gen y magazine

What would you like with that? Any salads? In an ever growing, fast paced world these are the questions we are constantly being asked. Our generation is becoming more reliant on companies, restaurants and other people making our food, rather then preparing it ourselves. With our attachment to fast food restaurants, pre packaged and alternative food options, establishments have had to grow and develop to accommodate for the needs of its customers. Within this growth, Gen Y customers have gained greater control and knowledge over what they consume, and therefore a greater choice is now available for them. In a study done by QSR Magazine, an American Culinary magazine, they surveyed a group of Generation Y’s and found some very unexpected results. When it comes to food,

researchers identified that as a generation, making food fun is a central role in our choosing our food, food features such as visually interesting, participatory and sound encompassed in this notion of fun. Customisation however was the biggest feature that we sought after in food. Marc Halperin from QSR Magazine says: ‘One size fits all is no way to approach this group. They are used to having it their own way, every day. They enjoy being able to call their own shots by adding toppings, choosing from different

sauces, selecting from a variety of spice blends and ethnic flavor profiles, and exercising a little individuality when it comes to snacking.’ As the world’s third largest fast food chain, Subway is a prominent fast food restaurant in terms of customisation. Subway pride themselves on fresh, healthy food but also on choice. You are able to choose everything you want, whether it be bread, salads, sauce, spice, drinks, even which cookie you would like. Everyone has their own order, unique to that

What Would You Like With That?Words & Pictures by Michael Cooper

‘Gen Y enjoy exercising a little individuality when it comes to snacking.’ Marc Halperin, ‘Crunch Time’, QSR Magazine (2008)

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What would you like with that? Any salads? In an ever growing, fast paced world these are the questions we are constantly being asked. Our generation is becoming more reliant on companies, restaurants and other people making our food, rather then preparing it ourselves. With our attachment to fast food restaurants, pre packaged and alternative food options, establishments have had to grow and develop to accommodate for the needs of its customers. Within this growth, Gen Y customers have gained greater control and knowledge over what they consume, and therefore a greater choice is now available for them. In a study done by QSR Magazine, an American Culinary magazine, they surveyed a group of Generation Y’s and found some very unexpected results. When it comes to food,

researchers identified that as a generation, making food fun is a central role in our choosing our food, food features such as visually interesting, participatory and sound encompassed in this notion of fun. Customisation however was the biggest feature that we sought after in food. Marc Halperin from QSR Magazine says: ‘One size fits all is no way to approach this group. They are used to having it their own way, every day. They enjoy being able to call their own shots by adding toppings, choosing from different

sauces, selecting from a variety of spice blends and ethnic flavor profiles, and exercising a little individuality when it comes to snacking.’ As the world’s third largest fast food chain, Subway is a prominent fast food restaurant in terms of customisation. Subway pride themselves on fresh, healthy food but also on choice. You are able to choose everything you want, whether it be bread, salads, sauce, spice, drinks, even which cookie you would like. Everyone has their own order, unique to that

What Would You Like With That?Words & Pictures by Michael Cooper

‘Gen Y enjoy exercising a little individuality when it comes to snacking.’ Marc Halperin, ‘Crunch Time’, QSR Magazine (2008)

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customer. Subway, however, is not the only company to provide the service of customising your food.

“Would you like to upsize?, For only 50c extra you can get a larger size!”. Does this sound familiar? Stores such as KFC and McDonalds offer you a choice of meal but as a consumer you can change the size of your mealand the drink. This is, in a way, a form of customising your meal and therefore companies such as these may have indeed created a notion of food customisation. However, there still is a set order to choose from which limits the customer to what they can have. In turn though if you were to ask for no cheese in your meal then there would be no cheese in it. This again, loosely allows a small form of customisation for consumer. However, fast food restaurants are not the only option out there available to consumers.

Many privately owned businesses have also started up throughout shopping centres offering choices to

their customers. Stores can range from salad, sandwich and sushi bars to seafood, indian and kebab stores. All of which offer a different variety of choices to customers, allowing them to make a unique meal. These are normally a healthier option to that of a fast food restaurant, however if you were looking towards healthy eating then perhaps preparing your meals at home is a better option.“Prepared and fast foods have given us the time and freedom to see cooking as an art form - a form of creative expression.”

The possibilities for customising your food are endless and ever growing.With fast food restaurants such as McDonalds the ease and convenience of a meal is a positive, however the health issues associated with it start to draw negatives to the surface. As a generation we are not blinded to the facts of the world and therefore we are able to make choices that are beneficial to us. In terms of food we are able to identify and therefore customise a better option not only for our cravings but also for our health.

‘Prepared and fast foods have given us the time and freedom to see cooking as an art form - a form of creative expression.’ Jeff Smith, ‘The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast’ (1995)

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customer. Subway, however, is not the only company to provide the service of customising your food.

“Would you like to upsize?, For only 50c extra you can get a larger size!”. Does this sound familiar? Stores such as KFC and McDonalds offer you a choice of meal but as a consumer you can change the size of your mealand the drink. This is, in a way, a form of customising your meal and therefore companies such as these may have indeed created a notion of food customisation. However, there still is a set order to choose from which limits the customer to what they can have. In turn though if you were to ask for no cheese in your meal then there would be no cheese in it. This again, loosely allows a small form of customisation for consumer. However, fast food restaurants are not the only option out there available to consumers.

Many privately owned businesses have also started up throughout shopping centres offering choices to

their customers. Stores can range from salad, sandwich and sushi bars to seafood, indian and kebab stores. All of which offer a different variety of choices to customers, allowing them to make a unique meal. These are normally a healthier option to that of a fast food restaurant, however if you were looking towards healthy eating then perhaps preparing your meals at home is a better option.“Prepared and fast foods have given us the time and freedom to see cooking as an art form - a form of creative expression.”

The possibilities for customising your food are endless and ever growing.With fast food restaurants such as McDonalds the ease and convenience of a meal is a positive, however the health issues associated with it start to draw negatives to the surface. As a generation we are not blinded to the facts of the world and therefore we are able to make choices that are beneficial to us. In terms of food we are able to identify and therefore customise a better option not only for our cravings but also for our health.

‘Prepared and fast foods have given us the time and freedom to see cooking as an art form - a form of creative expression.’ Jeff Smith, ‘The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast’ (1995)

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