Millennial Marketing for Restaurants

Marketing to Millennials is a huge undertaking and requires consideration. As a generation, Millennials are more likely to be computer savvy, to have disposable income and to be more decisive when it comes to food than their parents’ generations. Currently, Millennials are the largest consumer generation group in the United States, comprising age groups ranging from eighteen to thirty-four. They are spending money, although they are doing it more carefully and basing their decisions on several factors. Instead of using the desire to eat or hunger as a driving factor, Millennials are more likely to consider a restaurant’s brand value as well as their impact on society and the environment.

Millennials want restaurants that cater not only to their food choices, but also bring value to their community and make responsible choices in their food sourcing and preparation. It can be hard for a restaurant to formulate a marketing plan that caters to Millennials, but their collective spending power certainly can’t be ignored.

At TRG, we’ve found a few absolutes to remember when you are marketing to Millennials:

•    When marketing to Millennials, you must be online. 58% of Millennials get their news on Facebook you can bet they are getting restaurant recommendations or checking out your Facebook page while online.[i]

•    26% of Millennials are using Instagram to get news or information on a daily basis.[ii] TRG has found that Instagram is a great marketing resource for restaurants to showcase their venue, food, fans and brand. If you are marketing to Millennials, it’s a natural fit.

•    Social media is more likely to influence Millennials’ grocery buying behavior and it’s a logical extension to assume it will influence their overall food buying behavior.[iii]

When you are marketing to Millennials, social media needs to be at the heart of your marketing plan. The facts cannot be ignored. Millennials are using Facebook to invite friends out to dinner with them, posting pictures of their meals on Instagram, and using Yelp to choose the best restaurants. Having a large Millennial customer base helps increase the overall sphere of influence for any restaurant; Millennials are known for having a larger friend base and are considered influential among their peers.[iv]

As you are planning your marketing to Millennials, you may find that bringing in a restaurant consultant is helpful, simply because there’s so much to keep in mind. As more of this generation transitions into parenthood, they are more likely to look for restaurants that can provide a great kid-friendly atmosphere, while still taking care of the adults’ needs. Millennials are curious about where their food comes from. They are more likely to patronize establishments that source food locally. They want to know about your social values and responsibility, how are you giving back to your community? Millennials love restaurants that are all about the whole experience. In other words, if a restaurant is serving great food out of a “dive or hole in the wall”, everyone they know on social media is going to know about it before the meal is over. It is essential to be able to provide Millennials with the experience they’re looking for. TRG helps local restaurants create the perfect vibe for millennials through branding, quality control, layout, design and even serviceware selection. As restaurant consultants, we can help you offer the perfect experience to your millennial customers; one they’ll be happy to Instagram!