The Pew Research Center defines Gen Z as those born between 1997 and 2012, meaning that they’re now between the ages of 12 and 27, with slightly more than half of that number being over 21. (Other sources give the span as 1998 to 2016.)
While generalizations about large swaths of people are never wholly accurate, observers have noted a few things about Gen Z-ers: Even more than for Millennials — the first digitally connected generation — members of this group live on their smartphones, and they tend to get their news and other information from such sources as TikTok and Youtube. They also commonly accept — even embrace — racial and cultural diversity.
These qualities almost certainly affect their tastes when dining out — and as is the case with every age group, dining out for Gen Z can mean patronizing restaurant chains, at least some of the time.
What chains do Gen Z like best? To answer that question, 24/7 Tempo reviewed “Gen Z’s Favorite Restaurants,” published by Nation’s Restaurant News. NRN based its ranking on data compiled by the food industry research and consulting company Technomic’s Ignite Consumer data resource.
Ignite Consumer polled a representative example of the generation, assigning scores as percentages that represent, according to NRN, “a composite top-box rating, indicating the share of recent guests who gave the brand the highest possible overall score.” (NRN breaks the chains into two parts — limited and full service — but we have combined the two, interleaving the rankings according to percentage score.)
Half of the chains listed here also appear in the research Ignite Consumer did for Millennials. One noticeable difference between the two lists is that Chuy’s Tex-Mex is the only south-of-the-border restaurant favored by Millennials, while the genre is represented here by Chuy’s, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, Chili’s Grill & Bar, and Torchy’s Tacos. It may come as a surprise to some that Cracker Barrel, despite its old-timey style and traditional menu, comes in at No. 7. (Compare this list with our roster of what are, regardless of generation, America’s favorite restaurant chains.)
Scroll down to see the restaurant chains Gen Z likes best.
18: Jason’s Deli
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 53.60%
17: Rubio’s Coastal Grill
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 54.00%
16: Jamba
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 54.00%
15: Cold Stone Creamery
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 55.00%
14: Newk’s Eatery
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 55.90%
13: Smoothie King
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 55.00%
12: The Brass Tap
- Type: Full service
- Score: 52.10%
11: Chili’s Grill & Bar
- Type: Full service
- Score: 52.40%
10: Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
- Type: Full service
- Score: 53.00%
9: Carrabba’s Italian Grill
- Type: Full service
- Score: 54.00%
8: Chuy’s Tex-Mex
- Type: Full service
- Score: 54.40%
7: Cracker Barrel
- Type: Full service
- Score: 55.40%
6: Torchy’s Tacos
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 56.20%
5: Ruth’s Chris Steak House
- Type: Full service
- Score: 56.80%
4: First Watch
- Type: Full service
- Score: 57.30%
3: Tropical Smoothie Cafe
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 57.80%
2: Seasons 52
- Type: Full service
- Score: 59.90%
1: Dutch Bros Coffee
- Type: Limited service
- Score: 62.70%