Does Gen Z really love those communal tables and wacky food mashups operators are investing money in? Maybe not so much after all. Here are four unexpected ways college students’ foodservice preferences have changed since 2015, according to new research in Technomic’s College & University Consumer Trend Report.
Restaurant chains like Fazoli’s and Bojangles’ recently rolled out redesigns featuring communal tables, but will this help attract college-age consumers? Fewer than two-fifths (38%) of college and university students say they find communal tables appealing—down from almost half of students (47%) in 2015.
Just a quarter of students say new or unique ingredients or flavors are important attributes for the food or beverage items they purchase, making uniqueness the lowest-ranked attribute among these consumers of any measured by Technomic. Students prioritize taste, freshness and portion size over novelty.
With the rise of delivery and off-premise business, fewer college-age consumers are demanding convenient locations for foodservice establishments. Just over half of college students (53%) say a convenient location is important when it comes to food and beverage purchases, down from 59% in 2015.
About half of college students (51%) say that the ability to substitute or omit ingredients in their food is important, a decrease from 57% of students two years ago. The uptick in build-your-own and do-it-yourself stations may be responsible for the overall drop in demand, according to the report, as these options reduce the need for substitution or omission requests.
The endlessly colorful cuisine of Mexico is always in season, but Cinco de Mayo is a great time to bring some new recipes to the party, starting with El Rio Picante, an alternative marg, and finishing with DIY churro sundaes.
Last summer, a group of college and healthcare chefs came together at the University of Michigan for FoodService Director’s 2023 Culinary Immersion. Here are some of the recipes they developed.
Kara Blanton recently took on her late father’s role of senior concessions manager at Murray State University Dining. Here’s a look at how she continues her father's legacy.