Gen Z consumers, born between 1997 and 2012, are having the cultural moment every generation eventually gets: deciding what’s in and what’s fundamentally uncool. The generation has become known for a long list of defining traits that can be hard to keep up with: they drink less, are more open to trade careers, love thrifting and embrace wholesome, analog hobbies. Some commentators have even suggested Gen Z could be the generation that brings down the fast casual sector, the category defined by customizable bowls, build-your-own meals and early pioneers like Chipotle, Sweetgreen, Cava and Panera.
To explore whether Americans and Gen Zers in particular have truly fallen out of love with fast casual, SmartSense by Digi surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults about their dining preferences, concerns and behaviors, as well as the roles the economy and food safety play in dining out decisions, especially within the fast casual space.
