Millennial Munching: Here’s what they really want

Most savvy foodservice operators know that Millennials are changing the way we think of traditional meal times, driving demand for eating on the go and – yes – all-day breakfast. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, 77% of Millennials say they want restaurants to serve breakfast throughout the day, so it’s no surprise that more and more operators are satisfying their requests.

“Surprise me”
But other research shows that Millennials want more than just convenient foods and meal times. They want to be surprised and delighted, even taken on new food adventures and riveting taste experiences that expand their horizons. According to Technomic, 43% of younger diners prefer restaurants that serve dishes with innovative flavors and ingredients. So the bigger question is, what can foodservice operators do to go beyond all-day breakfast and keep the attention of this foodie generation? Here are some tips:
Create a visual feast – Millennials want to be visually satiated before they ever lift their forks. More so than others, this generation “eats with their eyes” – and uses Instagram and other social media to share photos of their food with their digital circle of friends.
Bring culture to the table – they may not have the means to travel the world, but they expect to have a cultural experience served on their plates so make use of ethnic ingredients and global flavors to serve up an exotic experience.
Flip mealtime traditions – Millennials aren’t chained to eating particular foods at certain times of the day. A burger for breakfast, or breakfast for lunch, isn’t “odd” if it satisfies their appetite for something delightfully different.