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  • Writer's pictureJason Van Dorn

Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Y, Baby Boomers : Who are our customers?

Millennials, Generation X or Z, Baby Boomers, everybody talks about them, but who are they? What are they interested in? A better understanding of your customers will help to create big opportunities for your restaurant.


In 2019 there are five distinct generations of food shoppers :

  • Matures are aged 76 and more,

  • Baby Boomers are 55-75,

  • Gen X are 40-54,

  • Millennials are 25- 39,

  • Gen Z are 1-24.

With this new repartition, are coming new priorities. Each demographic group has specific values and concerns, that will impact their choices and consumption.

For the first time Anxiety and Stress has replaced overweight as the top health condition households are actively trying to fight. This is mainly driven by Millennials and Gen Z.


More than half of the Millennials are now parents and are still looking for products and services on demand. They love ordering online and food deliveries. Millennials have a strong interest in natural, organic, clean and plant based foods, and specific health benefits. With Gen Z, they are likely to choose meat substitutes and are interested by functional food.

Moreover Gen Z will easily experiment Paleo, Vegan, or Gluten free diets.

Baby Boomers are looking more for real and no artificial food and are strongly attracted by locally made or grown food.


What about their restaurant choice?

Baby Boomers have been the highest per capita spenders at restaurants but are now cutting back on their visits. Only half of the boomers are eating in foodservice at least once per week, against 80% of Millennials, 70% of Gen Z and 67% of Gen X.

Millennials is the faster growing group of Restaurants' end-users. They would prefer to order snacks and breakfast dishes, instead of full meals.

Millennials and Gen Z are interested in ordering international and exotic food, but about two third of all age groups enjoy eating the food they grew up with.

Sweet is the most preferred flavour for Gen Z, contrary to Savory for the 4 others.


To conclude all generations are concerned about sustainability and the environment.

And this is growing.

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