Quality is one of the biggest factors Millennials consider when choosing where to dine out and what to order, but how they define quality beef might be surprising. New consumer research from The Beef Checkoff, Centennial, Colo., shows that Millennial consumers denote beef’s taste and experiential attributes as the highest indicators of quality.

The study, “Quality Counts: How to convey beef quality to Millennial consumers,” provides insights and in-market examples to help foodservice operators better “speak” to their consumers.

Key takeaways from the study are as follows:

·         The top words that indicate high-quality beef to Millennials are fresh, taste, tender and juicy.

·         27% of Millennials say what the cattle eat and how the beef is prepared boasts the biggest impact on beef’s quality, followed by 26% stating how the beef is cooked and prepared as being a big impact.

For operators, the study recommends telling consumers about the beef’s story, including how the beef is selected, how it’s prepared and cooked, where it comes from, how it was raised and more. And be specific. According to the study, Millennials find filet mignon, sirloin, ribeye, tenderloin, porterhouse and T-bone as being the highest quality cuts of beef.Group