Understanding the Brunch Craze in Restaurants

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The Month of September is known for being International Breakfast Month. The weekends are made for sleeping late and enjoying a scrumptious meal when you finally rise. But what to eat? Brunch is the ideal marriage between breakfast and lunch, featuring all your favorites from both, and fulfilling almost anything you have a taste for that day. 

Brunch isn’t a new concept, but it’s seen a rise in popularity over the last five years, especially in millennials. From abandoning milk in favor of almond milk to the rise in popularity of brunch, the younger generations are blazing their own trail and others seem ready to follow. Avocado toast, anyone?

If you’re a restaurant owner or managing a food service operation, you might wonder what sparked the rejuvenation of this brunch craze. Here are a few things to consider about brunch.

The History of Brunch

In 1895, Guy Beringer coined the term brunch in an article in the Hunter’s Weekly, a popular publication in London. He argued that a brunch would make the world a brighter place for people who went out on Saturday nights could enjoy a meal that began later than breakfast. A year later, the word began popping up in American publications.

By the 1920s, brunch in an elite hotel had begun to rise in popularity. The first brunch cookbook appeared in the 1940s as the craze began to include the middle class. By the 1990s, you could enjoy brunch on both Saturday and Sunday. Next, it went global.

Recently, younger people have taken brunch to a whole new level. But why? Here are a few reasons that this group finds brunch so appealing.

Day Drinking

Although you picture millennials always on their phones, this generation didn’t get phones until their teen years. They enjoy time spent relaxing with friends and enjoying a drink.

Most brunch menus include the option to enjoy a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, or a Bellini. Why wait until after work to have a drink with friends when you can enjoy spirits and friends during a leisurely brunch without worrying about getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

Standing Date

Brunch offers people the opportunity to create a standing date or specific day and time each week or each month to catch up with their friends.

It’s hard to find a time for meeting up during a hectic workweek, and there’s almost always a couple of friends who work an odd schedule. However, creating a standing date for mid-morning the third Sunday of each month is easy and most of their friends can easily fit it into their schedules.

Rise of Social Media

With #brunch trending on most of social media, it’s no surprise that younger people are enjoying this weekend indulgence. Food porn is one of the most popular types of uploaded photos, and brunch makes an excellent photo op.

From Instagram to Twitter, people enjoy the opportunity to share their brunch photos. It’s also a great way to show off your success when you afford brunch on the weekends.

Time to Relax

Brunch and fast food have little in common. When you sit down for brunch, you expect to spend a couple of hours relaxing and enjoying a fabulous meal. For a couple of hours, brunch-goers can choose between upscale breakfast items and luxurious lunch offerings. They aren’t in a rush, and they simply digest the experience.

The up-and-coming generations are slowly changing the ways that companies do business. If you have a restaurant or foodservice operation, it’s a good idea to add brunch to your offerings or reevaluate your current brunch menu. Alto-Hartley can help you with any equipment upgrades you might need.

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