Food & Beverage
How Gen Z is Eating and Drinking
Report summary
Raised in a culture that values and prioritizes food as more than just functional, Gen Zers engage with the industry in a wide variety of ways. They think of food and beverages as a conduit to socialize, but also a way to explore and treat themselves. Despite their young age and the sense of immortality that often comes with the life stage, they eat healthy for the sense of well being it brings. They balance occasions away from home with cooking in the comfort of their own kitchen, seeking classic American flavors as well as global cuisines, which are more accessible to them than any previous generation.
Morning Consult’s report How Gen Z is Eating and Drinking explores Gen Z’s food and beverage preferences, behaviors and expectations. Based on a survey conducted among 1,001 Gen Zers, this report provides insights into how the generation is thinking about and engaging with the food and beverage industry today.
Key Takeaways
- Food and beverages are inherently social: Gen Zers see food as a way to connect and spend time with others, but also to explore and indulge.
- Fast food and fast casual are winning with Gen Z: The low price point and accessibility draw in hungry Gen Zers, but they also balance these meals with higher-end experiences.
- Cooking at home can meet many needs: Primarily a cost-saving measure, cooking at home can also fulfill the Gen Z desire to explore or find comfort in the familiar.
- Gen Zers eat healthy to feel (rather than look) good: Raised in a health-conscious age, this generation has a broad definition of what “healthy” means when it comes to food and beverages.
Data Downloads
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Methodology
Data featured in this report draws from a survey conducted Jan. 30 – Feb. 4, 2025, among 1,001 Gen Zers. All survey interviews were conducted online, and the data was weighted to approximate populations of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age and race by educational attainment. Top-line results from the surveys have a margin of error of +/-3 percentage points
About the author
Lindsey Roeschke is an analyst whose work focuses on behavior and expectations of consumers in the travel & hospitality and food & beverage categories, particularly through a generational and cultural lens. Prior to joining Morning Consult, she served as a director of consumer and culture analysis at Gartner. In addition to her research and advisory background, Lindsey has more than a decade of experience in the advertising world. She has lived and worked in seven cities across four continents.
