Restaurateurs have plenty to keep in mind when attracting Millennial customers.

Yesterday, I tuned into the live stream of YAYA Connection’s presentation, “Save, Splurge, Share:  Dining with the YAYAs.”

For those who may not know, YAYA (Youth and Young Adult) Connection is a professional agency in Columbia, Mo., comprised of students at the University of Missouri. Their focus is on Millennials ages 18 to 24.

Here are some insights from their presentation:

• Millennials spend around $247 billion a year at restaurants

• If Millennials are in a familiar town, they’ll rely on word-of-mouth suggestions for restaurants. If they are in an unfamiliar location, they’ll rely on review sites, such as Yelp.

• Millennials are now checking in at restaurants on Instagram more than they are checking in on FourSquare.

• About 65 percent of Millennials consider social media conversations about restaurants when considering where to eat.

• 32 percent of Millennials look at restaurant menus online via a smartphone, so restaurant mobile sites should be optimized for search.

• Millennials are more likely than other age cohorts to eat in large groups.

• 43 percent of Millennials say coupons or discounts are important when deciding where to eat

More insight can be found in the white paper, which can be downloaded on YAYAConnection.com.

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