---
title: "3 Restaurant Industry Shifts Owed to Millennial Influence"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/9650a295-183c-4c00-b95e-1dfb1ea84727
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/3-restaurant-industry-shifts-owed-to-millennial-influence-2707142
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
published: 2018-07-13T20:15:26.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:09:29.839Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/346dd2602e7e1e5713faecfddeb5c862549.jpg
---

# 3 Restaurant Industry Shifts Owed to Millennial Influence

**TL;DR:** Millennials are influencing the restaurant industry with their preferences for healthy options and faster service, driving changes in the QSR space. The industry has shifted towards healthier and faster options, with an emphasis on speed and simplicity via technology, and a rise in delivery services like Postmates, Uber Eats, and GrubHub.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2018-07-13. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/3-restaurant-industry-shifts-owed-to-millennial-influence-2707142).*

## Story

Millennials are a generation described in a lot of ways by a lot of people. Whether these early 20- to late 30-year-olds embody or defy society’s stereotypes of them, there is one thing for certain — they are emerging consumers with spending power that they use selectively, and the restaurant industry has changed enormously due to their influence. Now, it’s imperative for industry players to pay attention.

**An inclination toward the healthy option**

1851 Franchise Chief Development Strategist Sean Fitzgerald said he’s seen a massive shift in the QSR space toward healthier and faster. “Millennials move fast. Their days are packed and they don’t want to spend time waiting in line, but they aren’t willing to sacrifice quality of food. They are rewarding brands that are able to provide higher-quality, more natural food that plugs into their schedule,” Fitzgerald said.

**An emphasis on speed and simplicity via technology**

“QSR franchises that are improving their technology to improve speed of service are the ones accommodating millennials most effectively,” Fitzgerald said. Features like mobile ordering and electronic menu boards that mitigate transactions allow for more productive use of time when there isn’t much to be had and position brands favorably with this audience.

These developments pair best with a product that is simple — a distinct offering with a succinct menu.

“Brands also need to understand their target audience and execute at a high level,” Fitzgerald added. “Mistakes are made when brands try to accommodate too large of a customer base. Millennials are key responders to the simplicity model.”

**Dining in is Out**

Delivery services like Postmates, Uber Eats and GrubHub, among others, provide consumers with endless options from the comfort of their own residence, and millennials are at the forefront of that shift. “Consumers’ at-home food options have expanded exponentially, revolutionizing the industry and forcing brands to adapt or become irrelevant,” Fitzgerald said

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- Uber Eats (company)
- Grubhub (company)
- Sean Fitzgerald (person)
- Postmates (company)
- technology (topic)
- healthy options (topic)
- delivery services (topic)
- faster service (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/3-restaurant-industry-shifts-owed-to-millennial-influence-2707142). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/9650a295-183c-4c00-b95e-1dfb1ea84727).