The U.S. Census Bureau predicts  the population of Hispanic Americans to grow by 7.7 million people by 2026. According to the NPD Group/CREST Hispanic via Univision Communications, Hispanic Americans have higher check averages when eating at QSR, midscale and casual dining establishments.  How will you reach this growing population?

Here are some trends to consider:

• Be specific – Develop a digital or mobile campaign. Of Hispanic consumers, 68% of them use some kind of social networking.
• Talk the talk – Having Spanish-speaking staff and marketing materials in Spanish can go a long way in building enduring relationships with Hispanic consumers.
• Bigger is better – Hispanics tend to visit dining establishments in large groups. Consider having several tables for larger groups.
• Spice it up – More Latin cuisine flavors, like chili and habanero peppers, hibiscus and dragon fruit, are gaining popularity with the general American population. Most of these items are now mainstays in our kitchens and on menus. Shipments of these items has increased by 12%. Use them in your corporate kitchen.
• Think ahead – The median age of the Hispanic consumer is 10 years younger than the non-Hispanic population. They are very concerned with the importance of freshness and quality of food, use of environmentally friendly food and being socially responsible. This should be of greater concern and be taken into consideration by the dining establishments.

Hispanic consumers continue to be one of the most important and ever-growing demographic in the U.S. They are driving restaurant industry traffic and dollars spent. What will you do to attract and retain this emergent group? Read the full article here.