For Gen Z, food isn't just fuel—it’s a lens through which they engage with their identity, values, and the world around them. This generation seeks out culture-first brands: those who interact with and shape public discourse.
Authenticity from brands is important to Gen Z – they are 72% more likely to spend more with brands they perceive as authentic. Being culturally engaged means brands feel like they are part of the Gen Z community, rather than simply selling to them. Culture-first brands also provide social kudos to their customers – a transactional benefit from brand to consumer. In turn, investing in Gen Z allows brands to future-proof their businesses and stop themselves from
But being a culture-first brand can often misfire into being a cringe-first brand. A small misstep, a slight misunderstanding of meme culture, or one failed event can wipe out the cultural capital a brand has spent years curating. Here’s what you need to know about courting culture for a Gen Z audience:
Gen Z are tastemakers. With social platforms amplifying every bite, what’s on their plate can reflect everything from what’s trending, to their values and identity – consider the uptick of patronage of Ukrainian restaurants in London following the Russian invasion. Twenty percent of Gen Z say how exciting, on-trend, or interesting a dish is determines what they order at a casual dining restaurant. That’s significantly higher than Gen X or Boomers (9%) and even Millennials (16%). It’s no longer enough to be ‘reliable’—to be relevant, brands must move at the speed of culture, delivering food and experiences that feel new, expressive, and shareable. Gen Z don’t just consume food when they are at the table, but instead search, plan, and curate their eating habits through social media. Almost 40% of young people turn to TikTok or Instagram when planning their meals out, instead of traditional platforms like Google Maps or Search. This inspiration isn’t just limited to menus and ingredients but expanded to the ephemeral ‘vibes’ of a restaurant, including the personality and tone they exude.
“So, we had to look internally to understand what our values are. What is our position? How could we continue to drive relevance with Gen Z without alienating existing customers?”
– Mays Elansari, ex-Subway
Localised social accounts or curated channel strategies allow brands to deepen relationships with Gen Z without losing sight of their wider audience. Take, for example, KFC UK and Ireland, who have taken a page out of Duolingo’s meme-first chaos social media strategy. The brand is looking to court chronically online Gen Z, and older Gen Alpha’s with its brain-rot filled pages focused on feral entertainment over curated brand moments, the local page receives much more engagement in comparison to the global brand page. At Red Brick Road, we’ve tailored the social strategy of our client 19 Crimes to the local market, defining what breaking convention means in the UK. Recently, we spotlighted unconventional relationship types with cheeky humour in partnership with influencer Ruby Rare by testing the nation’s knowledge of terms like Unicorn, Monogamous, Throuple, and Metamour.
Provide A Safe Route into The New Cultures
While adventurous, Gen Z wants guided exploration. Food is a primary way they connect with global cultures, but they crave safety in the experience and permission to enter another cultural space. Red Brick Road found that 47% of Gen Z say they prefer restaurants that allow them to explore new cuisines and cultures. At the same time, 32% prefer to stick to well-known restaurants rather than independent restaurants. Dishoom successfully balances this by courting the UK’s love of curry, whilst also spotlighting South Asian culture, talent, and community. Just one of a number of initiatives, their Dishoom Loves newsletter gives readers ways to explore South Asian culture with curated books, exhibitions, and events.
Even as they embrace convenience, Gen Z still crave connection. Brands that make fast food feel like shared food earn emotional equity. Red Brick Road’s research showed Gen Z were more likely to see high-street staples like Greggs and KFC as sociable brands. This isn’t just about group dining—it’s about cultural belonging. Whether it’s through memes, TikToks, or brand personalities that speak in their voice, sociability can be digital and in-person. Taking inspiration from out-of-category, Nationwide Building Society recently played with the meteoric rise of chicken-shop culture (looking at you Amelia Dimoldenberg!) to court a new generation of students with their NationFried event. Nationwide isn’t the first bank many students think of – they wanted to change this as they launched their FlexStudent account. The brand partnered with influencers GK Barry and Harry Pinero, known for their frank content, to have honest chats and give proper advice to students. It didn’t hurt that the event featured fried chicken, DJs, golden ticket prizes, and photo booths to attract students during Fresher’s Week.
It’s not enough for brands to react to culture, instead, they must have their point of view to shape culture moving forward. Authenticity means having a clear brand strategy that filters down into all touchpoints. At Red Brick Road, we utilise our ‘Red Thread Ideas’ to create a single, powerful thought that runs through channels, adapting to each while staying true to its core by stitching strategy to the story, emotion to execution, channel to channel, and brands to people.
A brand to take inspiration from is Greggs, which has completely embedded itself in British culture. Despite not running TV advertising and with a remarkably small budget, Greggs is the number one dining brand in the UK. The brand focuses on talkability through a tongue-in-cheek approach that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The brand has become a shortcut to unpretentious, reliable, and straight-talking ‘Britishness’ by creating unexpected moments that combine ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture:
“We know who we are. We are part of the fabric of the country.”
– Ian White, Greggs, Head of Brand
2024 saw the brand double down on this strategy of unexpected pairings; their Christmas campaign featured Nigella Lawson, the celebrated luxury home chef. In the run-up to the Christmas period, Greggs ran a sold-out champagne bar where its budget pastries were served with elevated condiments. In September, the brand’s limited-edition collection of 22-carat gold-plated pastry-themed jewellery sold out in minutes. Gregg’s culture-first activations build on their core brand strategy, building relevance and pushing brand messaging with consumers.
But not every brand has the budget of a high-street behemoth. Instead, culture-first activations allow brands to be scrappy and reactive. Surreal and LoveHoney recently turned heads with their cheeky crossover. The two brands sit at the intersection of irreverence and inclusivity. By teaming up for a collaboration that played out across social media, they winked to Gen Z’s openness around humour, sex positivity, and brand play.
Finding your brand’s point of view ensures brand safety, longevity, and clarity.
To win with Gen Z, brands must move beyond food and into culture. That means not only reflecting the world Gen Z lives in but helping shape it. Culture-first branding is about relevance, reciprocity, and representation. Whether through engaging social content, global community building, or unexpected creativity, the brands that thrive are those that play culture and aren’t afraid to shape it. The New Marketing Menu offers a roadmap for growth for restaurant brands – to hear more, please contact Red Brick Road.
