Millennials, Gen Z: Who is the Best Patron?
The battle of generations is an endless one, with one always saying they’re superior to another (or multiple). The food industry is no different, with each generation saying they’re the best and here’s a list for why. I’m going to be honest and it may seem controversial: when it comes to social media and food, it’s Gen Z AND millennials. I know this may seem like a wild statement but stick with me, I think I can sway opposing opinions.
Let me start by saying I am not dying on this hill of one over the other. Matter of fact, I’m doing the opposite and sitting firmly in the middle. I am the lukewarm fence sitter who says “It depends” when asked what they think of a particular age group. Here’s why: majority of people using any given social media platform range in age from mid 20s to mid to late 30s. Every single platform, majority of people using any of the half dozen are between the age of 25 and 34, which means majority of the ideal audience sits in both camps. (Some platforms, like Instagram and Tiktok, actually range from 18-35!) If you’re a millennial opposer or a Gen Z hater, put your bias aside and recognize that you are losing out if you choose not to cater to one or the other.
With all that being said, no matter the age group, generation, or affiliation with a particular NHL team, people are still spending time on social media and that is not likely to change any time soon. Social media platforms are the number one website type visited in Canada at any given point with 93% of users using the internet.* When someone visits a social media site, they are often doing it to keep track of family and friends or to kill time. Why not help contribute to filling their time with your restaurant? Don’t add content just to be noticed, but make intentional content to draw patrons in!
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to demographic-specific information, but it does matter to stay up to date on your user information. How can you be sure your content is reaching the correct audience if you are just posting for the general masses and not catering to specific people groups? However, I’m not saying you should alienate or even ignore the rest of your client base. Know who your general audience is but please understand: the collective group is your intended client base but specific insights means you are getting the right reach and interactions. This means that anyone age 18-64 is your general user base but the most common audience falls into the 25-34 age group. And this goes for anyone on social media, no matter the sector. Keep that in mind next time you post!
The main reason these blog posts exist are to give businesses a baseline of information and help guide them to succeeding online. If you’d like more specifics regarding your demographics, local area, or how to create content geared towards your audience, get in contact with us. We are here to help and will answer any question you have!
*https://canadiansinternet.com/2025-report-social-media-use-canada-statistics/