Millennials Guide The Restaurant Industry
In his acerbically-written, yet laser- focused piece called “Applebee’s Deserves to Die,” Eater national contrib- utor Bijan Stephen scribed the following in October 2017: “Millennials are…fick- le consumers because we’ve grown up with so much choice. But here’s the thing: so many of us are part of the pre- cariat that maximizing utility from com- mercial purposes is the norm - which is to say that us young folks are looking for value, not discounts.”
What I’ve observed from the younger consumer generation is a unique malaise when it comes to brand loyalty. Whereas their “oldster” counterparts (Gen-X and Baby Boomers) seem to like to stick with a handful of tried and true establishments, the Millennials sim- ply move on if they can’t get in to Restaurant A. They’ll tap the app on the phone and then move on to Restaurants B or C - simple as that!
In this same vein, I see young restau- rant operators opening more [gourmet- quality] three-meals-a-day places than ever before: grab coffee and an omelet at seven in the morning/a healthy meal for lunch/a high-end dinner with cock- tails at nighttime - all at the same place. Pretty cool, huh? It is, and it’s happen- ing everywhere.
Gimmick Restaurants Will Never Rise Above Their Schtick
Just like the thematic chains of the past are still with us, they’ll never excite or entice us like they’re supposed to. We, the public, grow weary of such venues. They’re one-and-done experiences with food quality matching their environ- ments.
The same holds true for today’s batch of entrants into the industry. Sure, they can be fun, kitschy and unique - but they’ll never hold our food-related interests like, say, David Chang’s (Momofuku NYC) upcoming venture or restaurateur Stephen Starr’s newest concept.
Never Leave Home (Or The Office) Again
For all the options that shiny new KOP Town Center offers, there’s still a driver bringing carts of food up to the confer- ence room I’m standing in right now, because the delivery sector is booming and it is going to continue to grow.
Expect food delivery to become even more of a major force - and a feared one by marginal restaurant operators - as new modes of transport become avail- able, whether it’s via Uber or food trucks, or literally from out from the sky (drones). This particular market seg- ment hasn’t even begun to see its full potential.
The Critic Isn’t The Final Word On Dining – It’s Public Opinion That Matters Most
Heck, my college-attending son cares infinitely more about those Instagram foodie pics he’s just received than for the local smarmy food critic and what he or she thinks that my son should like - a sure sign that public opinion means a lot more than that of the so-called experts.
Sadly, though, restaurant reviewing has fallen (somewhat) into the hands of inexperienced writers through blogs and such; their mandate now is on clev- erness by trying to be as tongue-in- cheek as possible, even if it’s at the expense of the restaurant, its owners, and their livelihoods.
So read that rant, but remember: your own opinion is the one that’s most important of all.
As I ready to turn away from that big window, with its billion-dollar view and the countless dining establishments below me, I scratch my head in com- plete amazement. There are more restaurants in my own front yard here in KOP than I could have ever imagined.
Surely, we’re at a saturation point.
In my monthly restaurant review, I can tell you how amazing a place is, but you’re more apt to follow the Yelp trail or the TripAdvisor route there, than to go by my own words - and you should. John and Joan Q. Public are the best arbiters of all.
The days when the critic of a major newspaper or a style magazine contrib- utor deigns or clobbers a place and expects you to follow suit are no more.
But wait - what’s that I see in the corner of the mall’s parking lot? You guessed it. They’re putting up yet another restau- rant (this one’s called Eddie V’s, a seafood and steak place), and I, like everyone else in my field of vision, can- not wait to go there.
So many restaurants, so little time!
Ken Alan is a corporate concierge for CBRE. He is the founding member of the Philadelphia Area Concierge Association and the lead restaurant reviewer for Main Line Today.
ken.alan@
cbre.com
Mid-Atlantic EVENTS Magazine 81
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