Getting to know your customer is not a new concept for restaurant operators, but the generational gaps can be broad, leaving restaurateurs working hard to attract all ages. With Gen Z representing 23 per cent of commercial foodservice visits last year, we’re looking at how they compare to Boomers, an age group that’s considered influential in the modern marketing era.

Let’s first define the age groups: Gen Z-ers were born from 1997 to 2012, while Boomers (previously referred to as Baby Boomers) were born from 1946 to 1964. “Gen Z is the driving force behind many of the biggest trends in foodservice today. They are shaking up the norms set by the Boomers and defining the future of foodservice,” confirms Vince Sgabellone, Foodservice Industry Analyst at Circana.

Traffic talk

In 2024, Gen Z made up 23 per cent of restaurant visits (up about one per cent from the year before), while Boomers accounted for 19 per cent (down about one per cent from the year before). Seven per cent of these visits were delivery orders for Gen Z, while delivery made up only three per cent of Boomer visits.

Where are they visiting? Gen Z-ers are most likely to turn to smaller, emerging QSR chains rather than the biggest chains, as they search for new, exciting, different, and globally inspired food trends. This sector captures 22 per cent of Gen Z visits versus 14 per cent from Boomers.

Gen Z is the most likely to use retail channels for their foodservice visits (convenience/gas stores, grocery stores, department stores), and this is mostly about quick and convenient grab-and-go snacks. Boomers will use these channels just six per cent of the time, while these make up 13 per cent of Gen Z visits. Conversely, Boomers are the most likely to visit FSRs, making up a 32 per cent share of their visits versus just 18 per cent for Gen Z.

On the tech side

It’s no surprise that Gen Z uses their digital devices to place their foodservice orders much more than Boomers (16 per cent versus six per cent). While most of this is generational, it’s also likely related to that FSR frequency.

The younger generation is most likely to order delivery as they enjoy the quick convenience of digital ordering. They are also less likely to have access to a car and thus are accustomed to using delivery to get what they want. This differs greatly from Boomers and their preference for dining in.

What’s trending on menus?

The chicken sandwich craze that began pre-pandemic continues across all cohorts; however, this menu item is twice as popular among Gen Z-ers (ordered in six per cent of visits) as with Boomers (ordered in three per cent of visits). Likely influenced by social media, this item is continuing to grow in popularity with the younger cohort.

Breakfast sandwiches, another popular menu item, are equally popular with both cohorts, ordered during six per cent of visits for Gen Z and seven per cent for Boomers. However, other traditional plated breakfast items like bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns are two to three times more likely to be consumed by Boomers, demonstrating again the difference between the ease of grab-and-go items versus sitting down to a meal.

Beverages are perhaps one of the most divergent trends between these two cohorts. Boomers are all about the brewed coffee; 33 per cent of their foodservice visits include one versus just 20 per cent for Gen Z. The younger generation, however, is all about choice, variety, global flavours, and cold beverages. This age group is driving many of the latest beverage trends, including bottled water, iced/frozen/slush coffee, non-carb beverages (fruit drinks, lemonade, energy drinks), juice, and smoothies.

When we look at spending, Boomers spend the most per visit ($9.14), which is one of the reasons they are still courted by the foodservice industry, and Gen Z spends the least ($7.61), but they’re growing.

Knowing your customer is a vital part of restaurant operations, and these two generations are worth studying for a targeted approach to running your business.

Data sourced from Circana, CREST®, 12 months ending December 2024.

This article was originally published in the Spring/Sumer edition of CRFN Magazine.