Article

6 ways to attract millennials to your restaurant

Attracting this picky generation now — before the stubbornness of old age sets in — is crucial.

February 3, 2016

By Alison Leon, BFS Capital

You got to get 'em while they're young.

The often-fickle, job-hopping Millennial generation is no less frenetic with their choices in restaurants as they are in their choices in careers. So getting them to try your restaurant isn't hard, but getting them to come back might be.

And as a recent Forbes article showed, Millennials have over $200 billion in buying power, and will make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2025. The point is, attracting this picky generation now — before the stubbornness of old age sets in — is crucial.

So how do you do it? Here are 6 ways to attract Millennials to your restaurant:

1. A creative menu
   You don't necessarily have to put unheard-of combinations of ingredients on your menu. But you do need to use more interesting vocabulary in how you describe things. So instead of a "Burger with cheese, tomato, onion and mustard," describe it as "flame-broiled beef chuck/sirloin blend with fresh American cheese, local tomatoes and onions, and Dijon mustard."
2. High-quality ingredients
   Millennials have shown they're willing to pay for quality ingredients. So if you are describing your menu with the verbiage above, make sure that's the true story. Put organic veggies and hormone/antibiotic free meats on your menu, and stress the origins so Millennials know they're buying local.
3. Customization
   You know why every fast casual joint with franchising aspirations calls themselves "The Chipotle of Whatever?" Because that model works. Millennials love creativity, and nothing is more creative than being able to craft your own food. Chains like Counter Burger and Blaze Pizza have successfully banked on this, adding literally millions of combinations of proteins, veggies, cheeses and sauces to their own creations so Millennials can be fully involved in the culinary process. Keep a close eye on food trends to consider for your restaurant.
4. Social media hashtags
   The quickest way to make sure your Millennial customers are promoting your restaurant on social media is by making it easy for them. Put your Twitter, Instagram and other social media handles clearly on every menu, along with any creative hashtags you might want to include.
5. Camera-ready food
   The rise of technology has literally allowed us to share anything with anyone in the world at any given time. And what do most people choose to share? A picture of their lunch. But only if it looks good with an Instagram filter. So while presentation has always been important, you may want to take some shots yourself when preparing dishes to make sure they're the kind of thing that'll get at least, like, 50 likes
6. Tell a story
   For better or for worse, to Millennials a restaurant isn't just a place to eat. It's like a friend you go and visit. And who wants a boring friend? Even if you're a former club DJ who's decided his life’s passion is making donuts (like Mojo Donuts in Pembroke Pines, Florida), let your customers know that. Your brand distinguishes your restaurant from its competitors, so make brand building a priority and a strength of your business. The more they have to say about your restaurant, the more they'll talk about it to their friends, and the more they will drive people to eat with you.

You want your restaurant to stay ahead of your competition, right? Well, keeping the preferences of the next generation of customers in mind is a great place to start. Depending on the type of restaurant business you run, some of these ideas may be a better fit than others. The most important thing is to show that you understand your customers and cater to their wants and needs. If you can do that, then the Millennials that visit your restaurant will eat, drink and be merry.

Alison Leon is Vice President of BFS Capital, a technology-enabled financing platform that provides loans of up to $2 million for small businesses in all 50 states, Canada and the United Kingdom. With more than 15 years of experience working at major banks and other financial institutions, Ms. Leon is an expert on responsible lending and helping the small-business community grow.