Will Baby Boomers Save QSRs?

The over-50 demographic has buying power to spare, and could revitalize the fast-food industry.

February 08, 2017

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Fast-food restaurants have long been focused on the younger generation. From millennials to Generation Y, QSRs look to youth as the way to fuel their future. But a QSR Magazine article posits that the way to reinvigorate fast food might lie with an older generation: the baby boomers.

According to MRI research, 62% of all drive-in and fast-food restaurant visits over the next decade will be from those age 50 and older. That translates into an additional 1.4 billion visits from baby boomers, compared with a bump of 875 million from consumers between the ages of 18 and 49.

What does that mean for the fast-food industry? Here are three key attributes the 50 and older consumer cares about in relation to QSRs:

  • They like to save time with fast service.
  • They want healthier choices.
  • They enjoy time with their grandkids.

The bottom line is that fast-food restaurants that cater to this demographic—and convenience stores with foodservice—will reap the benefits. Plus, the good news is that this demographic will only increase in the coming years.

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