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Born between 1980 and 1995, the ‘Millennials’ – also known as Generation Y, Echo Boomers, and a host of other catchy titles – are around nine million strong in Canada, and interestingly, are the country’s most frequent restaurant users.

Generally team-spirited, tech savvy, ethnically and culturally diverse, Millennials have grown up with cell phones, the Internet and social networking tools, staying very connected with family and friends. They also stay single longer, remain more emotionally and financially attached to their parents, and delay their own parental responsibilities longer than the generations before them.

Given that they spend less time reading newspapers and magazines or listening to the radio, and have a wariness of inauthentic advertising, marketers must find creative approaches to reach this group. However, if your restaurant is located in the Atlantic region or Saskatchewan where the population skews older, keep in mind that Millennials will be less important to your business. Against all logic, 18 to 24 year-olds remain the highest restaurant users, despite the fact that they were the hardest hit by the recession, with unemployment rates among 15 to 24 year-olds hitting 16 per cent in the past year.

Healthy choices

While there is no question that indulgent foods remain their top preference, Millennials are more likely to choose a restaurant that serves healthy options, choosing smoothies, veggie burgers, frozen slushies and hot chicken sandwiches over beef entrees apart from burgers. They are also more likely to choose foods with descriptors like organic and vegetarian, but are not looking for low sodium. Recommendations and satisfying a particular food craving is what tends to drive them through the door in the first place.

Global flavours

While the ‘Boomers’ are embracing global flavours, it’s their kids, the Millennials, who will drive the need for operators to incorporate more of these international flavour trends into their menus. Their global palates are helping to drive the demand for sushi, Indian, Thai, Korean and Vietnamese food.