Younger consumers look for different things when they dine out than their older counterparts do. For example, according to Technomic’s 2018 Generational report, Gen Zers and millennials are more likely to eat food on-the-go than Gen Xers or baby boomers, which has made it necessary for operators to menu portable options. Additionally, these younger diners clamor for unique, craveable items they can’t make at home, as well as new and exciting products.
For these reasons, more operators are menuing handheld options with trending or globally-influenced ingredients on classic menu items.
Check out a few ways some operators are updating menu favorites to include these Gen Z and millennial dining preferences:
Gyros: This popular Mediterranean option gets an update at Potbelly Sandwich Shop—instead of serving it on pita bread, this traditional gyro is piled onto a toasted flatbread, then topped with tzatziki sauce, red onion and sliced tomato plus tangy, salty feta cheese for added craveability. By adding a new ingredient or changing up the format slightly, operators can boost consumer interest.
Burgers: Spicy condiments such as harissa or Sriracha are showing up more often on burger menus, as is swapping the protein in burger patties. From using lamb instead of beef, blending mushrooms or bacon into the patty or ditching meat altogether and serving plant-based options made with soy and other plant proteins, operators are flexing their creative muscles on the burger menu. At Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, for instance, diners can order the Sweet N Spicy Sriracha Bacon Burger, topped with candied jalapenos, poblano queso, Sriracha bacon, cheddar cheese, smoked tots, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and red onions.
Chicken: Barbecue chicken and chicken Caesar wraps/sandwiches are both on the rise on restaurant menus—the former is up 6% year-over-year and the latter 20%, according to MenuMonitor. These familiar flavors translated into portable sandwiches makes it easier than ever for diners to enjoy their favorite tastes. Nando’s offers a chicken and kale Caesar wrap featuring peri-dried tomatoes, and Arby’s recently introduced a Chicken Bourbon BBQ sandwich—a crispy buttermilk-fried chicken filet topped with barrel-aged Kentucky bourbon barbecue sauce, brown sugar bacon, cheddar cheese and crispy onions.
This post is sponsored by Mrs. Dash Foodservice