Though the focus on more recent generations has been widely publicized as part of food franchise demographics and marketing plans, the age group from 55 – 64 is receiving more attention for its surpassing support of the food industry. Beyond the millennial crowd, food industry professionals are taking notice of who eats out and why, which is changing how major restaurateurs are reaching out to potential customers of the baby boomer crowd.
Some of the key aspects of those aged 55 – 64 in relation to food industry statistics:
- This crowd eats to indulge and celebrate, having visited restaurants 220 times last year on average, surpassing other age groups
- Retirement, children moved out of the home, convenience, and simplicity make eating out especially appealing for this lot of consumers
- While younger generations may suffer from economic limitations that inhibit eating out and promote home cooked meals, the baby boomer generation apparently isn’t facing this same issue as intensely, which means more trips to eat out are possible on any given week
- Eating out has become even more common among this generation due to increasingly available food choices outside of the home as compared to previous retirement age generations
- Menu offerings that focus on health and alternatives to main stream ingredients can attract those of this generation interested in maintaining a healthier diet, even while eating out
- The most popular fast food restaurant with baby boomers is Subway, according to YouGov BrandIndex, which highlights the real demand for a choice-intensive menu that can be customized and that features healthier eating options
- Attracting more baby boomer customers means revamping restaurants for comfort, making ordering more efficient, even aside from a focus on the technology that younger generations may be more familiar with, by considering the potential needs of customers of this generation
More than ever food industry leaders are on the lookout for ways to modify their approach to customer service to boost the appeal of their particular eatery. This means adjusting menus, interior design, and ingredients to better accommodate the needs of various generations, particularly those supporting local restaurants, by remaining conscious of changes in trends. Whether the focus is on millennial or baby boomer customers, trends will consistently change to reflect how U.S. consumers are dealing with economic shifts, which certainly affect the food franchise industry.