(No caption)
Detroit News feature writer Melody Baetens, who often writes about the local food scene, doesn't buy the narrative that Millennials are to blame for restaurants like Applebee's closing around the country.
The headline-of-the-day recently was that Applebee's and other chains are slipping because of their failure to attract Millennials.
I understand that they’re having trouble capturing younger customers, but to blame the next generation seems off. Here’s a thought: Maybe it’s the food.
Earlier this summer, Business Insider quoted Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith from a letter to shareholders as saying that young diners are more interested in cooking and ordering delivery, rather than eating in fast-casual restaurants.
“Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants,” wrote Smith, who reportedly will retire at the end of this year.
B-dubs’ main offering is a breaded, deep-fried, chicken wing that’s rolled in a choice of sauce and then dipped in ranch dressing (or bleu cheese).
For those who don’t eat meat, the only thing on the menu that’s not fried is a garden salad and a bean burger. You can also order the carrots-and-celery garnish that comes with the wings as a side. I agree it may be ridiculous to complain about a chicken wing chain’s vegetarian offerings, but the options are laughable. It’s literally a dish of carrot sticks.
Baetens goes on to question the multi-generation appeal of the Applebees menu:
More than Millennials are being turned off on this style of dining. It’s likely that the tastes and desires of people of varying ages are evolving. The trend is fresh, made-from-scratch food prepared in kitchens that are locally owned.
Multiple publications report a casual-food restaurant recession that also hits Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern.
