What drives Gen Z's restaurant choices in 2026?
Both physical and digital exploration drove restaurant discovery.
Personal recommendations remain the strongest route to restaurant discovery amongst Gen Z adults, with word of mouth proving considerably more influential than online reviews, according to YouGov.
Nearly six in ten Gen Z adults (59%) discover restaurants through recommendations from friends or family, compared with 30% who rely on online reviews. Discovery was also tied to physical and digital exploration, with 43% finding restaurants by exploring local areas and an identical 43% using social media. Traditional advertising played a smaller role, cited by 13%, the same proportion who use food blogs or websites.
The research found that most Gen Z consumers view eating out as an occasion. Nearly seven in ten (69%) agreed that eating out is a treat reserved for special moments, including 23% who definitely agreed, whilst 20% disagreed.
Despite treating restaurant visits as an occasion, the generation showed an appetite for variety. Nearly three-quarters (74%) said they like to experience new foods and cuisines, including 29% who definitely agreed. More than half (55%) agreed that restaurants should offer more vegan or vegetarian options, whilst 22% disagreed and 23% neither agreed nor disagreed.
On restaurant types, YouGov found Gen Z adults gravitated towards accessible formats. Fast food was the most popular, selected by 53%, followed by casual dining at 43%. Independent restaurants attracted more than a third (35%), ahead of cafés and bistros (31%), national chains (29%) and local or regional chains (28%). Nearly a quarter (23%) chose restaurants specialising in ethnic or cultural cuisines.
