It’s no secret that millennials have changed much of what we know to be the traditional dining experience.
Open Table has pointed out in a recent article that we have now entered an era in the hospitality industry of casual concepts, from the menu options to the price points. Most fine dining establishments are viewed as a special occasion option that is only entertained once or twice a year, but this means a lower customer return rate. In response to this, many restaurants are revamping their menus, and their bar, to feature casual options, featured cocktails, and lower prices…. all of which have greater impact on the choices of dinnerware, glassware, and
even flatware. Millennials are all about the sharing and menus of the restaurants they’re visiting reflect that.
With technology being an integrated part of modern society, it is important that restaurants appeal to those who share their experiences on social media. Customers, particularly millennials, come looking for a meaningful experience in which they are an active participant, and aesthetics that are worthy of posting via social media or reviewing online. Today’s savvy restaurateurs understand that these posts can have a dramatic influence on millennials as they choose of where to spend their dining-out dollars.
Open Table mentions Boucherie in New York City and its open-kitchen concept that allows guests to see their food being made as they wait. The Dabney In D.C. has a third of their seating at or near the bar for greater flexibility. It is changes like these that will increase traffic in the restaurant and have guests returning. If you are looking to drive sales and bring more customers to your restaurant, it may be time to consider changes that enhance the experience of a rising generation.
From sharing to showing, it seems like the selection of tabletop items continues to play a bigger and bigger role in the guest experience. How easily dining guests can share and how a particular menu item looks in social media posts now is important in determining the attractiveness of a restaurant and its brand. Tabletop manufacturers and suppliers need to keep that in mind when recommending products for their restaurant customers.
To read the full article and find out more about current trends in dining, visit Open Table here: http://blog.opentable.com/2017/millennial-dining-how-the-share-generation-is-shaping-the-restaurant-experience/
-G. Stegall
Photo credit: Brent Herrig Courtesy of Open Table
