- Contents
- *Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: Market context
What you need to know
Gen Z’s low income makes them highly vulnerable to recessions, and restaurants will struggle to attract price-conscious Gen Z consumers. However, LSRs (limited-service restaurants) will appeal to Gen Z diners through low-priced options and by offering a bevy of snacks and drinks. FSR (full-service restaurant) chains will need to focus on providing value to Gen Z consumers and craft marketing messages that appeal to their sense of activism and individuality.
Definition
This Report covers dining attitudes and behaviors of Gen Z teens and Gen Z adults, and compares Gen Z adults to other generational cohorts.
This Report includes special consumer sample sizes:
1,000 Gen Z teens aged 13-17. Survey field date February 2020.
An augmented sample of 601 Gen Z adults aged 18-25 (ie, sample greater than the representative proportion of Gen Z adults in the US). Survey field date May 2020, total sample 2,342.
Note: When comparing Gen Z adults (aged 18-25) to other generations, a non-augmented sample is used to be representative of US demographic proportions; this results in slight data variations when comparing Gen Z adult – augmented to Gen Z adult – non-augmented.
COVID-19: Market context
The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global health pandemic, and on March 13, President Trump declared a national emergency in the US.
Across the US, state-level stay-at-home orders rolled out throughout the months of March and April, remaining in place through May, and in some cases June. During this time, referred to as lockdown, nonessential businesses and school districts across the nation closed or shifted to remote operations.
During reemergence, all 50 states have relaxed stay-at-home orders and allowed businesses to operate with varying levels of social distancing measures in place. The continued spread of COVID-19 infections has driven some states to slow down or reverse course on reopening plans. Mintel anticipates the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021, until a vaccine is available.
