US Gen Z Food Consumer 2024

This report offers a complete review of the Gen Z food consumer. As Gen Z explore food and foodservice, they’re going to shape the spending future of these industries. Explore how Gen Z perceive and prefer food with this report.

US Gen Z Food Consumer – Current Trends

While the full opportunity of Gen Z won’t be realized until they fully hit adulthood, around 95% are engaging with foodservice, retail food, or both. It may not be their dollars spent at this stage, but they’re building the loyalties now that will shape their spend well into the future.

Like most consumers, Gen Z food habits revolve around convenience, quality, and value. And, perhaps above all else, Gen Z is looking for food to be an experience, not simply a way to fuel their bodies.

Bringing a sense of fun to food can engage Gen Z, allowing them to express themselves and capture a sense of adventure. CPG and foodservice alike can embrace a sense of play in their brand story and messaging, remembering that food doesn’t have to be serious or stuffy to win its category. At restaurants, this might look like casual vibes with snacking menus; for CPG, this can include fun flavors, innovative formats, and products that help cooking be fun, even as young people are still learning.

Gen Z has real power: about 60% picked some or most of the restaurants they ate at in the last three months, and only 4% of those 14-17 (2% for 18+) did not buy any food. Help them come of age in the kitchen with products that make the learning process less painful, and get them in the door at restaurants with menus that consider the budgets of early adulthood.

US Gen Z Food Consumer Statistics

• Snacks top meal choice for teen (14-17) Gen Z: Gen Z is the snacking generation, and this carries across to foodservice, too. Coffee/tea shops are prioritized more than other restaurant types visited recently at 59% of teen consumers.
• Importance of dollar value increases into older Gen Z: While good service is the preferred restaurant attribute for both teen and 18+ Gen Z, preferences change as Gen Z age into adulthood. Winning over younger Gen Z will enable loyalty into adulthood.
• 49% of 18+ Gen Z go to restaurants to celebrate: Special occasions are key for Gen Z, and restaurants must consider that this generation require more than just a meal provider, especially as prepared meals are considered on-par with foodservice.

US Gen Z Food Consumer Report – What’s Inside?

Key Topics Analyzed in the Report

Each of the following is broken down by teen Gen Z (14-17) and adult (18+):

• Restaurant visitation, choice and influence
• Important attributes for foodservice
• Attitudes and behaviors towards restaurants
• Associations with specific meal types
• Food purchase location
• Important attributes from food brands
• Attitudes and behaviors towards cooking and eating
• Concept interest

Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis

Michele joined Mintel in 2019 as a Senior Research Analyst reporting on the cannabis industry. In her current role, she covers all things cannabis, including topics related to THC, CBD and hemp. Michele has a PhD in sociology from North Carolina State University and has expertise in qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Opportunity won’t wait for Gen Z to age up; meeting their demands and acting as a partner in their culinary coming of age is fruitful now, and into the future.

Michele Scott
Associate Director, US Research – Food and Drink