What do consumers really want in a menu? What makes them try new things, and avoid others? And what part of the experience of eating out is most important?
The truth is, menus impact and sway consumers’ decisions before they even set foot in a restaurant. Nearly half of all consumers look at menus before deciding where to dine out, according to Datassential’s Menu Development keynote report. That percentage is even higher among Generation Z and millennial consumers.
But how do you draw consumers from their computers or phones to your front door?
New menu items or limited-time offers are always a sure way to draw in customers, as long as they are appropriately geared toward a target consumer.
It can be hard to draw consumers away from familiar dishes though—two-thirds of consumers will choose something familiar when dining out. One in three will go for something new, whether it’s a new dish, restaurant or cuisine, and that increases when looking solely at Gen Z, 40% of whom say they’ll try something they’ve never had.
Gen Z consumers are also more likely than older generations to have tried a new menu item in the last month and are more likely to try a new item just because it sounds interesting—even if they aren’t sure it will taste good.
Younger consumers also favor a creative and trendy menu more than their older peers: 27% of Gen Zers say they prefer these more adventurous menus while only 19% of consumers overall do.
Boomers, on the other hand, are more likely than younger peers to order new dishes as swaps for those with which they are more familiar. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are more likely to order new dishes in addition to familiar dishes.
When it comes to choosing a healthy dish vs. an indulgent one, consumers, in theory, are split. But when it comes to ordering a new menu item, consumers lean heavily toward indulgence—whether it’s a new burger or a rich caramel dessert. Consumers are OK with going a little over their daily calories or opting for something they wouldn’t normally consider part of a healthy diet if it’s enticing enough: it reminds us why we like to go out to eat in the first place.
And speaking of that reminder, of why we dine out, premium offerings and large portion sizes are also of high importance to consumers. In fact, they are the top two deciding factors when consumers decide what to get on a menu. Premium offerings are also equally appealing across generations. And key in tough economic times, a majority of operators are removing items that aren’t selling well. But they’re most likely to add healthy or seasonal offerings in their place, and least likely to add items with premium ingredients and larger portion sizes.
While operators always need to keep a close eye on the bottom line, it is important to not lose sight of what draws consumers out of their homes and into restaurants. Datassential’s Menu Development keynote report has shown that a move toward smaller portions and cheaper ingredients would likely be a mistake.
So, where is the right spot to target in a menu refresh or update? We’ll give you four: Burgers, appetizers, salads and fried sides/small plates.
Consumers are more likely to choose something new off the menu in these four categories, but operators often aren’t creating new, permanent menu items within these areas. Starting with a new limited-time offer (LTO) or daily special for these menu categories can help measure their likely success before adding it as a permanent menu item.
Because consumers are most likely to try something new in these areas, the development of these types of new items should be heavily considered by operators looking to evolve and stay relevant to the modern consumer.
Samantha Des Jardins is the content marketing manager at Datassential. For the full Menu Development keynote report, send Datassential an email here.
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