For decades, the consumer of choice for quick-serves has been the 18-to-34-year-old crowd. But recent studies show these young adults are cutting back significantly on quick-serve visits, even while older generations of consumers are increasing their patronage. At the same time, the industry is witnessing double-digit growth of smaller chains offering more mature versions of traditional fast food in spite of young-adult tastes. Brands looking for change in their business prospects would be wise to consider branching out and aligning with a new (read: older) generation of consumers that offers promise.

Meet the Jones Dubbed “Generation Jones,” consumers age 44 to 55 are shaping not only America’s political and consumer culture of late, but appear to be leading growth trends in the quick-service industry as well. The challenge is to understand what messages and menus appeal to this target.

You’ve probably never heard of Generation Jones until now because the term “Baby Boomer” was traditionally assigned to all Americans born during a birthrate peak from 1946 to 1964. But over time that classification has lost credence partly because most generations typically span only 10 to 12 years (not 20) and also because it has become increasingly clear that front-end Boomers (think George W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, and Donald Trump) represent a very different set of shared values and experiences than trailing-end Boomers (think the Obamas, Tom Cruise, and Madonna).

As early as 2000, cultural historians like Jonathan Pontell began encouraging the separation of consumers born between 1954 and 1965 from the Boomer behemoth and gave them their own identity: Generation Jones. This proposal received particularly widespread validation from the media and politicians in 2008 as it became clear this group would be the key swing vote in winning last year’s presidential race. Now, thanks to two prominent Gen Jonesers in the White House, this age wave is being seen as the new leadership and was identified by the Associated Press in January as the most important trend of 2009.

Breaking Old Habits Not only is Generation Jones attractive in size (comprising 53 million consumers, or one-fourth of America’s adult population), but it also appears to represent growth for the quick-service industry. Over the past five years, 18-to-24-year-olds have decreased their per capita quick-serve visits by an alarming 19 percent, with all generations below 35 years old decreasing their frequency, according to the NPD Group. In contrast, all consumer groups 35 and older have increased their annual patronage of quick-serves in the past five years, with the 35-to-49-year-old cohort, in particular, growing 6 percent and 50-to-64-year-olds growing 7 percent.

Just trying to bounce some ideas to use up some cherry pie filling I have. Obviously cherry pie would be a good start.

I am looking for something a little more interesting that can be done that would not be so heavy on labor, and i can maybe make personal portions in a muffin tin.

Anyone have a good cherry muffin recipe that uses the canned stuff?

As a Restaurant Funding Specialist I receive many inquiries from people and its a little frustrating when they come without doing their homework. Hopefully this can help someone out there who is in this situation.

Investors and funding sources are very careful now. Deals are getting funded but you have to do your homework beforehand.