The latest EquiTrend Report from Harris Poll found that millennials, shaping the trends of the U.S. brand landscape, rank restaurant chains higher than older generations do.
Millennial favorites, as indicated by the Harris Poll’s “Brand of the Year” awards, are as follows: In the burger category, Five Guys packed the most sizzle; in the chicken restaurant category, Chick-fil-A; the Cheesecake Factory was the top-ranking casual dining restaurant; Starbucks beat out Dunkin’ Donuts in the coffee and quick service restaurant category; Moe’s Southwest Grill won over Chipotle as fast casual Mexican; Ben & Jerry’s ranked as the favorite ice cream and froyo shop; Papa John’s came in first for pizza brands, and Subway beat out Panera Bread as the top sandwich shop.
Restaurant chains win over the hearts of millennials because the are inexpensive and easy to find. “Millennials are huge fans of convenience,” said Yohan Varella, a millennial and a marketing executive. “We don’t like prepping and cooking our own food, we enjoy food we can eat with our hands, and we’re usually on a budget, so chain restaurants pretty much are the personification of the answer to our wants. We don’t want to wait for 30 minutes to be seated at an exclusive restaurant, we want our food to be available wherever we are, whenever we want it.”
And while they may love adventure, millennials do not appreciate surprises. At least, not when it comes to grabbing a quick bite. “I know that chain restaurants all have the same protocol and pricing so I won’t be surprised when going to a different location,” said 23-year-old Kayla Hockman of New York City. “It’s comfortable and well known. It’s also great because I know that they’ll have the same offerings everywhere, and due to heavy advertisement, I know what’s available in all restaurants.” That consistency factor is especially effective in retaining millennial customers.
In addition, the modern definition of convenience in retail has expanded to include mobile solutions, and chain restaurants have mastered this technology. When Chick-fil-A launched its mobile app in June 2016, interest soared.
“The app was downloaded more than two million times in the first three days of the launch, ranking it as the number one free app in the Apple Store during that time, ahead of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook,” said Michael Lage, senior manager, digital experience, Chick-fil-A. “It’s been a great success among millennials and other busy customers who are looking for easier ways to order.”
Starbucks also has a hugely successful mobile app program. Bruce Clark, an associate professor of marketing at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University notes that it works so well because it combines so many elements: mobile payments, a loyalty program, grab and go mobile ordering (skip the line), and even sending gifts to others. “Last year Starbucks reported a full quarter of in-store sales were being paid for through the app,” Clark said.
