I’m not a Millennial, but I love this trend and you’ll definitely want in. Experiential dining is the term used to describe what today’s restaurant patron wants from a dining experience. It’s far beyond the “something more” of yesterday. High food quality, good service, and an interesting venue are now the expectations that need to be wrapped up into a highly unique, media shareable dining experience that becomes more than just about the food. In an Eventbrite survey, 78 percent of Millennials said they would prefer to buy a desirable experience or event over buying something desirable. 55 percent said they’re spending more on events and live experiences than ever before.

So what makes the experience? Smart use of social media, both with competitions and picture walls, communal seating (pre-Covid), collaborating with a guest celebrity on a featured entree, and allowing for the customer to view the mash-up (think guacamole or salsa), cook the protein (Black Stone Grill), or build the toppings tableside. Pizza and Puppies, Pub and Pooches, and Fidos Forage, along with movie and game night competitions, are all experiential restaurant themes that are coming on strong. Gift shops, wine tasting, elevator transports to the speakeasy cellars, mystery solving, and themed meals are ripe for social bonding, fur connecting foodie events that are entertaining, memorable, shareable, and a means to stay fresh and relevant.

Restaurant Industry 2030 (yes, you read that right), from the National Restaurant Association, will continue to demand a social connection and experience when dining. We encourage you to download the full report and, as always, shop our wide variety of Ada Valley proteins while working with our sales team to help you build your own experiential dining concept.