Members of Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2003, seem to be bucking several trends made popular by the Millennials who came before them. A survey by Foursquare and Carat found them more likely than the average consumer to shop in brick-and-mortar stores, spend quality time offline and prefer fast food restaurants, among other findings.
Millennials’ preferences for healthier dining options are one of several trends Generation Z appear to be bucking, as they are 20 percent more likely than the average consumer to visit a burger joint and 82 percent more likely to visit a frozen yogurt shop. The survey found that the top restaurants for Millennials are Juice Generation (81 percent more likely than the average consumer), Just Salad (78 percent) and Chop’t (58 percent), while among Generation Z, the leading food chains are In-N-Out (111 percent), Shake Shack (102 percent) and Chipotle (93 percent).
While Millennials are associated with shopping online and via mobile devices, the survey found that Generation Z are 23 percent more likely than the average consumer to go to a shopping mall and 38 percent more likely to visit an outlet mall. The survey also found them to be 47 percent more likely to use their mobile phone while shopping to enhance the experience through technologies like augmented reality, self-service and mobile in-store shopping. The survey states, “What’s clear about Gen Z’s overall mindset is that they tend to treat shopping as an experience, leaning into brands that provide a sense of convenience. They also appreciate the impact of new technology in facilitating a personalized connection with their favorite brands.”
Generation Z, the survey found, outpaced the average consumer in their likelihood to visit theme parks (50 percent), aquariums (35 percent) bowling alleys (24 percent), opera houses (24 percent) and art museums (24 percent). In fact, 20 percent of Generation Z describe themselves as passionate about visiting museums, galleries and exhibitions, which is 28 percent more than the average U.S. consumer.
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