2. HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland) offers Bachelor and Master degrees as well as
continuing education in several domains, including, economy and management. Its 28 schools, all located in Western
Switzerland, welcome more than 19,000 students.
This booklet presents the fourth study conducted by the Food & Beverage Chair of École hôtelière de
Lausanne (EHL, Switzerland).
The Food & Beverage Chair was founded in 2010 by EHL, under the impulsion of Danone Professional, Nestlé Professional and
Unilever Food Solutions.
Its objectives are :
>> To contribute to the development of innovative trends in the food service industry.
>> To enhance students’ and professors’ understanding of the food service industry.
The first two studies conducted by the F&B Chair focused on the future of the purchasing function in six European countries
(France, Germany, the UK, Poland, Sweden and Spain) and in Shanghai. The Chair then studied the future of two jobs, the
restaurant manager and the kitchen chef, in France and in Spain.
While preparing a new round of research, this time in partnership with Swiss company Saviva, the F&B Chair collaborated with
HES-SO to study French and Swiss Millennials’ use of social networks in relation to the food service industry. The aim of the
research was to assess how Millennials’ use of social networks impacts two activities related to restaurant visits : information
search on food outlets and post-purchasing behaviour.
The results revealed that, while global generational trends can be identified, there are differences among Millennials, notably
between older/working Millennials and younger Millennials/students. This prompted an examination of the influence of other
variables on Millennials’ practices (e.g. reasons for visiting restaurants, level of activity on social networks, involvement in the
decision to eat out…). It emerged that different groups of Millennials behave differently ; in other words, belonging to Gene-
ration Y does not determine one’s behaviour.
The research also showed that there are strong links between information search practices and post-purchasing behaviour :
variables that positively influence information search on social networks and those that favour opinion-sharing on these
platforms are very similar.
These results were completed by a study on the Facebook practices of nearly 30 food service chains. Two of these, Courtepaille
and McDonald’s, provide examples of best practices in the domain ; their Facebook feeds were therefore analysed in more detail.
This research led to the creation of a tool designed to help independent restaurateurs make their Facebook page more appeal
ing to Generation Y. However, it is important for restaurateurs to keep in mind that they should adapt their communication
strategies to the different groups which compose Generation Y.
4. 1 ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Introduction
In collaboration with the HES-SO, the Food & Beverage Chair of École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) studied how French and
Swiss Millennials (also known as Generation Y) use social networks in relation to the food service industry.
The goal of the study was two-fold :
>> To understand how social networks impact Millennials’ consumption behaviour in relation to the food
service industry, more specifically in terms of information search and post-purchasing behaviour,
>> To analyse the practices of restaurant chains that are particularly active on Facebook
and suggest ways to adapt these practices to independent businesses.
The term “Millennials” refers to people born between 1978 and 1994. They are also called Generation Y and Digital
Natives. In 2011, Millennials amounted to 21.4 % of the French population and 16 % of the Swiss population.
Social networks are a type of social media. As such, they allow internet users to create and share content online. They
differ from other types of social media (wikis, blogs, opinion-sharing websites, forums…) in that they generally involve
creating a public or semi-public profile as well as a list of contacts. They include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, for
instance.
This research led to the creation of a comprehension framework for independent restaurateurs who wish to use Facebook for
distribution and communication to Millennials. This tool is meant to help them not only target the Millennials demographic,
but also adapt their social media strategy to their positioning.
5. 2ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Context
With its 2013 revenue of chf 58 billion (€ 48.3 billion) in France and chf 11 billion (€ 9 billion) in Switzerland, the food ser-
vice industry is a key player in both countries’ economic systems. It is also an important job provider and contributes to the
creation of many businesses. However, due to the development of technology and the structural problems of the industry, a
re-shaping of the economic model is necessary for the growth of the sector.
The French and Swiss food service industries have similar structures : in both cases, the market is dominated by independent
full-service restaurants, while its evolution favours chains, especially fast food chains. Fast food is a booming sector in both
countries : in 10 years, it grew by 40 % in Switzerland and 55 % in France. The success of fast food chains is due to their grea-
ter ability to respond to consumers’ expectations and lifestyle. They are indeed more flexible and have greater resources and
economic strength. They are therefore transforming the landscape of commercial catering.
There are differences between the two countries, however. For instance, chains are more present in Switzerland, and both
the outlet density and the prices are higher there. In 2013, their chf 2.8 billion (€ 2.3 billion) revenue amounted to 24 % of
the Swiss food service industry revenue.
Millennials are considered a promising segment for the food service industry because they are perceived as rather big spen-
ders. It should be noted that age has an influence on out-of-home food consumption : young people spend less than their older
peers. According to GastroSuisse, in 2012, the share of young (15–29 yo) Swiss people who purchased meals in food outlets
when eating out of home was 25 %. Their spending increased by 5 % between 2012 and 2013.
The development of Web 2.0 and portable electronic devices has brought about numerous social media websites and applica-
tions which allow consumers not only to gather information, but also to describe their experiences and express their opinions
on products, services and brands. Social networks are crucial means of expression for Millennials : they use these platforms
to stay close to their families and friends and to share their experiences. Millennials also appreciate how easily accessible and
immediate information is on the internet.
The food service industry is as affected by electronic word of mouth (eWOM) as other sectors. It is therefore important for
restaurateurs to understand how social media, notably social networks, function and are used by consumers. However, there
is a certain reluctance to use technology in the food service industry ; only fast food chains have really seized the opportu-
nity to use social networks. Through these platforms, they promote their products, recruit employees, and communicate with
actual and potential customers. Their practices are very heterogeneous, though, both in terms of the networks used and of
the activities performed.
It is in this context that we decided to get a better understanding of how social networks impact the consumption behaviour
of French and Swiss Millennials in relation to the food service industry.
6. 3 ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
for older Millennials
total CHF
52.40
**************************
Tanks
Millennials’ f&b
consumption behaviour
and social networks
Behaviour in relation to the food service industry
Visits to restaurants
Frequency of visits
Other
19%
1–6
times/month
81%
On average, the respondents visit a food outlet twice per month.
Average ticket
Average ticket per person per meal :
>> between chf 20.00 and 40.00 (€ 16.60
and 33.15) for 50 % of the respondents
>> chf 38.70 (€ 32.10) for younger Millennials
>> chf 52.40 (€ 43.45) for older Millennials
for younger Millennials
total CHF
38.70
**************************
Thanks
for 50% of the respondents
total CHF 20.00 - 40.oo
**************************
Thanks
7. 4ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Reasons for visits
22% 33% 24% 15% 6%
20%57%19%
6% 15% 44% 26% 8%
62% 22% 12% 3%
Daily meal
Socialisation
Special occasion
Buisness meal
>> The respondents mostly go to restaurants to socialise and for special occasions (e.g. birthdays).
Business meals were barely mentioned due to the important proportion of students in our sample.
>> Furthermore, for Millennials, restaurants are not considered the only or best option for daily meals anymore.
Behaviour on social networks
Information search
Information sources on restaurants
32% 27% 21% 14% 6%
4%13%21%31%31%
11% 19% 26% 26% 18%
29%17% 52%
13%
24%
25%19%19% 24%
44%20%11%
Social networks
Professional publications
Opinion-sharing websites
Word of mouth
Specialised blogs and websites
Restaurant websites
>> Overall, social networks are far from being Millennials’ primary sources of information.
>> More importantly, there are differences among Millennials : working and older members of Generation Y are
more likely than students and younger Millennials to look for information and reviews on social networks.
8. 5 ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Actions performed on social networks
48% 24% 21% 5%
8%18%32%21%21%
52% 24% 15% 7%
5%27%27%30% 11%
5%
15%26%51% 6%
10%30%24%31%
Clicking on adverts / promotions
Going on restaurants’ profiles
Looking at strangers’ photos
Looking at contacts’ photos
Clicking on strangers’ links
Clicking on contacts’ links
5%
17%23%49% 8%
15%28%27%25%
Reading strangers’ comments
Reading contacts’ comments
3%
>> 57% of the respondents look for information on restaurants’ official profiles. They are also
more likely to consult the information posted by their contacts than by strangers.
>> Advertisements are among the elements which interest our respondents the least. It seems
that, due to the omnipresence of advertisements, Generation Y is less receptive to traditional
communication and more attracted to marketing buzz and unusual communication strategies.
Information searched on social networks
31%7% 21% 40%
18%54%18%7%
5% 12% 35% 39% 9%
14%27%8% 48%
37%
15%35%14% 30% 6%
46%13%3%
Practical information
General atmosphere
Customers’ opinion on the service
Customers’ opinion on the food
Promotions
Prices
39%
14%7% 40%
52%6%
Menu
Type of cuisine
38%
3%
3%
>> Millennials search for factual and practical information, which explains why they focus their searches
primarily on restaurants’ profiles and, to a lesser extent, on their contacts’ posts and comments.
>> As already suggested by the previous graph, offering promotions on social networks is not very effective.
More direct means, such as newsletters, are better suited to this purpose.
9. 6ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Post-consumption behaviour
Our study shows that opinion-sharing is not a common practice among Millennials. Workers are more likely than students to
comment on their experience after eating out.
Opinion-sharing methods
52% 23% 11% 8% 6%
64% 20% 5%9%
66% 20% 11% 3%
5% 13% 40% 40%
Social networks
Opinion-sharing websites
Restaurants’ websites
Word of mouth
>> When Millennials do share their experience, it is generally through word of mouth.
Only 15 % frequently use social networks.
>> According to our results, the happier Millennials are about their experience,
the more likely they are to share it. They are also more prone to review a negative experience.
This confirms the findings of previous studies.
ewom activities on social networks
60% 21% 9% 7% 3%
4%10%29%22%35%
65% 19% 12%
3%16%18%56% 7%
7%21%69%
Posting comments on restaurants’ pages
Liking/ following restaurants
Sharing restaurants’ websites
Sharing photos and videos
Updating one’s status
>> The action our respondents perform most frequently is liking / following restaurants’ profile pages.
This confirms results from previous studies and from our qualitative research : Millennials are
more likely to express their opinion on restaurants if it does not require much effort.
>> Sharing videos and images is a growing trend, as it prompts emulation from friends.
However, pictures are shared only if they are deemed truly interesting ; for example,
for Millennials to share the picture of a product, it needs to have something special.
10. 7 ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Behaviour on social networks in relation to the food
service industry and millennials’ characteristics
Differences between younger (19–25 yo) and older (26–35 yo) Millennials appeared frequently in our results. For example, our
results suggest that older Millennials go to the restaurant more often than younger Millennials (6.21 vs 4.32 times / month).
Working Millennials and students often appeared to behave differently as well. This prompted an analysis of other characteristics.
The following factors have a notable positive impact on the use of social networks for information search :
Dimension Variable Analysis
Socio-demographic
factors
Age :
19–25 yo, over 25 yo
Older Millennials are more likely to look up
restaurants on social networks.
Activity :
Students, workers
Working Millennials are more likely than
students to use social networks as sources of
information on restaurants.
Behaviour in
relation to the food
service industry
Spending The more respondents spend on restaurant
meals, the more likely they are to use social
networks for information search.
Types of restaurants :
fast food, pizzeria, lounge, fine dining…
Respondents are more likely to look up lounge
and fine dining restaurants on social networks.
Reasons for visits :
daily meal, business meal, socialisation,
special occasion
Respondents are more likely to use social
networks to search information on restaurants
for business meals or special occasions.
Behaviour on
social networks
Number of networks used Using multiple social networks increases
the likelihood of using them as sources of
information on restaurants.
Level of activity Being active on social networks increases
the likelihood of using them as sources of
information on restaurants.
This is the variable that has the biggest
impact on our respondents’ tendency to look
for information about restaurants on social
networks.
Individual
characteristics
Experience in relation to the food service
industry
The more experience respondents have, the
more likely they are to use social networks as
sources of information on restaurants.
Knowledge of the food service industry The more knowledgeable respondents are, the
more likely they are to use social networks as
sources of information on restaurants.
Involvement in the decision to eat out The greater the respondent’s involvement, the
more likely they are to look up restaurants on
social networks.
11. 8ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
The following factors have a notable positive impact on restaurant-related post-purchasing behaviour on social networks :
Dimension Variable Analysis
Socio-demographic
factors
Age :
19–25 yo, over 25 yo
Older members of Generation Y are more likely
to share their food service experiences on
social networks.
Activity :
Students, workers
Working Millennials share their experiences
more often than students.
Behaviour in
relation to food
service
Spending Respondents who spend more tend to share
their experiences more.
Types of restaurants :
fast food, pizzeria, lounge, fine dining…
Experiences in fine dining and lounge
restaurants are shared more frequently than
those in other types of restaurants.
Reasons for visits :
daily meal, business meal, socialisation,
special occasion
Respondents are more likely to share
information on social networks after business
meals.
Behaviour on
social networks
Number of networks used Respondents who use multiple networks are
more likely to share their opinions via these
platforms.
Level of activity Respondents who are more active on social
networks are more likely to share their opinions
via these platforms.
Individual
characteristics
Experience in relation to the food service
industry
The more experience respondents have, the
more likely they are to comment on restaurants
on social networks.
Knowledge of the food service industry The more knowledgeable respondents are,
the more likely they are to comment on their
experiences on social networks.
Involvement in the decision to eat out The greater the respondent’s involvement,
the more likely they are to comment on their
experiences on social networks.
The variables that positively influence information search on social media are extremely similar to those favouring opi-
nion-sharing on these platforms. This suggests a link between information search and opinion-sharing. And indeed,
the correlations between the variables measuring information search on social networks and those measuring post-
purchasing behaviour on social networks are all positive, significant and, in some cases, strong.
12. 9 ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
13. 10ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Case study :
food service brands
on facebook
This case study focuses on Facebook, as it is the most popular social network among Swiss and French consumers. The feeds
of 28 national and international food service companies were analysed :
>> Au Bureau
>> Buffalo Grill
>> Casino Cafétéria
>> Class’croute
>> Courtepaille
>> Domino’s Pizza,
France
>> Domino’s Pizza,
Suisse
>> Flunch
>> Häagen Dazs
>> Hippopotamus
>> La Boîte à Pizza
>> La Brioche Dorée
>> La Mie Caline
>> La Pataterie
>> Léon de Bruxelles
>> McDonald’s France
>> McDonald’s Suisse
>> Mezzo di Pasta
>> Mövenpick
>> Paul
>> Pizza Hut
>> Pizza Paï
>> Quick
>> Sushi Shop
>> Planet Sushi
>> Starbucks France
>> Starbucks Suisse
>> Subway
The time frame for this study was one year of Facebook
activity, from January 1 to December 31, 2013.
With the French and Swiss Facebook pages combined,
the companies that have the highest number of fans are
McDonald’s (1.3 million), Häagen Dazs (670,000), Quick
(560,000) and Starbucks (550,000). McDonald’s and Quick
are also the companies with the highest turnover.
Häagen Dazs and Starbucks are much less present in
France than their Facebook following suggests. There are
three reasons for this disparity : their fame attracts fans ;
their communication strategy focuses on social networks ;
and their strategy is to foster a feeling of closeness and
build a sense of community.
Fast food and pizzeria restaurant chains have younger
fans than full-service restaurants. This reflects each seg-
ment’s consumption habits.
18%
25%
57%
less than 40,000 50,000 to 115,000 more than 320,000
14. 11 ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Analysis of the brands’ facebook feeds
Types of Facebook posts
3% 84% 13%
0%
20%
40%
60%
100%
80%
The brands studied undoubtedly post images more frequently than text posts and videos. The biggest brands focus on com-
munication through images and videos, which are more visually appealing and quicker to apprehend than text posts. Chains
which presumably do not master Facebook communication as well, such as La Pataterie and Pizza Paï, publish a lot of text
posts. These companies are smaller and generally local or national.
Fan interaction
In terms of types of interaction, likes amounted to 81 % of the fans’ reactions, comments to 11 %, and shares to 8 %.
In order to measure the interaction between the brands and their fans, the following indicator was created :
level of engagement =
likes + comments + shares
number of fans
x 100
However, because it is based on the number of fans, this formula skewed the results. Indeed, brands with a higher number
of fans appeared to have a lower engagement level than brands with a smaller following, even though their posts actually
prompted more reactions.
Since the data obtained using the above indicator would have been inaccurate, the average interaction level per post type
was calculated instead. This allowed us to identify the most engaging types of posts, both in general and for each brand.
Average number of reactions per video
McDonald’s Fr Quick Flunch Courtepaille Brioche
Dorée
Starbucks Fr Subway Fr Pizza Hut Häagen Dazs
0
50
100
150
250
300
200
The brands whose videos sparked the most reactions are Pizza Hut, Brioche Dorée and McDonald’s France. This is not due to
them posting more videos than the other brands or having more fans, but to the content of their videos. In 2013, the strategy of
Pizza Hut and Brioche Dorée was to post only funny videos, which their followers appreciated a lot and gladly shared or com-
mented on. McDonald’s videos generated many reactions because they involved French celebrities (Joyce Jonathan, Taïg Khris…).
15. 12ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Average number of reactions per image
McDonald’s Fr Quick Flunch Courtepaille Brioche
Dorée
Starbucks Fr Subway Fr Pizza Hut Häagen Dazs
0
500
1000
1500
2000
The brands whose images prompted the most reactions are Häagen Dazs, McDonald’s France and Starbucks France, with
Häagen Dazs being far ahead of its competitors. These three companies have professional photographers and regularly
posted pictures of celebrities endorsing their products, which explains why their images were so successful. They also elicited
reactions by asking their fans questions on the products pictured.
Average number of reactions per text post
McDonald’s Fr Quick Flunch Courtepaille Brioche
Dorée
Starbucks Fr Subway Fr Pizza Hut Häagen Dazs
0
500
1000
1500
2000
The three brands whose text posts prompted the most reactions are McDonald’s France, Quick and Häagen Dazs, although
McDonald’s France clearly outdistances the other two. Interestingly, text posts proportionately got more comments than
videos and images did. The text posts that generated the most reactions were those asking fans a direct question on their
consumption preferences (e.g. “Do you prefer going to McDonald’s during the week or the week-end ?”).
Examples of best practices
The case study was completed by a more in-depth analysis of the content of the sample brands’ Facebook pages : Courtepaille
and McDonald’s France.
Courtepaille is an interesting company for its Facebook page is the one on which fans participated the most : it had a 70 %
level of engagement. Moreover, Courtepaille is a full-service restaurant ; as such, it has a similar customer base to 57 % of
French restaurants and 67 % of Swiss restaurants.
McDonald’s France was chosen for two reasons. First, McDonald’s is the biggest food service company in the world. Secondly,
out of our whole sample population, it had the Facebook profile with the highest number of fans.
16. ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry13
Courtepaille
Courtepaille published more images and less text posts than our sample average : the posts published on its Facebook page
in 2013 included 2 % videos, 94 % images and 4 % text posts.
Videos
One of the videos posted by the brand was the advertisement created for the brand’s 50th anniversary. It showcased the
company’s values : respect of tradition, products that are “made in France”, fresh ingredients, generous serving sizes, and
kitchens open non-stop. The two other videos were related to a dance contest between Courtepaille outlets and highlighted
the employees’ good spirit. Moreover, the contest was linked to an important partner of the company, the Tour de France.
Images
Among the images, 26 % showcased either the products available on the menu, the restaurants, or the atmosphere during
meals (for example a happy family sharing a meal). The products were not presented the way they are served in restaurants,
but as “star products” (e.g. beef laid directly on a wooden table, paintings of desserts). These images were often accompanied
by questions.
20 % of the images showed the Courtepaille food truck during the Tour de France. With these images, the company fostered
a sense of conviviality and of closeness to its fans by reminding them where the truck would stop.
Finally, 10 % of the images were linked to contests. For one of these, fans had to take pictures of the Courtepaille mascot, thus
reinforcing their involvement and their attachment to the brand.
Text posts
39 % of the text posts were job advertisements for permanent positions, internships or summer jobs. Other text posts (22 %)
were questions asked directly to the fans to create interaction. These questions focused on the brand and its products (e.g.
“In what year do you think Courtepaille offered its first fish dish ?”).
McDonald’s france
In 2013, the posts on the McDonald’s France Facebook page included more videos (15 %) and fewer images (70 %) than the
sample average. They did, on the other hand, feature an average amount of text posts (15 %).
Videos
65 % of the videos focused on celebrities. They were either interviews (e.g. of Joyce Jonathan), a personality taking control of
the Facebook page for a few days (for instance Taïg Khris), or an artist’s new music video.
Images
The images posted by McDonald’s France mainly featured products : 73 % advertised new, limited edition or flagship products.
Others (13 %) focused on the installation of terminals for online orders.
Text posts
The company’s text posts focused on online orders (40 %) and asked fans questions on products and services.
17. 14ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Recommendations for
independent restaurateurs
The above observations on Millennials’ behaviour and on best practices in the industry served as a basis for a tool designed to
help independent restaurateurs make their Facebook page more appealing to Generation Y. The table below indicates which
posts they should make to generate reactions from fans, taking into account both their positioning and their target population.
Younger Millennials (19–25 yo) / students Older (> 25 yo) / working Millennials
Posts
(type and content)
(Expected)
reactions
Posts
(type and content)
(Expected)
reactions
Fine dining
Average ticket
> chf 120 / € 100
Atmosphere
Special occasions
Celebrities
Products
Expertise
Atmosphere
Celebrities
Products
Expertise
Customers
Celebrities
Expertise
Lounge
Experience
Atmosphere
Celebrities
Customers
Full service
Average ticket
= chf 80 – 120 / € 60 – 100
Products
Customers
Products
Full service
Average ticket
= chf 50 – 80 / € 35 – 60
Promotions
Contests
Outlet openings
Products
New products
Ask for product
suggestions
Full service
Average ticket
< chf 50 / € 35
Funny Contests
Contests
Outlet openings
Fast food
Average ticket
= chf 10 – 12 / € 8 – 9
Funny Celebrities
Promotions
New products
Promotions
Questions on
products
Independent restaurateurs should adapt their communication strategy to the different groups which compose Generation
Y ; being a Millennial should not be the only segmentation variable taken into account. Restaurateurs seeking to optimise
their use of social networks should target the Millennials who are most susceptible to use these platforms when seeking and
sharing information.
Restaurant’s page
Kitchen chef’s page
18. ehl f&b chair Generation Y, Social Networks and the Food Service Industry
Switzerland
68%
France
32%
’
Older
Millennials
71%
Younger
Millennials
29%
Female
63%
Male
37%
Students
62%
Working
38%
Methodology
A two-step analysis
Millennials’ behaviour Case study: food service brands on Facebook
>> Qualitative study through interviews of Millennials,
restaurant owners and web 2.0 companies
>> Quantitative study among 236 Millennials
>> 28 national and international companies
>> Present in France and Switzerland
>> With 700 to 1 million fans
Quantitative study sample
active on
1-5 networks
89%
active on
more than
5 networks
11%
use social
networks for
> 30 minutes/day
50%
use social
networks for
< 30 minutes/day
50%
15
