A Millennial Foodservice Marketing Story

When it comes to food, connecting with this key demographic should involve more than product information or low prices.

December 02, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – What grabs the attention of customers between the ages of 18 and 34? Story selling, according to QSR Magazine. Millennials are not interested in one-directional communication via a single channel. They would rather receive multiple touches from a variety of platforms.

This age group loves social media and “being there” as part of the attraction, especially when connected to food. Millennials would rather have takeout than grocery shop, and for restaurants—and increasingly convenience stores with a foodservice program—that means appealing to their sense of “everyday celebrations.”

For foodservice vendors to influence purchasing decisions for this demographic, they need to sell a story of the experience to give them something to proclaim, caption or share. That could mean highlighting a menu item’s origin story or promoting where the ingredients come from. Photos with captions of the people who make the food or created the menu also contribute to the overall “in the know” feeling Millennials crave.

With this age group as the dominant customer for restaurant purchases, it’s a win-win for convenience retailers who understand and market foodservice as selling a story.

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