News

Millennials with kids increase restaurant visits by 5 %

March 20, 2019

Millennials with children increased their restaurant visits by 5 percent last year over 2017, according to recent information from NPD Group. This compares with the unchanged number for the restaurant industry as a whole over that same period, a news release said.

As teens and young adults, millennials were instrumental in the fast casual category's growth, as well as the movement toward fresher foods, the hottest sauces and an array of ethnic flavors. Now as parents, NPD said millennials want convenience in restaurant brands and are finding it in the entire quick-service sector, including fast casual brands, which are typically higher priced with more options for dine-in. 

Millennials with kids made 7.3 billion visits to QSRs last year and dinner was the most popular meal for that, though breakfast and lunch dayparts do well with them, too. The research company said millennials eat 46 percent of meals at home and rest in the car, at work or other places. At home meals are often augmented by restaurant offerings — a category the company said is expected to grow in coming years.