Millennials visit restaurants and other foodservice outlets more frequently than any other age group in Australia, representing one-third of the overall traffic whilst accounting for only 23 percent of the Australian population, according to global information company The NPD Group. In fact, over the last six years Millennials have contributed more growth to the foodservice industry than any other generation.
At the same time, Gen Z appears to be moving in the same direction. Though they are currently the smallest generation in terms of both age and foodservice traffic, Gen Z have grown their per capita visits by 14 percent in the last six years, and foot traffic has grown consecutively over the past two years.
"An uncertain economic climate and finances affect families with young children more than most. Consumers as a whole have been more cautious in their overall economic spending, which has impacted foodservice traffic and played a role in Gen Z being under-utilised for some time; however, this is starting to change significantly," said Ciara Clancy, Director, Australia Foodservice, The NPD Group.
"Both Millennials and Gen Z are influencing the foodservice landscape in new ways, and while there are similarities between the two, they are distinct enough that they must be marketed to differently," said Clancy. "To win over the developing Gen Z market, operators need to understand how Gen Z’s foodservice preferences and behaviours differ from their generational counterparts."
Source: The NPD Group, Inc. / CREST® AU, Total Foodservice, Annual 2010-2016