Quality, price and atmosphere unite generations, but the ways they discover, trust and try new food and drink experiences differ.
Each generation of consumers engages with the away from home market in different ways, from how often they eat out to what those occasions mean to them.
Despite their differences, some fundamentals unite the generations: quality, price and atmosphere are the top three importance factors across age groups. The bigger differences sit earlier in the journey, shaping where consumers look for inspiration, how open they are to exploring new venues, cuisines and product formats and what gives them confidence to experiment.
The challenge is in balancing the new and familiar, and how to land NPD across each generation when each discovers new sites and products in different channels, and openness to trying new things varies across age groups.
The divide is real but nuanced
Gen Z are the most active explorers, using eating out as an opportunity to discover new venues, cuisines and experiences. This willingness to experiment generally declines with age, with Baby Boomers more likely to choose places they already know and trust.
This is not a hard and fast rule. Gen Z still value some familiarity, while Baby Boomers are not closed off to innovation but are likely to need more reassurance before trying something new.
Discovery happens in different places
Recommendations from friends and family are the strongest source of inspiration for every generation. This highlights the importance of delivering consistent products and experiences that consumers want to recommend.
Beyond this, there is a clearer generational divide. Younger consumers are more likely to turn to social media, while older generations lean more towards traditional media or do not actively look for inspiration at all: 45% of Baby Boomers say they never seek inspiration, compared with just 12% of Gen Z.
Product launches can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach either. Operators need social-first content for younger consumers, alongside simple and reassuring product stories through menus, point-of-sale materials and more traditional channels for older consumers.
Trust turns discovery into action
Getting consumers’ attention is only the first step. The cues that turn awareness into trial also vary by generation, with this linking to the discovery channels each uses.
Gen Z are more likely to trust trends, influencers and content creators, while Baby Boomers place more trust in their own experience, familiar choices, established media and brands they already know. Millennials and Gen X sit between these two extremes, and are influenced by people they know personally, while still being open to social-led discovery.
Reach alone will not generate trial. Suppliers need to connect discovery with the right trust cues for their target audience. This could mean working with creators, using a recognised brand name or operator endorsement.
Make experimentation feel low-risk
One way to appeal across generations is to root innovation in something familiar. This gives multi-generational appeal by providing the new products younger consumers want to see, while giving a trusted reference point for those who need the extra reassurance.
McDonald’s World Menu Heist campaign brought global menu items to the UK, allowing consumers to explore new flavours within a brand and format they already understood and trusted.
Greene King reduced another barrier through a tiny pint taster for its Hazy Day Fruity IPA after research found that 70% of consumers had never asked for a beer sample and nearly a third of Gen Z felt too nervous to ask for one. The taster reduced the financial and social risk of trying something unfamiliar.
For suppliers, these examples show the value of familiar formats, limited-edition variations and smaller sampling options. Operators don’t necessarily need separate innovations for each generation, but they may need different routes into the same innovation: high visibility and excitement for younger generations, and familiarity and credibility in the right channels for older generations.
How suppliers can support operators in bridging the discovery divide to effectively develop and launch new NPD
Create channel-specific launch support. Provide operators with social-first assets for younger consumers and clear menu copy and on-site messaging and materials that make products easy to understand and recommend for older generations.
Build innovation around familiar anchors. Make NPD feel more accessible by rooting it in recognisable flavours, formats, brands or occasions. Tier innovation to meet the need for new concepts for Gen Z, while presenting NPD as customisations to existing products for Gen X and Baby Boomers.
Align NPD decisions with operator consumer demographics. Suppliers can help operators understand which consumer groups are most likely to try a new product and what barriers may hold others back. This will help support operators to make sharper choices around launch mechanics, menu placement, price points and promotional messaging.
Discovery and openness to experiment are just some of the differences in generational behaviour and attitudes when eating and drinking out of the home. Explore more similarities and differences in our latest report, Meeting generational needs out of home, available to Away From Home subscribers.
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