Gen Z is coming of age; this complex and often contradictory generation accounts for fifteen percent of the UK population and are predicted to account for 38% of retailer spending by 2030. Gen Z are reshaping the business of food and drink with companies having to rapidly adapt how they speak to this economically growing audience. Red Brick Road’s research, ‘Please Drink Joyfully 2024,’ uncovered the importance of meaningful moments for Gen Z in alcohol consumption. This year, we turned our sights on another nuanced market: eating out.
Despite economic instability, the UK’s ‘eating-out’ market showed remarkable resilience in 2024, growing by 2.6%. As the ecosystem of dining grows ever more complex, restaurants, delivery apps, dark kitchens, and retailers will each be fighting for their slice of growth. Eateries must understand the emotional drivers and evolving appetites of Gen Z if they want to win with this new generation and secure their business futures:
The Dine Out Crowd
Gen Z have the highest frequency of eating out of any generation, across all categories. Despite macro-economic pressures, eating out has been cemented as part of their routine, with 44% eating out each week and 20% finding the time and money to eat out two to three times per week (compared to just 4% of baby boomers). Gen Z aren’t just eating out more at the same places, they’re finding new occasions – 23% are eating at dessert bars each week, compared to only 1% of baby boomers. As other generations tighten their purse strings, Gen Z’s love of dining out continues to persist.
Looking Beyond the Basics
Gen Z has become one of the most discerning generations of customers demanding elevated experiences. Whilst other generations prioritise cleanliness and convenience, Gen Z sees them as basics that all restaurants must meet. The evolution of convenience offers an interesting snapshot into this trend: only 18% of Gen Z would consider McDonalds convenient, compared to 35% of Gen X. Having grown up in a world of delivery apps and automated points of sale, Gen Z take convenience for granted and are instead have other, more complex, priorities. Price is, of course, still an important factor for Gen Z but is comparatively lower than for other audiences – 54% of Gen Z chose ‘price and affordability’ as important when deciding what good to order at casual dining restaurants, this is compared to 65% of baby boomers (only Millennials were less concerned than Gen Z at 51%).
Complex Needs Create Food Tensions
It’s easy for marketers to feel confused by Gen Z’s many conflicting demands, but we think there are interesting creative and marketing opportunities in not making Gen Z choose between their different drivers. At Red Brick Road, we’ve uncovered four major tensions that can be solved by brands putting ‘perfect pairings’ on the marketing menu for Gen Z:
Invite them in to Play
Gen Z are torn between familiarity and novelty, with 51% of them extremely or very interested in trying or experimenting with new cuisines. However, whilst Gen Z might want to experiment, they are anxious about taking too many risks when picking a restaurant; 32% say they prefer to stick to well-known chain restaurants rather than independent restaurants. This generation are searching for ‘safe spaces’ where they trust the brand enough to divert from their usual order.
To counteract this anxiety, restaurants must invite them into play, giving them the invitation to tap into their more experimental side whilst remaining loyal customers. Play is an important experience to Gen Z – we’ve seen them embracing the trend of ‘kiddulting’ with Google searches for bag charms increasing by 61% YoY as Gen Z look for ways to add camp and colour to their lives.
Play can create magical experiences for Gen Z – consider Dishoom’s famous Matka game that allows diners to win their meal if they roll a six. The game is only available to customers who have a Matka keyring, creating both exclusivity and collectability as each site has a different key design:
“When you think about the Matka… if you work it out, it’s a discount yes, but it’s presented in a much more magical way. Each site has their own story, but they are deliberately meant to be an experience.”
– Lucy Milne, CMO, Dishoom
Offer Bite Sized Ways to Connect
This first digital-native generation are caught between the world of digital convenience and streamlined experience and creating fulfilling connections. This is apparent in their expectations of eating out: 40% say ‘when I eat out, I just want my food quickly without worrying about the experience’. However, 40% also say they ‘enjoy sharing food in groups and trying different dishes. Despite these conflicting statements, it seems Gen Z are looking for connection and community on their terms – from online groups on TikTok and Reddit to IRL experiences, connection is about bite-sized moments for Gen Z to dip into:
“Connection is crucial for us; our brand is all about togetherness over shared experiences. Ninety percent of our customers come to Creams with at least one other person.”
– Simran Sablok, CMO, Creams
Online community can lead to real-life connection; at the end of 2024, Wingstop brought together 600 of their ‘flavour fans’ in an event packed with grime OGs, young stars, DJs, and a range of talent that cemented their die-hard fan base as a bona fide community. Successful community and connection building leads to long-term loyalty for brands.
Make Health Feel like Hedonism
Gen Z have grown up in the world of Instagram diets and TikTok wellness – this means their approach to health is often complex, performative, and misguided. More than any other generation, they are interested in specific diets like low carb or keto, and they are also searching for functional benefits, with 46% (the highest of any generation) prioritising gut-friendly foods. On the other hand, 36% eat fast food at least once a week, and 23% eat at a dessert bar. When they do indulge, they keep one eye on health, with over a third saying it’s important to them that dessert bars offer healthy options. Physical wellbeing is a driver for this generation, seen through their prioritisation of health and focus on trends such as gut health, but this isn’t at the expense of indulgence and fun.
It seems for many Gen Z indulgence can take many forms – taste, experience, or the sociability of food. We’ve seen the rise of functional indulgences like the Collagen Café in Paris, or Erewhon’s widely lauded smoothie partnerships with celebrities. These smoothies shout about benefits such as ‘skin glaze’ but offer the perfect moment of social media bragging and taste indulgence, all delivered in the luxury experience of Erewhon’s high-end grocery stores.
Make Values ‘Feel-Good’
Gen Z are often widely lauded as the ‘woke’ generation, but marketers are well aware of this cohort’s say-do gap – the difference between what they say they’re doing, and what they actually do. For example, 44% of Gen Z are interested in choosing sustainable or locally sourced food. Yet, 36% are also interested in using meal delivery services and all the packaging they entail.
By making values ‘feel good’ brands can create accessible ways for Gen Z to do the right thing and close the say-do gap. For example, Hello Kitty have recently taken up the cause of Algae by resigning everyone’s favourite kitty into different, but deeply collectable, algae. The iconic cat will showcase ways of combating climate change as well as climate anxiety at the 2025 Osaka Expo.
Navigating the New Marketing Menu
Gen Z are complicated and contradictory but by understanding their emotional tensions brands can cement their loyalty with this ever-evolving generation. The New Marketing Menu offers a roadmap for growth for restaurant brands – to hear more please contact zeph.brown@redbrickroad.com.
