private-brand research found that 92% of U.S. grocery shoppers currently have store-brand products in their homes, while private-brand dollar sales increased 2.8% year over year, ahead of national-brand growth. Nearly half of shoppers increased their private-brand purchases during the previous year.

That changes the competitive equation.

The question for a legacy brand is no longer:

"Does the consumer know us?"

The consumer probably does.

The better question is:

"Why should the consumer choose us today?"

That's a very different marketing question.

And the answer can't simply be:

"Because we've been around for 75 years."

 

THE GROCERANT GURU® VIEW: THERE ARE NO DEMOGRAPHIC SILOS IN THE CONSUMER'S MIND

From my perspective as the Grocerant Guru®, the biggest mistake food marketers can make is assuming that demographic differences mean consumers live in separate marketing silos.

They don't.

A 72-year-old Baby Boomer may buy a prepared meal at a grocery store.

A 45-year-old Gen Xer may grab dinner at a convenience store.

A 34-year-old Millennial may order restaurant delivery and pick up groceries on the same trip.

A 22-year-old Gen Zer may discover a food product on TikTok, compare its price online and buy it at a mass retailer.

That's the Grocerant consumer.

The consumer doesn't care which organizational silo produced the food.

They care about price, quality, taste, convenience, portability, discovery, trust and the experience.

And that means the real competition isn't simply Kroger versus Aldi or Trader Joe's versus Whole Foods.

It is every food occasion competing for the consumer's next food dollar.

Three Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

1. DEMOGRAPHICS MATTER—BUT CONSUMER OCCASIONS MATTER MORE.

Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z clearly behave differently. But they can all want the same thing at 6:00 p.m.: "What's for dinner?"

The winning retailer or foodservice operator will understand the demographic without allowing the demographic to become a silo.

2. PRICE GETS YOU INTO THE CONSIDERATION SET. TRUST KEEPS YOU THERE.

The data shows that price matters across generations. But price alone is not a sustainable brand strategy.

Consumers increasingly want proof that the value equation is fair: price + quality + convenience + experience + trust.

3. LEGACY FOOD BRANDS SHOULD STOP MARKETING TO THEIR HISTORY AND START MARKETING TO THE CONSUMER'S PRESENT.

Your brand's history may explain why consumers know you.

It doesn't necessarily explain why they should buy you tomorrow.

In an environment of economic uncertainty, expanding private label, digital discovery, AI-assisted shopping and increasingly sophisticated consumers, trust has to be earned at every transaction.

The grocery consumer isn't disappearing.

The old definition of the grocery consumer is.

And that may be the most important demographic fact in food marketing today.

 

Success Leaves Clues—Are You Ready to Find Yours?

One key insight that continues to drive success is this: "The consumer is dynamic, not static." This principle is the foundation of our work at Foodservice Solutions®, where Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, has been helping brands stay relevant in an ever-evolving market.

Want to strengthen your brand’s connection with today’s consumers? Let’s talk. Call 253-759-7869 for more information.

Stay Ahead of the Competition with Fresh Ideas

Is your food marketing keeping up with tomorrow’s trends—or stuck in yesterday’s playbook? If you're ready for fresh ideations that set your brand apart, we’re here to help.

At Foodservice Solutions®, we specialize in consumer-driven retail food strategies that enhance convenience, differentiation, and individualization—key factors in driving growth.

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Chickahhhn! When Chicken, Hip-Hop and Culture Become Ingredients in a Winning Food Marketing Strategy

 

What happens when a restaurant brand stops simply advertising its food and starts becoming part of the culture its customers enjoy? Well here is what Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® thinks.

You get something a little different from a traditional chicken commercial. You get music, nostalgia, social conversation, community participation and, hopefully, a reason for consumers to choose your restaurant.

Church’s Texas Chicken is taking that approach with its new original Southern hip-hop song and music video, “Chickahhhn,” featuring Memphis rapper Project Pat and Lil’ Lucky.

From the perspective of the Grocerant Guru®, this is more than a clever promotional campaign. It is an example of customer-focused, interactive and participatory food marketing. Church’s is attempting to connect its food with something consumers already enjoy: music, cultural identity, shared memories and entertainment.

That distinction matters.

Consumers do not spend their entire day thinking about restaurant brands. They spend time listening to music, watching videos, sharing social content, talking with friends and participating in cultural experiences. Food marketers who understand those behaviors have an opportunity to make their brands part of the conversation rather than interrupt it.

The objective is no longer simply to get consumers to see an advertisement. It is to give them something they want to experience, share and talk about.

The smartest ingredient: Church’s listened to its customers

One of the most interesting aspects of “Chickahhhn” is how the idea originated.

This was not simply a marketing department deciding that hip-hop might appeal to chicken customers. The campaign began with Lil’ Lucky creating his own Church’s-inspired version of Project Pat’s 2001 hit, “Chickenhead,” featuring Three 6 Mafia and La Chat.

That social media moment attracted the attention of Project Pat and Church’s creative agency, Brunner. Rather than ignore the organic conversation, Church’s recognized an opportunity and helped turn it into an official collaboration.

Fried Chicken, Biscuits & Sides+1

That is an important marketing lesson.

Listen first. Participate second. Promote third.

Consumers are increasingly capable of creating brand-related entertainment themselves. They remix, review, parody, photograph, record and share their experiences. When a retailer or restaurant recognizes that participation and responds authentically, it can turn a customer-created moment into a much larger brand experience.

Church’s also made several smart creative decisions:

·       Cultural relevance: Project Pat brings an established Memphis and Southern hip-hop identity to the campaign.

·       Nostalgia: The vintage Church’s logo, classic cars and throwback styling connect with consumers who remember earlier eras of the brand.

·       New talent: Lil’ Lucky represents the emerging creator who helped spark the original conversation.

·       Food identity: The campaign keeps chicken at the center rather than allowing the entertainment to completely overshadow the product.

·       Community connection: The brand positions music as a way to bring people together, extending its relationship with customers beyond the transaction.

This is what I call participatory food marketing: creating an experience in which customers can become part of the brand conversation instead of remaining passive advertising audiences.

Proven examples: Food brands are becoming entertainment brands

Church’s is not alone. Several restaurant brands are recognizing that entertainment can create additional opportunities for consumer engagement.

1. KFC: Finger Lickin' Machine

2026

KFC released an original track, “Finger Lickin’ Machine,” with a music video featuring Colonel Sanders. Importantly, the campaign connected entertainment to its Value Feast offerings, including $7, $9 and $11 meal options.

This is a useful example because the music does not exist in isolation. It supports a specific value proposition and gives consumers something entertaining to associate with the food offer.

Restaurant Business Online+1

2. Wendy’s: Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot

2026

Wendy’s released an original emo-style album with songs built around recognizable restaurant and relationship experiences.

The strategy is interesting because Wendy’s is not simply placing its logo beside popular music. It is creating branded entertainment with a personality of its own. Consumers can discover and share the content without first being interested in a traditional restaurant advertisement.

EMARKETER+1

3. Chipotle: From Ground to Sound

2026

Chipotle partnered with the London Vegetable Orchestra to record an original composition using instruments made from vegetables featured in its restaurants.

Corn, peppers, avocado pits, lettuce and onions became part of the musical experience. The idea connects food ingredients with creativity, sustainability storytelling and brand recognition.

It is an imaginative way to make ingredients themselves part of the entertainment.

PR Newswire+1

4. KFC and Spotify: Entertainment that can move customers into restaurants

There is also measurable evidence that music-related marketing can do more than generate views.

In a Spotify advertising case study, KFC promoted a free Cinnabon Dessert Biscuits offer with the purchase of a 10-piece meal. The campaign reportedly generated 85,000 store visits and a 17% lift in in-store visitation, 3.4 times the QSR benchmark cited in the case study.

That is an important distinction: this was an audio advertising and promotional offer campaign, not an original-song campaign. Nevertheless, it demonstrates how music environments, relevant food offers and convenient purchase opportunities can work together to encourage actual restaurant visits.

Spotify Advertising

The lesson is straightforward: entertainment can earn attention, but connecting that attention to an actionable food offer creates an opportunity to convert engagement into sales.

The Grocerant connection: Don't stop at the song

Here is where I believe Church’s and other restaurant operators can take this strategy further.

Food marketing should not end when the music video ends.

Consumers move between restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, delivery platforms and prepared-food departments without necessarily thinking about the traditional boundaries separating those channels.

They want food that fits their schedules, budgets, flavor preferences and social occasions.

That is the Grocerant Niche opportunity.

Imagine Church’s extending “Chickahhhn” into a complete consumer participation platform:

·       Social media: Invite customers to create their own dance videos, food reactions and family chicken-meal moments using the campaign's original sound.

·       In-store experiences: Host local Chickahhhn nights featuring regional DJs, community artists and customer-generated content.

·       Meal bundles: Create family chicken meal deals that connect the campaign to a clear Price, Time and Flavor proposition.

·       Hand-Held Marketing: Put QR codes on takeout packaging, receipts and promotional materials that lead directly to the music video, playlist or customer challenge.

·       Community participation: Give emerging local artists opportunities to perform, collaborate and gain exposure through restaurant-based events.

·       Cross-channel engagement: Make the campaign relevant to dine-in, takeout, drive-thru and delivery customers, not just those who visit a restaurant for the entertainment.

The important point is to give consumers a reason to participate and a reason to purchase.

A music video can generate awareness. A customer challenge can generate participation. A compelling meal deal can generate transactions. A memorable restaurant experience can generate repeat visits.

These are different marketing jobs, and the strongest campaigns connect them.

Measuring more than views and likes

Restaurant executives should resist the temptation to declare a campaign successful simply because a video attracts attention.

The real test is whether that attention creates measurable customer behavior.

Church’s should be evaluating:

1.       Video views, completion rates and repeat listening.

2.       Customer-created videos, shares and organic mentions.

3.       QR-code scans and visits to campaign landing pages.

4.       Redemption of campaign-related offers and meal bundles.

5.       Incremental restaurant traffic and transaction counts.

6.       Average check and repeat purchase behavior.

7.       Participation and engagement in local communities.

There is also an important distinction between organic engagement and paid media exposure. A million impressions purchased through advertising are not necessarily equivalent to a million consumers choosing to share something because they genuinely enjoy it.

The objective should be to earn attention, encourage participation and connect both to a profitable food purchase.

Three Grocerant Guru® insights

1. Stop interrupting culture. Start participating in it.

Consumers don't need another restaurant advertisement telling them how good the chicken is. They need reasons to connect with a brand emotionally, socially and experientially. Church’s recognized a consumer-created social media moment and turned it into an opportunity. That is customer listening translated into marketing action.

2. Entertainment earns attention; food delivers the transaction.

A catchy song may get consumers talking, but the food, price, convenience and overall experience must close the deal. Connect cultural marketing to meal bundles, takeout, delivery and family occasions. Remember the Grocerant Guru's Price + Quality + Social + Portability = Value equation.

3. The next competitive advantage is consumer participation across channels.

Restaurants, grocery retailers and convenience stores should all be thinking about how customers can participate in their brands. Music, creators, social challenges, local events and interactive packaging can connect consumers to prepared meals wherever they shop. Don't think in channels. Think in consumer occasions.

The bottom line: Church’s Texas Chicken has an interesting opportunity with “Chickahhhn.” It has taken chicken, Southern hip-hop, nostalgia and a consumer-created social media moment and combined them into something bigger than a conventional food advertisement.

The Grocerant Guru® sees this as a reminder that successful food marketing is evolving. Consumers don't simply want to be marketed to. They want to be included, entertained, recognized and invited to participate.

The brands that understand that distinction will have an opportunity to earn more than a moment of attention. They can earn a place in consumers' conversations, purchasing decisions and everyday food experiences.

That's food marketing with a cultural beat and a commercial purpose.

Steven Johnson is the Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, Washington-based Foodservice Solutions®. Foodservice Solutions® identified and coined the Grocerant Niche in 1996 and continues to champion the intersection of retail foodservice, prepared foods and evolving consumer behavior.