A generation of irony-loving hipsters has left high-end restaurateurs scratching their heads. Unlike previous generations, millennials aren't content with good food and comfortable ambiance; they crave diversion and diversity in the food they eat. 

In order to compensate, many restaurant owners are taking outstanding action, centering whole restaurants on kitschy concepts in an attempt to catch the eye of younger consumers. Whether that is a putting a high-end Italian restaurant inside a bowling alley or a creating a French-inspired restaurant where the staff wears basketball shoes, the novelty can only last for so long.

In this post, we examine some of the trends that are most important among the millennial demographic.

Convenience
Whether it is cafeteria style health food eateries or a local poutine truck, convenience is key for millennials. They don't care if you knead and sheet your dough by hand or use a commercial dough sheeter as long as it is relatively fast and in a convenient location. So feel free to use that industrial dough mixer to help cut back on that 25 minutes of hand kneading your dough. Just make sure your food is fast and you follow the next trend.

Healthy Ingredients
Millennials expect organic and healthy food options. For many people in this demographic, sustainability and Earth-friendly practices are central to their identity. But before you start to worry about the extra costs of supplying the very best ingredients, it is important to note that millennials are overwhelmingly willing to spend more for sustainable offerings.

Affordability
That being said, millennials aren't going out of their way to spend their money. For past generations a high-priced dinner was a status symbol, many millennials still carry with them the scars of the great recession. That means that they will likely go for the cheaper option when everything else is equal.

Adventure
One of the most important things to understand about millennial diners is their danger-loving streak. They seek out new and unusual foods to try -- often to document on their Instagram accounts. The good news here is that you can offer a wide range of food using the same commercial dough sheeter and commercial meat tenderizer machine that you use for your regular menu.

Millennials are an increasingly important part of the restaurant customer base. Understanding them and their needs are both key to staying competitive in the restaurant world. Hopefully with our tips, you can get the edge.