Regardless of your business niche, if you want to be a success, you need to understand your customers’ behaviors and needs. Without this information, every move you make is just a guess. Guesses can be risky and detrimental; it’s better to be educated.
Like clothing stores and other retailers, restaurants may have a narrow target audience. However, more frequently, restaurants attract all ages and types of people. There are only two main ways to segment customers for restaurants: dietary restrictions and restaurant atmosphere. Even so, large franchises usually offer vegan or gluten-free options, and just because a restaurant might be on the fancier side, a couple might still splurge for a special occasion.
With that being said, restaurant owners must prepare for this. While restaurants have been serving baby boomers and generation X and Y for years, generation Z is newly entering the market to go out to eat frequently with their own money, or into the job market.
If you haven’t already, you must plan for how to attract the Gen Z population to work and dine at your restaurant. If you run a seasoned or quick-service restaurant, marketing to this group will be much different from past generations.
Generation Z and Technology
Those that fall within the Gen Z population have never lived in a world without technology and the internet. They are in contact with technology every day—from their cellphones and social media to smart TVs and streaming services. Gen Z have been using technology in school since elementary age. This means that you need to tailor your business to the needs of the consumers and employees you have.
When you use technology to manage your business, you need to use technology that is modern and fresh. Quick service restaurants, grocery stores, and small companies look much more appealing when they use advanced technology properly.
Generation Z in the Workplace
Forty-four percent of the Gen Z workforce will work in the retail, grocery, or food service sector as their first job. You already have a point of sale software for quick-service restaurants to manage sales. You might be accustomed to an old style of software, but a modern system will not only benefit your restaurant, but it also will help the restaurant to seem high-tech and up-to-date. The youth staff are more likely to enjoy their job with technology that is modern and less likely to fail, and happy employees reduce employee turnover. Your Gen Z employees might even be able to teach you how to utilize an advanced POS system full potential!
By doing this, your QSR or related business will attract young employees who know that you want to make working for the company easy. Companies that are not willing to update themselves look stale, do not get good referrals, and will begin to lose business.
Generation Z as Consumers
Marketing to Gen Z as a QSR has its variables. You don’t have to worry about them being unfamiliar with your franchise, but Gen Z adults are typically more health-focused. However, they still are looking for quick meals to fit into their busy lives. Teen Gen Zs are much more likely to grab a quick fast-food burger. This effects what type of message you want to relay to each segment.
Generation Z is buying more and more every year as they earn money. You need to use technology to upgrade your business because you do not want to waste time. Your youngest customers will get frustrated when your business is not efficient, and they will not return because they can see that you have not updated your technology.
Plus, Gen Z are always on social media. They share their opinions and respect the thoughts of others on social media. These customers are likely to spread their views of products, even restaurants, through word-of-mouth on social media or review sites, like Yelp or Google Reviews. If you disappoint them, you’re also disappointing their followers. A positive review could bring in more business than you’d imagine. A negative review discussing your restaurant’s out-of-date techniques could sway business.
A Final Thought for Using New Technology to Attract Gen Z Employees and Customers
When you want to attract Gen Z employees and customers, you must update your use of technology as much as you can. Maybe try an upgraded POS software system that works more like a mobile app. You want your company to look modern, and you want Gen Z to be excited to work for you.