Restaurant Hospitality: How Restaurants Can Engage Both Millennials and Baby Boomers

Millennials and baby boomers, the two largest consumer segments, represent an estimated $783 billion in restaurant sales. They share a common love of cuisine and great service. But they want different things from restaurants.

Millennials prefer trendy cuisines. They are drawn to the latest tableside and social-media technologies for communicating with restaurants and receiving marketing messages. In contrast, boomers are more likely to embrace familiar foods and more familiar technologies such as email, according to the 2016 Restaurant Industry Forecast from the National Restaurant Association. The same report finds millennials are anywhere from two to three times more likely than boomers to have used a restaurant electronic ordering tablet or a tableside payment terminal.

The two groups diverge in their approach to restaurant loyalty as well. In one study, 40 percent of millennials say they prefer apps over loyalty cards to interact with restaurant loyalty programs. And they're more likely than boomers to favor loyalty programs that offer a social or competitive component.

How can restaurants cater to both groups, when their behaviors and preferences don't always align?

A few key strategies focused on overall satisfaction and targeted loyalty can bridge the gaps across this broad and valuable customer base, lessening the impact of generational differences.

1. Don’t just cover the basics—take them to a new level

Everyone, regardless of age, appreciates great food, great service and a sense that every restaurant employee—front or back of house—is dedicated to a singularly satisfying dining experience. Delivering on these fundamentals will attract new diners, keep existing diners satisfied and support long-term engagement and advocacy from both groups. According to the NRA, great food that they can't make at home easily is appealing to both groups (67 percent of millennials, 51 percent of boomers).

2. Look to the future and make it mobile

Forty percent of millennials are embracing technology and mobile features for their dining decisions, according to the NRA, while only 26 percent of boomers are doing the same. Make it easy for smartphone-savvy (or less-than-savvy) diners to find information about the establishment, place orders, pay checks and manage their rewards. Mobile capabilities and tools—including a robust and easy-to-use mobile app—are a plus.

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