When Mia Jones goes out to eat along with her mates, she needs one thing that’s excellent: not overly fashionable, but additionally has a cool aesthetic.
“If the restaurant is too viral, I don’t want to go, but if there’s no buzz around it I won’t go,” Jones, a 26-year-old development strategist with model consultancy Redscout, advised Fortune. “I lean into reviews and need other foodies to sign off on a place before I’ll spend my dollars.”
Jones is like many younger-generation diners who need a greater bang for his or her buck after they exit to eat. Greater than 77% of Gen Zers discover eating places by way of social media and 72% belief evaluations on these platforms, in response to a survey by Eater and Vox Media launched in late March.
“I won’t eat at a restaurant if it’s not on TikTok because I don’t trust a boomer’s taste buds,” Jones mentioned. “I know that my fellow Gen Zers have their FBI hat on when reviewing a restaurant.”
Counting on social media to seek out new eating places isn’t the one pattern driving Gen Z eating. Many purchasers decide to share plates or order appetizers and youngsters’ meals to offset the price of eating out throughout a interval of inflation and tariffs.
“We will split appetizers and entrees so everyone can try something,” Jones mentioned. “It’s an occasion, so we want to try everything.”
As of late 2024, Individuals spent $166 monthly on eating out on common, in response to the Auguste Escoffier Faculty of Culinary Arts. In the meantime, 16 fashionable chain eating places elevated their costs by a mean of 42% between 2020 and 2025, in response to a Finance Buzz examine.
However for eating places, that’s meant smaller tickets from youthful diners.
“It’s a trend the industry is watching closely,” Barry McGowan, CEO of Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão, advised Fortune. Gen Zers are extra “considerate when it comes to value. Alcohol consumption is also evolving. This generation is more likely to opt for zero-proof cocktails or low-ABV beverages.” Fogo de Chão has greater than 70 places globally and was acquired by Bain Capital Personal Fairness in August 2023 for $1.1 billion.
Extra Gen Zers are additionally selecting to go sober—not solely as a means to economize, however to stop falling into alcoholism and dwell a more healthy life-style.
“Gen Z is socializing less in person, and social norms may be changing,” Brooke Arterberry, a researcher on the College of Michigan’s Institute for Social Analysis who has studied younger peoples’ relationships to alcohol, beforehand advised Fortune’s Alicia Adamczyk. “Parenting changes might also be a factor, as is the increased pressure young people feel to succeed, the amount of accessible information on the dangers of drinking, and even economic instability.”
A 2024 Nationwide Restaurant Affiliation report additionally confirmed greater than 75% of shoppers need smaller parts for much less cash. However some fast-casual and fast-food chains have stepped as much as the problem, like Subway introducing a snack-focused menu and Panera Bread leaning into its fashionable “You Pick Two” deal for a cup of soup and half a sandwich or salad, which usually prices lower than $10.
Gen Zers go for smaller portion sizes.
Getty Photographs—ATHVisions
“Several chains have noticed that with younger diners cutting back on alcohol, average ticket sizes have dipped slightly,” Joe Hannon, basic supervisor of stock and gross sales at restaurant administration software program firm Restaurant365, advised Fortune. “Some restaurants are also embracing the trend of adults ordering from kid’s menus as a cost-effective, portion-controlled option, which helps them attract and retain younger customers.”
One social-media influencer, Ashley Garrett, has even made it her mission to evaluate children’ meals at as many eating places as she will be able to to assist different adults discover tasty—and price-conscious—meals. The 33-year-old says she eats children’ meals 5 instances every week and thinks restaurant parts are too massive and costly.
“Give me chicken tenders or a basic pasta dish, and I’m happy,” Garrett advised The Wall Road Journal.
How different generations dine out
It’s not completely a generational pattern to care about menu costs throughout this inflationary interval the place shopper confidence is plummeting.
Certainly, 86% of customers mentioned they’ve modified their eating behaviors indirectly to navigate inflation, with about one-third selecting cheaper menu objects and 29% planning their eating round price range constraints, in response to the Eater/Vox Media survey. Greater than 60% of child boomers mentioned discovering a good or affordable worth was one among their high elements in deciding on a brand new restaurant to strive. A McKinsey & Co. report revealed in February additionally reveals fewer customers plan to splurge on eating places and groceries.
Nonetheless, Hannon mentioned he’s really observed a rise in spending in a single class for child boomers.
“Baby boomers, interestingly, have actually increased their alcohol spending, often treating dining out as more of an indulgent experience,” he mentioned.
Whereas Gen Zers usually discover new eating places by way of social media, millennials nonetheless depend on Google and Yelp for evaluations.
“Millennials rely heavily on online platforms, but they usually look at reviews and ratings rather than just aesthetics,” Hannon added.
A model of this story initially revealed on Fortune.com on April 19, 2025.
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