The next generation of diners

There have been countless studies on the dining habits of Millennials, Gen Z, and even the boomers, but the next generation to watch out for is the Alpha generation. Born after 2010, these school-aged customers are growing up tech-focused, globally informed, and have different likes and needs when they visit a restaurant. These factors make […]

Beverage demand from consumers drives takeout and delivery menus

We’ve seen many changes to consumer preferences since the pandemic, and beverage demands are the latest addition to this list, driving a shift in restaurant delivery and takeout menus. With the growth of third-party takeout and delivery orders up 63 per cent from pre-pandemic days, this is an important market to consider. Both alcoholic and […]

Youth Movement: A&W CEO Susan Senecal is ushering a classic Boomer brand into the modern era

By Gregory Furgala If you live in a major city in Canada, you might’ve noticed that, a few years ago, new A&W restaurants started popping up downtown. They looked polished. Tall refrigerators chilled and displayed A&W’s iconic glass root beer mug; messaging on the walls spoke to A&W Canada’s new ingredients guarantee, which promised hormone […]

It’s Always Snack Time: Lunch is giving way to all-day grazing

By Asad Amin  Formal meal times are giving way to low key, all-day grazing. Over the past five years alone, trends observed by the Ipsos Food and Beverage Group indicate that snacking is becoming an increasingly ingrained consumption behaviour amongst Canadians. Reported snack occasions across all venues, in-home and out-of-home, currently account for 67 per […]

The New Influencers: Why Boomers are changing foodservice

By Divakar Raju While we tend to assume foodies are Instagramming Millennials, there are other important players leading the charge in the evolution of food culture. Boomers are huge influencers, and they lend their clout to different areas as they retire. According to StatCan, 5,000 Canadian Boomers are retiring each week. A boom that once represented […]

How does your marketing strategy measure up?

By Kamron Karington Millennials – the largest spending demographic the planet has ever seen – are coming your way. Maybe. Shunning big houses and fancy cars, they’re flush with disposable income and spend more money in restaurants than any previous generation. They seek out fresh ingredients, organic and local. They value community, authenticity, and prefer […]

Millennials are disrupting your business – What can you do about it?

By Jo-Ann McArthur The face of food is being dramatically reshaped right before our eyes. All signs indicate 2018 will be “The Year of Disruption” in the food and beverage industry. This disruption is driven largely by millennial consumers, who now outnumber Boomers. How will these macro forces affect the restaurant business? And, can you […]

Millennials are most responsible when it comes to drinking and driving: study

Higher percentage of Millennials serving as designated drivers while an aversion to social media shaming has a positive impact on Millennials choosing to drink less Press release Canadian Millennials between the ages of 18 and 34 are the country’s most responsible age group when it comes to drinking and driving, according to a recent study […]

All-day breakfast is increasingly popular – and restaurant owners need to pay attention

By Jeni Marinucci Breakfast for dinner has long been a favourite meal for many, and it seems the restaurant sector is now recognizing the financial benefits to our shifting tastes: both by expanding options on breakfast menus and increasing the length of time they serve them. Tim Hortons notably extended their breakfast hours last year […]