Michelin-starred food is a rare treat which is why one of the great joys of traveling is being able to experience hot Chefs from across the globe. Some people are more focused on foodie experiences than others. In fact if you’re a Millennial you may be obsessed on it. A recent report from Michelin (the tire guys and most coveted food and guidebook rating system) shows just how much Americans care about special dinning adventures.
In the report conducted only in the U.S., Americans said they would splurge an average of $203 in order to have a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience at a gourmet restaurant.
“We discovered across every demographic that American diners would be willing to pay a sizable sum to eat the best meal of their lives at a high-end restaurant,” said Cynthia Ochterbeck, Michelin’s U.S. editorial director for travel guides. “Perhaps this is the influence of around-the-clock food shows and celebrity chefs, but the fine food movement continues to see an extraordinary growth in popularity.”
Michelin’s survey with Harris Poll queried more than 2,000 U.S. adults, revealing some surprising preferences about great food experiences.
This is why Millennials matter:
- Millennials (ages 18-34) on average would pay $282 for this culinary experience, compared to those diners ages 45-54 who would shell out $170, and $122 for those 65 and older.
- Geographically, diners in the West are much bigger spenders, saying they would pay $352 for an unsurpassed meal, which is essentially double what people would pay in the Northeast ($182), the South ($149) and Midwest ($148).
- Gender is also a factor, according to survey results. Men are willing to drop an average of $241 for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience, while women are inclined to spend considerably less on average, at $166.
Here’s what type of food Americans find drool-worthy:
- A quarter of U.S. adults who participated in the Michelin survey say that steakhouse cuisine is their favorite choice for dining
- Italian ranked as the second choice nationally for the meal of a lifetime. Notably, nearly 1 in 4 Northeast diners (24 percent) favor Italian fare, versus 18 percent in the South, 15 percent in the Midwest and 17 percent in the West
- Tied for American adults’ third choice are Mexican, American and Continental, all at 13 percent in the survey.
The survey’s most important takeaways are:
- Men willing to spend more for fine food than women
- Young adults are willing to pay much more than older diners
- Diners in the West are much bigger spenders than rest of the country
- Steakhouse is the most popular choice for high-end dining
